Rocket Pig's Delicious Sandwiches - NYC

Ralf Kuettel must be a betting man.

At Chelsea's Rocket Pig, you can have as many sandwiches as you'd like. But it will always be one sandwich: the Rocket Pig ($14).

This new nook behind Kuettel's Trestle on Tenth is a devoutly focused shop. When the landlord offered a 200-square-foot brick shed in the backyard, Kuettel jumped at the opportunity.

The rather lengthy pig-to-plate process for the Rocket Pig sandwich starts with a three-day saltwater, molasses and spice brine. After a rubdown with coriander seed and bay leaves, the pork is smoked for two hours and then roasted for three until it collapses into deeply luxuriant, charred-edged slices.

Shouldered by Brick City Baking Company ciabatta, the pork's intense savoriness is complemented by mustard aioli and red-onion jam. Do add the full-bodied jalapeño and bell pepper hot sauce for mouthfuls that could have you forsaking all other sandwiches.

Take one more of Kuettel's sure bets before you leave: a three-pack of chocolate sablé cookies wedged with Double Stuf Oreo-proportions of chocolate mousse ($4).

Rocket Pig, 463 W. 24th St. (at Tenth Ave.); 212-645-5660 or rocketpignyc.com