Chex Mix
Lidey Heuck
247 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
247
1 hour, plus cooling
Cuban Sandwich
Updated Oct. 17, 2023
- Total Time
- About 10 hours
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 hours 30 minutes, plus marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 sandwiches, plus leftover pork
- ¾cup orange juice (from about 3 medium oranges)
- ¼cup lime juice, (from about 2 limes)
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1½teaspoons ground cumin
- 1teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 3 to 3½pound boneless pork shoulder
- Cuban or similar bread, cut into four 6-inch-long pieces, split lengthwise
- Yellow mustard, as needed
- 6ounces sliced Swiss cheese
- 4large dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 6ounces sliced deli honey or maple ham
- 8ounces shredded or sliced roast pork (about 2 cups)
- 4ounces sliced salami (optional)
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed, melted
For the Pork
For Sandwiches
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the pork: In a medium bowl, combine the orange and lime juices, olive oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place the pork inside a large resealable bag, then slowly pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag and squish the marinade around so it evenly covers the pork. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. Occasionally, if you think of it, move the pork around to re-coat in the marinade.
- Step 2
Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and heat to 275 degrees. (For easier cleanup, line a medium-sized roasting dish with aluminum foil.) Transfer the pork to the roasting dish, discarding the marinade. Season both sides of the pork well with salt and pepper. Cover the roasting dish with foil and roast for 3 hours.
- Step 3
Remove pork from the oven and increase the heat to 325 degrees. Discard the foil on top and baste the pork with the pan juices. Return to the oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes, until the top of the pork is browned and the pork is cooked through and very tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Rest the pork for about 15 minutes before shredding or slicing. (If desired, taste and season the pan juices and serve alongside the pork or toss the shredded pork with some of it.)
- Step 4
Prepare the sandwiches: Brush the outsides (not the cut sides) of the bottom halves of the bread with butter and arrange on a clean surface, cut-sides up. Slather the cut sides of both halves with mustard, then cover with Swiss cheese. To the bottom halves, add the sliced pickles, followed by the ham, roast pork and, if using, salami. Tuck in any pieces of meat hanging off the sides of the bread. Close the sandwiches and gently press down with the palm of your hand.
- Step 5
Heat a large grill pan or griddle over medium. Brush the pan with butter, then add the sandwiches, bottom-sides down, and press down firmly with a wide spatula or another heavy pan. (You may need to do this in batches.) Grill, pressing the entire time, for 4 minutes. Brush the tops with butter and flip sandwiches, adding more butter to the pan, if needed. Grill the other side, pressing, until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted and golden, 4 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, slice in half diagonally, and serve immediately.
Tip
- Sour oranges, also called Seville or bitter oranges, can be found late winter to early spring in Latin and Iranian markets as well as some farmers’ markets. Use 1 cup sour orange juice instead of the orange and lime juices.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Alex
This will annoy some people but, If you don’t have Cuban bread, a Mexican bolillo or telera roll also make a good substitute. Or a light hot dog bun, or a sub roll. Some people say “if you don’t have Cuban bread don’t bother” but I think that’s silly. It’ll taste great on plenty of other breads. Ignore the naysayers
Annette DeKlara
Quick tip - the acid in the marinade can dissolve some of the aluminum foil. Better to cook the pork in a non-reactive pan (Pyrex or enamel coated) and use the foil to tent the pan.
Upstate Central New York Hobby Farmer
I make my pulled pork in the slow cooker all the time. It lacks the browning and crisp outside parts, but it is works for my purposes, and allows me to not have to watch it all day. I plan to try this recipe using this marinade - sounds great!
Richard Schillen
Naz, if you really want to be authentically Cuban in your handling of the Cubano sandwich, you must slice the finished product at a 45 degree angle, lengthwise the length of the bread showing of the pointy ends. Cubans, like myself, call that "con picos". You are spot on the rest of it, except I would also paint the pork with a touch of mojo!
