Pork roll or Taylor ham? Whatever you call it, the BlueClaws have it on their new menu
Baseball food has come a long way since hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack.
Today's ballpark menus reflect local tastes, like at Fenway Park in Boston, which serves clam chowder and lobster rolls. Fans at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles feast on barbacoa tacos, Korean fried chicken and sushi. At Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, you'll find halal street food, as well as dishes from celebrity chefs.
Here in New Jersey, the food that unites (and divides) us is pork roll, and when ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood, home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, decided to add it to the menu this season, they turned to the experts to create the new Taylor Pork Roll Boardwalk Eats stand.
“Our company is 168 years old … we’re older than Coca-Cola, Jell-O, Pillsbury," said Kim Beyer of Taylor Provisions, the Trenton-based company founded by pork roll inventor John Taylor. "George Washington fed the troops our pork roll. ... Historically, we had sandwich shops along the boardwalks in New Jersey, that’s what gave us this idea. It’s a craveable food … and who are we to deprive people of Taylor pork roll?”
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Located down the left field line, the stand is serving dishes like a classic pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich (or just pork roll and cheese, hold the egg), and pork roll macaroni and cheese. Pork roll also is being tucked into tacos at the ballpark's ShoreTown Tacos stand.
"Having it at the ballpark, bringing in that Jersey Shore, that New Jersey staple gives us a really unique product " said Bob McLane, general manager of the BlueClaws. "We're putting it on everything. You can have a little, you can have a lot, and everything in between."
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Not a pork roll fan? Concession stands serve hot dogs (including one topped with pulled pork, coleslaw and barbecue sauce), cheeseburgers (including one with nacho cheese, jalapenos and salsa), fries, chicken tenders, a fried chicken sandwich and popcorn — plus peanuts and Cracker Jack, of course.
There's also a pizza, tacos and Philly cheesesteaks.
Before heading to the ballpark, read on for what we thought of the new menu, starting with our favorite dish.
Pork roll macaroni and cheese
Gabriela Laracca: This cup of gooey, warm mac and cheese not only warmed our hands but our bellies during this particularly cold game night. The little chunks of fried pork roll added the perfect salty touch and texture to the otherwise soft dish. If you're a Cheesehead (wait... this is baseball, not football), this is a must-try.
Sarah Griesemer: You really can't go wrong with macaroni and cheese, especially when it's topped with crispy pork bits. (Hint to Taylor Provisions: Get pork roll bits on the market ASAP!). This one comes with a sprinkle of chopped scallions, which adds a grown-up touch.
Hawaiian pork roll sandwich
GL: We thought this was one of the more creative items on the new menu. With pork roll, a sweet slice of grilled pineapple, tangy teriyaki sauce and Swiss cheese on a salty pretzel roll, the sweet and savory sandwich was reminiscent of summer barbecues. It wouldn't necessarily be my go-to on a cold night like this one was, but I could see myself pairing it with a sweet Summer Shandy during a warm summer game.
SG: I am all about sandwiches with lots of toppings, so I was a fan of this one. The teriyaki sauce added necessary moisture, and grilled pineapple is always a win (don't knock it till you've tried it!). The combination made for lots of flavor.
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Pork roll nachos
GL: This dish is what you'd expect from classic stadium nachos, but with a touch of Jersey. Topped with cheese sauce, it was a nice salty snack.
SG: Some experiences in life call for cheese sauce and salty chips, and baseball games are one of them. Throw your diet out the window and go for it with these nachos, to which pork roll is a great addition.
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Buster Burger
GL: This one was a mouthful, with not only a beef patty but pork roll, egg and cheese on a hamburger roll. This menu item isn't for the faint of heart, but it is for the hungry. Imagine a classic Jersey breakfast sandwich mixed with a ballpark burger — that's the Buster Burger.
SG: Like Gaby said, this is a sandwich that will fill you up. It's built Big Mac-style: bottom bun, cheese-topped burger, middle bun, pork roll, egg and cheese, top bun. Meat lovers will enjoy it, and I think it would be even better with some shredded lettuce and a bright, creamy sauce.
Go: ShoreTown Ballpark is at 2 Stadium Way in Lakewood; 732-901-7000, milb.com/jersey-shore/ballpark.
Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com, follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: BlueClaws new pork roll menu includes nachos, burgers, more
