Cuban Sandwich Recipe
Ham, sliced roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on a pressed Cuban bread.
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Ingredients
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Sandwich Components
Optional Mojo for Warm Pork (if making pork from scratch)
Method
Prepare Pork (Optional Mojo)
Make mojo and warm pork
If using pre-cooked sliced roasted pork, skip this step. To warm or flavor pork: combine orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sliced pork, reduce heat to low, and warm gently for 3–4 minutes until heated through and infused with mojo. Remove pork and keep warm. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the liquid to moisten pork if it seems dry.
Assemble Sandwiches
Split and butter bread
Slice the loaf horizontally to create a top and bottom. If loaf is large, cut into two equal sandwich portions first. Lightly spread softened butter on the outside facing surfaces of both the top and bottom halves (these sides will be pressed/grilled).
Spread mustard
On the inside of the bottom half (and optionally the top half), spread yellow mustard evenly to taste (about 1 tablespoon per sandwich portion).
Layer fillings
On the mustard-spread bottom half, layer ingredients in this order for an authentic balance: 4 slices of ham (or about 4 oz), then 1/2 cup of warm sliced roasted pork (or 4 oz cold pork), 4 slices of Swiss cheese arranged to cover the meat, and then 3 pickle slices lengthwise evenly across. If making two sandwiches from the loaf, divide ingredients equally between them.
Press and Cook
Preheat press or skillet
Preheat a sandwich press (panini press) to medium-high. If you don't have a press, preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat and have a second heavy pan or foil-wrapped brick ready to press the sandwich.
Press the sandwich
Place the top half of the bread on the assembled sandwich. Place the sandwich in the press and close firmly. Cook for about 3–5 minutes until bread is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. If using a skillet, place sandwich in skillet (buttered side down) and press with the heavy pan/brick; cook 2–3 minutes until golden, flip carefully, press again and cook another 2–3 minutes until cheese melts and bread is toasted evenly.
Rest and slice
Remove the sandwich from the press and let rest 1 minute so filling settles. Using a serrated knife, slice the sandwich diagonally into portions (or into two equal sandwiches if loaf was halved). Serve immediately while hot and melted.