Troy
The cheese for this recipe should be Gruyère, not regular Swiss cheese. It imparts a much better flavor, and melts well, too!
Alan R
You do not need to press the sandwich while cooking. Just cover it and it will cook and compress by itself.
Brushjl
I used the end of a pork roast and homemade sub rolls and it was delicious, very messy, but delicious. Our local Cleveland Kraut company makes kimchi pickles and they were great. Our local Brooklyn cheese company makes award winning "bohemian" mustard, which also went well. This ends up.being a pretty big sandwich, but it's a treat.
Teresa
Quick Cuban shortcut for the marinade - from my now 91 year old mom - put it all in the blender, chico! (traditionally spices and garlic mashed in a mortar)
Richfield3
Although not authentic, use left over roast pork.
Valerie
Note that the recipe says 3 hrs cooking followed by 1.5-2 hrs more. I failed to notice the second part when planning, so am pointing it out for others.
MMF in SF
Took my shot at this for my husband. No pickle, sourdough bread, followed the roasting instructions to a tee then sliced it thin and piled it high. Spousal unit was delighted; this will do until we get back to Miami!
Marian V
I am reading these notes while eating a Cuban sandwich. I don't think I have ever made one myself since they are abundantly available everywhere in the Tampa Bay area where I live. I have prepared the pork as indicated in the recipe though. It is called Mojo pork here. A great way to fix a pork roast whether you make Cuban sandwiches with it or just eat it. I will say I have never seen shredded pork in a Cuban sandwich - just sliced.
jj
A variation of the Cuban is called a Medianoche. Same ingredients but different bread. It is somewhat smaller semi-sweet bread yellowish in color resembling a hot dog bun. Very popular in Puerto Rico.
Robert In Flyover County
I've been enjoying these sandwiches all week. Preparing the roast pork is the most time intensive step. Cook pork roast w/ marinade in a crock pot for 3 hrs on high. Can finish off in 350 F oven for an hour if you want a roasted finish to the meat. Save the juices to dip the sandwich! Sub mayo for butter on outside of bread. Cast iron skillet on low to medium heat works great for finishing sandwich. Flatten w/ spatula & flip regularly to prevent burning. Dip in mojo. Enjoy!
G.
Before spreading mustard on the bread/roll slices, use a stiff spatula to press down on the sliced sides to flatten them before assembling to sandwiches. This allows the inclusion of the other components in thinner layers, and makes it less likely that the sandwiches shed ingredients when pressed and weighted down on the griddle.
Richard Schillen
Naz, if you really want to be authentically Cuban in your handling of the Cubano sandwich, you must slice the finished product at a 45 degree angle, lengthwise the length of the bread showing of the pointy ends. Cubans, like myself, call that "con picos". You are spot on the rest of it, except I would also paint the pork with a touch of mojo!
Troy
The cheese for this recipe should be Gruyère, not regular Swiss cheese. It imparts a much better flavor, and melts well, too!
Mark
Swiss is the way it's always made, so "should' is a personal preference.
Alejandro Benes
I make Cuban bread at home as I can't find a good one nearby. The other key, I think, is to get really high-quality, sharp, nutty Swiss cheese. You have to be able to taste the cheese through everything else, in my opinion. While I don't put salami on mine, I understand that's the "Tampa style" of Cuban sandwich and that's fine. Mayo? Ay, por favor!
eric_k
The roasted pork smells fantastic during the roast. Critique overall is how salty the final product is with the mustard, pickles, and ham - overpowered the pork imo, particularly the ham.
Alan R
You do not need to press the sandwich while cooking. Just cover it and it will cook and compress by itself.
Sari
Curious whether the pork shoulder would fare equally well if it was done in a slow cooker. Any insights?
Upstate Central New York Hobby Farmer
I make my pulled pork in the slow cooker all the time. It lacks the browning and crisp outside parts, but it is works for my purposes, and allows me to not have to watch it all day. I plan to try this recipe using this marinade - sounds great!
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