Cubano Recipe
Ciabatta, carnitas, ham, swiss, herb mustard, pickles, chipotle aioli, fries
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Ingredients
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Carnitas (braised pork)
Sauces & Condiments
Sandwich components
Fries
Method
Carnitas (braised pork)
- 1
Preheat and season
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano and ground cumin, then rub evenly over all pork pieces.
- 2
- 3
Deglaze and braise
Reduce heat to medium. Add the smashed garlic to the pot and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Pour in orange juice, lime juice and chicken stock and scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Return all pork to the pot along with bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 to 2½ hours, until pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- 4
Shred and crisp
Remove pork from liquid and let cool slightly. Shred with two forks, discarding bay leaves and any large pieces of fat. To crisp: spread shredded pork on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle a little of the braising liquid (1–2 tbs) over the meat to keep it moist, and roast at 450°F (230°C) for 12–18 minutes, tossing once halfway, until edges are browned and slightly crisp. Keep warm until assembly.
Sauces & Condiments
- 5
Make herb mustard
In a small bowl whisk together Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, chopped parsley and lemon juice until smooth. Taste and adjust salt (use about 1/8–1/4 tsp as desired). Set aside at room temperature.
- 6
Make chipotle aioli
In a separate bowl combine mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, minced garlic and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until smooth and slightly glossy. If mixture is too thick, thin with 1–2 tbs water. Refrigerate until ready to use; bring to room temperature before assembling sandwiches.
Fries
- 7
Prep and roast fries
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread cut potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat very dry (this helps them crisp). Toss potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper and smoked paprika until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (use two sheets if crowded). Roast 30–40 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if using and keep warm.
Sandwich assembly & toasting
- 8
Prep bread
Slice ciabatta rolls horizontally. Lightly spread chipotle aioli on the bottom halves and the herb mustard on the top halves (or reverse to taste).
- 9
Layer sandwiches
On each bottom half, pile about 5–6 oz shredded carnitas (approximately 1/2 cup loosely packed), then top with 2 slices of ham, 2 slices of Swiss cheese, and about 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles. Close sandwiches with top halves.
- 10
Grill
Butter the outside cut sides of each roll lightly. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat (or preheat a panini press). Place sandwiches butter-side-down, press lightly with a spatula or weighted press, and cook 3–5 minutes per side (or press in panini press 3–4 minutes) until bread is golden and crisp and the Swiss is melted. If using skillet, flip once and press; if bread is getting too dark before cheese melts, cover loosely for 1–2 minutes to trap heat.
- 11
Finish and serve
Remove sandwiches, let rest 1 minute, then slice in half. Serve each sandwich with a generous portion of fries. Offer extra chipotle aioli and herb mustard on the side.
