Cuban Sandwich
Oh, my goodness! You can rest assured it's going to be an exceptional sandwich when it demands a generous 5 hours of tender, loving care. Our version of the Cuban sandwich, the Cubano, hails from South Florida and skips the salami. But don't worry, it's perfectly delightful without it. This mouthwatering creation boasts layers of ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard, and the real star of the show is the incredibly juicy slow-roasted pork loin. To achieve its succulent flavor, we marinate the pork in a citrus blend for 2 hours, similar to the one we used in our mojo shrimp recipe! The marinade's acidity and spices wonderfully balance out the richness of the meat, resulting in a delightful fusion of light and hearty flavors.
Ingredients
FOR THE ROAST PORK
- 2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- Juice and zest of 1/2 orange
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (3-lb.) boneless pork loin
FOR THE SANDWICHES
- 1 Cuban-style bread roll or 6 hero rolls
- 4 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 12 thin slices boiled ham
- 12 thin slices roast pork
- 1 c. bread and butter pickles
- 12 thin slices Swiss
- 5 tbsp. butter
- Potato chips, for serving
Instructions
- Make the roast pork: Mix all ingredients except for pork loin in a large resealable plastic bag until fully combined. Add pork and seal bag. Massage bag to coat pork with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Massage bag from time to time to distribute marinade.
- Remove bag from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour more.
- Preheat oven to 400º. Place pork in a dutch oven with a lid and discard excess marinade. Cook covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and carefully flip loin. Continue to cook, uncovered, until internal temperature reaches 145º, 20 to 30 minutes more. Transfer pork to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
- Make the sandwiches: Cut 6 large pieces of foil. Split bread in half lengthwise and butter the outside of both slices, then place on foil.
- Assemble sandwiches on foil. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the inside of each slice of bread. Add layers of ham, roast pork slices, pickles, and Swiss, then add top of bread.
- Wrap sandwich (or sandwiches) tightly in foil and place in a grill pan over medium-high heat or panini press. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. If using a grill pan, place a weight (such as a cast iron skillet) on top of sandwich to press it.
- Remove sandwich from grill, and remove foil. Cut sandwich diagonally in half.
- Serve with additional pickles and potato chips.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!