Sandwich Cubano (Cuban Sandwich)
Ham and cheese sammie? Yawn. Cubans trick theirs out with roast pork, pickles and lots of mustard. Grill. Eat. Amor.
- Cuban bread (or substitute French bread, but NOT a baguette!)
- Butter, softened
- Dill pickles, sliced
- 1 lb deli pork roast, sliced
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt to taste
- ½ lb Swiss cheese, sliced (use a mild Swiss, baby Swiss is a good choice, it has only a few holes)
- Garlic powder to taste
- 1 lb good quality ham, sliced
- Yellow mustard (optional)
- Mayonnaise (optional)
Preheat a griddle or large sauté pan. Cut the bread into sections about 8 inches long. Cut these in half and spread butter on both halves (inside). Make each sandwich with the ingredients in this order: pickles, roasted pork, ham, and cheese. Be generous! Note: For extra flavor, sprinkle the pork layer with some fresh lime juice and season with a little salt and garlic powder.
Place the sandwich on a lightly greased hot griddle or sauté pan. Place a heavy iron skillet or bacon press on top of the sandwich to flatten. Put a little muscle into it! You really want to smash the sandwich, compressing the bread to about a third of its original size!
Grill the sandwiches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the cheese melts and the bread is golden. Make sure your griddle or sauté pan is not too hot. Otherwise, the crust will burn before the cheese melts. Slice the sandwich in half diagonally and serve.
- Let your meats and cheese come to room temperature. This way you avoid burning the bread, and the cheese melts perfectly! Using mustard or mayonnaise on a Cuban sandwich is a personal choice. We find that the best Cuban sandwiches don't need either ingredient. The butter, natural meat juices, and yes, even the pickle juice gives it all of the moistness and flavor it needs.
- Want more Cuban Recipes? Try:
Submit!
