The Cuban sandwich, a Tampa classic, is a delectable symphony of flavors that has captivated taste buds for generations. This iconic sandwich, with its pressed Cuban bread, layers of roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and tangy mustard, embodies the culinary heritage of Tampa, a city known for its rich Cuban influence. If you seek to recreate this savory masterpiece in your own kitchen, embark on a culinary journey with us as we unveil the secrets to crafting the perfect Tampa-style Cuban sandwich, a feast for both the senses and the soul. Get ready to savor the legacy of this beloved sandwich, a testament to the enduring charm of Tampa's culinary traditions.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
TAMPA CUBAN SANDWICH
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 3h5m
Yield 1 sandwich (plus extra roast pork)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Prepare the pork: Cut small slits all over the meat with a knife and put skin-side down in a roasting pan. Mix the lime juice and orange juice in a measuring cup. Transfer 1/4 cup juice mixture to a food processor; add the garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pulse to make a paste. Rub over the pork and into the slits. Pour the remaining 3/4 cup juice over the pork; press the bay leaves on top. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 6 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Turn the pork skin-side up and roast until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 160 degrees F, about 2 hours, 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. (Refrigerate leftover pork in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
- Make the sandwich: Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Layer the ham, 3 thin slices roast pork, the salami, cheese and pickles on the bottom half. Spread the mustard on the inside of the top half. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Butter the outside of the sandwich, then add to the pan and put a heavy skillet on top to weigh it down; cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side (or cook in a sandwich press). Cut in half on the diagonal.
- In any Cuban sandwich, mojo-marinated pork is key. Look for bottled marinade in Latin markets, or try this recipe from Tampa's legendary Columbia Restaurant.
CHEF JOHN'S CUBAN SANDWICH
Here's how I build a Cuban, or Cubano, sandwich. I like to use pulled pork. Carnitas would work too. These ingredients and amounts are open to your own personal preferences, but here's the general idea.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Caribbean
Time 21m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl to make the sauce.
- Trim off ends of bread. Cut loaf in half and evenly split bread to make tops and bottoms of 2 sandwiches. Spread each half on both sides generously with the mayo/mustard sauce.
- Divide sandwich ingredients between the two bottom halves in this order: 2 slices Swiss cheese, 3 slices ham, hot cooked pork, pickle slices, and 2 more slices of Swiss cheese. Place tops on sandwiches.
- Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet and press down with a heavy weight (such as another skillet or foil-wrapped bricks). Toast sandwiches until bread is crisp and filling is heated through, 3 or 4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1473.1 calories, Carbohydrate 85.4 g, Cholesterol 287.1 mg, Fat 85.2 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 88.2 g, SaturatedFat 37.3 g, Sodium 4076.6 mg, Sugar 4.2 g
CUBAN SANDWICH
It is generally believed that the Cuban cigar workers who migrated to the Tampa, FL area/Ybor City back in the early 1900's brought the Cuban sandwich to the US. Originally called the "mixto" or mixed sandwich, the Cuban, as it is known today, became a workingman's lunch for those employed in the cigar industry. Note--if you can't get sour oranges in your area, try equal parts of orange and grapefruit juice or 2 parts orange juice to 1 part lemon juice and 1 part lime juice.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h34m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- To make the Cuban Roast Pork: Mash the garlic and salt together using a mortar/pestle.
- Place the mash mixture in a small bowl; add in oregano, onion, and sour orange juice; mix thoroughly.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add in the mash mixture and whisk to blend.
- Remove from heat and set marinade aside.
- Pierce the pork roast with a sharp knife or fork.
- Set aside a small amount of the marinade for use during the roasting period.
- Pour remaining marinade over the pork, cover, and refrigerate 2-3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°; remove pork from marinade and place on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Sprinkle reserved marinade over pork.
- Roast until completely cooked and a meat thermometer registers 160° (about 20 minutes per lb).
- Baste occasionally with the pan juices.
- Remove pork from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before thinly slicing the meat.
- Bring remaining pan juices to a boil and simmer until juice is reduced by half; use this juice to sprinkle onto the meat in the sandwiches.
