The History Of Why Pork Rolls Are Sometimes Called Taylor Ham Sandwiches

New Jersey is home to some unique culinary creations, like its version of the sloppy Joe. Unlike the rest of the country, the Garden State's sloppy Joe is a triple decker sandwich that features layers of deli meat, cheese, Russian dressing, and coleslaw on rye bread. In other words, it's not ground beef smothered in a tomato sauce served on a bun. Some say New Jerseyans love a good debate almost as much as their sandwiches, like the state's most iconic breakfast version, which includes a fried egg or eggs, American cheese, and pork roll — or is it a Taylor ham? — on a Kaiser roll.

Let the arguing begin. Before we get into the debate on what it's called, let's first discuss exactly what this meat product is. Pork roll/Taylor ham is a precooked processed pork product made from lean cuts of pork, sugar, and spices that's then lightly smoked for a bit of tangy flavor. It comes in either a roll or pre-sliced. Typically, it's fried before being layered with the other sandwich ingredients. The reason it's sometimes called Taylor ham has to do with the man credited with its creation in 1856, John Taylor, and the best-known version, John Taylor's Pork Roll, which was once called Taylor's Prepared Ham. 

Even before John Taylor founded the Taylor Provisions Company, his family had roots in the pork business. His ancestor, Colonel John Taylor — who served under General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War — first came up with a recipe for minced pork, a kind of precursor to the pork roll, in the 1770s, which he supplied the troops with during the war. But it was the younger John Taylor who laid the groundwork for the epic debate that has endured for more than 100 years when he named his product Taylor's Prepared Ham.

In 1906, the federal government forced the company to change the name of its product since it didn't actually fit the definition of ham, which is a cured leg of pork. Still, the name Taylor ham had stuck. To this day on social media sites like Facebook, the fight about what this pork product and the breakfast sandwich it spawned should be called goes on, and on, and on. Even after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sided with the Taylor ham camp in an official proclamation in 2023, the debate continues. Whether you call it a pork roll or a Taylor ham sandwich, it's a staple of Jersey delis and bodegas. At diners you can find your sandwich served alongside disco fries. Besides the state's sandwich, these French fries covered in cheese and gravy are a must-have when in the Garden State.