What is Taylor Ham and Why Does New Jersey Love It

People who live in New Jersey all their lives, and then move to states that don't even border the Garden State, are often in for a rude surprise. There's no Taylor ham.

Some people compare it to Canadian bacon, some say it's a richer cousin of Spam. Others say there is just no comparison. One thing is sure. Taylor ham is a staple of life in New Jersey. Go in any Jersey diner for breakfast and you will have your choice of eggs, any style, with bacon, sausage or Taylor ham. If you don't want eggs, you can have a Taylor ham sandwich on a hard roll, on toast, with pancakes, or any other way you can think of, with or without cheese.

For the uninitiated, Taylor ham is actually the brand name for pork roll. John Taylor invented the original Taylor ham in Trenton, New Jersey in the late 1800s. It does say pork roll on the ham package, but the prominence of the word Taylor is one reason why it has come to be known as such, at least in North Jersey. South Jerseyans tend to call it Taylor pork roll. Other companies came along and also made pork roll, but to a true New Jerseyan, North or South, these imitations are of little consequence: there is only one Taylor ham.

Taylor Provisions, Inc. sells Taylor ham in both 3 lb. and 6 lb. rolls, which you can cut up yourself. It is also available pre-sliced in 6 oz. boxes of 8 thin slices or 4 double slices. You can also buy it at most deli counters and have them slice up your Taylor ham. Most folks will agree that the thickness of the slice changes the taste somewhat. The company also markets a milder brand under the Trenton pork roll label.

When I first moved to Texas several years ago, I simply did not know that I could not just go to the supermarket and get some Taylor ham. I walked into the Superwalmart, looked around and finally asked a fellow by the bacon where the Taylor ham was. He looked at me blankly. "Pork roll," I said, figuring maybe they had a different brand. He still didn't know what it was. Later, I got lucky. Across the street from me was an H.E.B, Supermarket and when I went in there one day to buy some cold cuts, staring me in the face right there in the deli case, I saw the unmistakable tan package with the word Taylor in large red letters. I checked for Trenton, N.J. just to make sure. I was living right by the one supermarket in my Houston zip code that does carry Taylor ham!

It's expensive down here, that's no lie. A pound of Taylor ham from the H.E.B. on Westheimer at S. Kirkwood now costs about $8.99. In New Jersey, when Shop Rite Supermarkets puts Taylor ham on sale for 99 cents a package, that's when folks stock up because you can freeze it. Shop Rite also markets its own pork roll in both mild and tangy flavors, and while it's not bad, it's just not the real McCoy. When we get it, we usually have Taylor ham sandwiches for dinner, because we can't wait till breakfast.

Other foods that the typical displaced New Jerseyan will say they miss are bagels, pizza, pushcart hot dogs, and most people from Essex County would likely mention Jimmy Buff's original Italian hot dogs. The only help for that seems to be a trip back to the Garden State, but with Taylor ham, if you're not near a supermarket that imports it, there is still hope.

There are several internet services online that will directly ship Taylor ham to you. Pork Roll Xpress is one. They also carry other New Jersey brands you may be craving like Tastykakes (yes, they have Peanut Butter Kandykakes), or Drakes Cakes.

Jerseyporkroll.com is another. Their site says that in January, 2006, they supplied Taylor ham to Jon Bon Jovi and his band when they played at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wi. (I wonder if it's in his rider). A Sayreville native, Bon Jovi says that, like most North Jerseyans, he puts mustard on his sandwich, while South Jerseyans like ketchup.

If you are in New Jersey, stop by any diner, any time of the day or night and order yourself a Taylor ham sandwich and you'll see for yourself why it's the greatest.