Italian Meat Stromboli

Brianna's week. The apartment goes still. I've learned to use these weeks Γçö not just survive them but use them. Monday after work I stopped at the grocery store and bought a pork shoulder. Five pounds, bone-in, on sale for $1.79 a pound. Nine dollars for what will become twelve meals if I do it right. I rubbed it down Tuesday night with the dry rub Γçö the one with the cinnamon now, the quarter-teaspoon secret Γçö wrapped it in plastic, and let it sit in the fridge until Saturday morning.

Worked the line all week. Production numbers are up and management wants them higher, which is how it always goes Γçö you meet the target and the target moves. Jerome and I ate lunch together Thursday in the break room and he brought up the restaurant again. Third time this month. I told him to stop. He said, "I'm not bringing it up, I'm just saying there's a space on Livernois that's been empty for six months and the rent is reasonable." I said that's the definition of bringing it up. He smiled and ate the leftover gumbo I'd packed and said, "This gumbo is too good for a Tupperware container in a break room." He's not wrong. I'm not ready to say he's right.

Saturday I put the pork shoulder on the smoker at six in the morning. Apple wood. Two-twenty-five. The porch smelled like a promise by eight o'clock. I sat out there with coffee and watched the neighborhood wake up Γçö Mr. Henderson walking his dog, the woman from 4B leaving for work, kids on bikes appearing from nowhere the way Detroit kids do when the weather breaks. By two o'clock the internal temp hit 195 and the bone pulled clean and I shredded that pork with two forks and it fell apart like it had been waiting to. Made a vinegar-based sauce Γçö cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, black pepper. Tangy. Sharp. The kind of sauce that argues with the smoke instead of hiding it.

Mr. Henderson got a plate. The couple downstairs got a plate. I packed portions for the kids Γçö they're back Wednesday and pulled pork sandwiches will be waiting. Memorial Day is next weekend. I'm thinking ribs. I'm thinking about that block party flyer I saw at the corner store Γçö the one in Rosedale Park that says "bring your best." I might. I just might.

Jerome’s voice keeps coming back to me — too good for a Tupperware container in a break room — and I don’t know what to do with that yet, so I cook instead. The pulled pork is handled, the neighbors have plates, the kids have sandwiches waiting. But that block party flyer in Rosedale Park says “bring your best,” and smoked pork needs a day on the smoker. What I need is something I can prep the night before, roll tight, and slide into the oven an hour before I walk out the door — something that looks like I meant it. This Italian Meat Stromboli is exactly that: layered, bold, and the kind of thing that makes people ask who brought it.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb store-bought or homemade pizza dough, at room temperature
3 oz salami, thinly sliced
3 oz pepperoni, thinly sliced
3 oz deli ham, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Marinara sauce, for dipping

Instructions

Preheat. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Roll the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough out into a roughly 12x16-inch rectangle, working from the center outward to keep an even thickness.
Brush and season. Brush the dough evenly with olive oil, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes if using.
Layer the fillings. Arrange the salami across the dough first, then layer the pepperoni and ham on top, overlapping slightly. Scatter the mozzarella and provolone evenly over the meats.
Roll tight. Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough away from you into a firm, tight log. Pinch the seam and both ends firmly to seal. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Score and wash. Using a sharp knife, cut 4 or 5 shallow diagonal slits across the top of the roll to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg.
Bake. Bake for 22–26 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the cheese is visibly bubbling through the slits. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
Rest and slice. Let the stromboli rest on the pan for 5 minutes before slicing into 1-inch rounds. Serve warm alongside marinara sauce for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Italian Meat Stromboli — Something Worth Bringing to the Table