El Cubano Recipe
A Local Favorite! Chili-rubbed roasted pork loin sliced thin and stacked with Black Forest ham, provolone and Swiss cheese, sliced dill pickles and special sauce grilled crisp on Cuban style bread. Que Bueno!!
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Ingredients
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Sandwich Components
Chili Rub & Seasoning
Special Sauce
For Grilling & Finish
Method
Prepare Pork Loin
Trim and rub
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the 1 lb pork loin dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, kosher salt and black pepper. Rub the pork with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then evenly coat with the chili-spice mixture.
Roast
Place the rubbed pork on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°F (about 20–30 minutes depending on thickness). Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes (carryover will bring it to safe temp).
Slice thin
After resting, slice the pork loin as thinly as possible (against the grain) to make about 8–10 thin slices suitable for stacking in sandwiches. Keep warm.
Make Special Sauce
In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon, 1 teaspoon pickle juice, 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon honey and 2 dashes hot sauce if using. Taste and adjust salt or pickle juice to balance tanginess. Refrigerate until assembly.
Assemble Sandwiches
Prepare bread
Slice the 2 Cuban rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge if you prefer, or split completely. Lightly butter the outside cut surfaces with the softened butter (about 1 tablespoon per outside of each roll).
Build layers
Spread a generous layer of special sauce on the bottom half of each roll. Layer thin-sliced chili-roasted pork evenly across the bottom, then top with the 6 oz Black Forest ham divided between sandwiches. Add provolone slices and Swiss slices layered so they will melt between them. Arrange 3 dill pickle slices on top of the cheese for each sandwich. Spread a thin layer of special sauce on the top half of the roll as well, then close the sandwich.
Grill / Press
Heat a panini press, cast-iron skillet, or heavy griddle over medium heat. Brush the interior surfaces lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place the assembled sandwiches on the press or skillet. If using a skillet, weigh the top of the sandwich with a heavy pan or foil-wrapped brick to press it. Grill/press until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheeses are melted, about 3–5 minutes per side on a skillet (2–4 minutes on a press). Rotate once if needed for even browning.
Remove from heat and let rest 1 minute, then slice each sandwich diagonally and serve immediately.