RPG sandwich: Roast pork and garlic bread roll recipe

August 29, 2017

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:6

Standing for Roast Pork and Garlic bread, the RPG is a heart-stopper of a sandwich from the Catskill Mountains, a couple of hours drive north of New York City. Combining "Chinese" roast pork, "duck sauce" (plum sauce here in Australia) and "Italian" garlic bread, it gained a cult following among many New Yorkers in the 1950s and '60s.

Ingredients

4 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
100g butter, softened
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
6 soft hot dog rolls, split in half enough to open like a clamshell
¼ cup plum sauce

Quick charsiu

2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp five spice powder
1 kg boneless pork neck (or belly), cut into 5cm strips

Method

1. For the quick charsiu, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, pour over the pork and marinade overnight.
2. The next day, heat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the pork strips on top. Roast for 35 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and caramelised. Rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice thinly.
3. Meanwhile, toss the sliced cucumbers with the salt and drain in a sieve for at least 15 minutes. Rinse well with water and drain again, squeezing out any excess liquid.
4. Combine the butter, garlic and parsley and spread on both cut sides of the roll. Grill the cut sides only under a hot grill until the butter is melted and the bread lightly toasted. Fill the sandwiches with a layer of cucumber and a generous amount of roast pork. Drizzle with the plum sauce and serve.
If you like this recipe, try Adam Liaw's Turducken burger with bacon and brown bread stuffing.