- To make the sandwiches: cut the bread into 4 sections, each about 8 inches long; slice these sections in half horizontally; spread butter on the inside of both halves.
- Generously layer sandwiches with filling ingredients in the following order: pickles, roasted pork, ham, and cheese.
- Spread with the optional mustard or mayonnaise if desired.
- Preheat a pancake griddle or large skillet.
- Lightly coat hot griddle or skillet with cooking spray; add in the first sandwich (make sure that your griddle or skillet is not too hot or the crust will burn before the cheese melts).
- Place a heavy iron skillet on top of the sandwich to flatten it (you want to smash the sandwich, compressing the bread to about a third of its original size).
- Grill the sandwich for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden.
- Repeat the process for each sandwich.
- Slice each sandwich in half diagonally and serve.
- Note--Additions like Genoa salami, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and onion have become popular in the past forty years but are considered heresy by purists; in the old days, the sandwich was brushed on the outside with a small amount of pork drippings.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1430.4, Fat 97.9, SaturatedFat 33.2, Cholesterol 340.3, Sodium 2578.1, Carbohydrate 14.6, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 7.7, Protein 117.6
CUBAN SANDWICH - A TAMPA CLASSIC!
This recipe is from the "Tampa Treasures" cookbook by the Junior League of Tampa. Make sure you use Cuban style roast pork! Also makes a great game day sandwich when cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Provided by Amy - Ellies Mommie
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 25m
Yield 6 sandwiches, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cut Cuban bread into 6 8-inch pieces.
- Split bread lengthwise.
- Spread mustard on six halves of the bread.
- Spread mayonnaise on the other six halves of the bread.
- Layer ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and salami on the mustard halves of the bread.
- Layer pickles on top of salami; top with mayo halves of bread.
- Can be eaten cold, but tastes better "hot pressed".
- To press: Heat a counter top grill (like a George Foreman grill) and place sandwich between the plates.
- Press down hard on the sandwich, squeezing the halves together tightly.
- Grill until the bread is toasted to a light brown on the outside and the cheese is melted.
- Alternate method: Heat a heavy pan on top of the stove on medium heat.
- Place sandwich in pan and press down with another heavy object (a brick wrapped in foil is good).
- Toast sandwich until light brown on one side, then turn over.
- Replace brick on toasted side.
- Serve with potato chips and a cold soda.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 211.8, Fat 13.7, SaturatedFat 6.2, Cholesterol 64.9, Sodium 556.6, Carbohydrate 1.4, Sugar 0.5, Protein 19.8
ORIGINAL CUBAN SANDWICH
Steps:
- Cut Cuban bread to desired size, common size is 7 inches. Next, slice open the bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread 1-ounce of mustard, evenly across. Then place 4 pickles on top of the mustard. You then place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles. Slice ham to desired thickness, recommended size is 1 1/2 ounces per slice, the thinner the better. Now fold each slice of ham in half and place evenly on bottom of bread. On top of the ham, place slices of roast pork, 1 1/2 ounces per slice. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.
- Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner. DO NOT USE A MICROWAVE OVEN!
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the quality of your ingredients, the better your Cuban sandwich will be. Look for fresh, flavorful bread, ham, pork, cheese, and pickles.
- Press the sandwich: Pressing the sandwich helps to flatten it and make it easier to eat. You can use a panini press, a waffle iron, or even a heavy skillet.
- Don't overstuff the sandwich: A Cuban sandwich is all about the balance of flavors, so don't overstuff it with fillings. Just a few slices of each ingredient will do.
- Serve the sandwich hot: A Cuban sandwich is best served hot and fresh off the press. Enjoy it with a side of Cuban coffee or a cold beer.
Conclusion:
The Cuban sandwich is a delicious and iconic sandwich that is enjoyed by people all over the world. It is a versatile sandwich that can be made with a variety of different ingredients, but the classic combination of ham, pork, cheese, pickles, and mustard is always a winner. Whether you are making it for a party or just for a quick lunch, the Cuban sandwich is sure to please everyone.
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