The Cubano, a classic pressed sandwich originating in Cuba, tantalizes taste buds with its layers of savory flavors. Featuring juicy roasted pork, salty ham, tangy pickles, melted cheese, and creamy mustard, all fused together between slices of buttered Cuban bread, this sandwich is a culinary masterpiece. Whether you're a sandwich aficionado or simply seeking a delightful meal, uncovering the best recipe for a delectable Cubano is an adventure worth embarking on.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
GRILLED CUBAN SANDWICH (SANDWICH CUBANO)
Editor's note: Chef, nutritionist, and cooking teacher Lourdes Castro shared this recipe from her cookbook, Latin Grilling. It's part of a festive Cuban party menu she created for Epicurious and a great way to use up leftover grilled pork . As soon as someone finds out about my Cuban background, a Cuban sandwich question is never far away. It's no wonder, since Cuban sandwiches have recently popped up on menus all over the country. While many have gotten close to re-creating the real thing, I feel most miss the mark. So here is a step-by-step guide to creating an authentic sandwich Cubano. This is also a great way to use up the leftovers from your Cuban pig roast!
Provided by Lourdes Castro
Categories Sandwich Cheese Pork Father's Day Backyard BBQ Dinner Lunch Ham Summer Grill Grill/Barbecue Swiss Cheese Sandwich Theory Sugar Conscious Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Serves 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Assemble the sandwich
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.
- Wrap the sandwich in foil
- Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.
- Press and grill the sandwich
- Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing.
- Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the wrapped, flattened sandwich on the grill and top with a brick, grill press, or any other heavy, heat-resistant object. Close the lid and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and take off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.
- Slice and serve
- Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges (triangles). Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.
CUBANO SANDWICH
Steps:
- Preheat a sandwich press to medium heat.
- Drizzle the onion and pepper with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the onion and pepper on the sandwich press, close and cook until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Slice into strips.
- Brush the outside of the bottom half of the bread with some of the melted butter. Brush the inside of both halves with a generous amount of the Mojo Mustard. On the bottom half of the bread, layer the sliced deli ham and top with the carnitas. Top with the gherkins, grilled onion and peppers and finally the cheese. Top with the top half of the bread and brush with more butter. Slice in half widthwise.
- Place both halves in the sandwich press, close, press down and cook until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Cut in half to make 4 sandwiches.
- Mix together the mustard, honey, chili paste, oregano, cumin, orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, garlic and some salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Set the slow cooker to high. Put the pork cubes in the slow cooker and season all over with the chipotle powder and some salt. Turn any pieces with the fat cap upright. Nestle in the garlic, cinnamon sticks and yellow onion. Pour the orange soda, vegetable oil and orange juice and zest over the pork. Cover and cook on high until super tender, about 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to broil.
- Transfer the pork chunks to a baking sheet fat-side up. Let the liquid in the slow cooker settle so the fat is on the surface. Scoop off about 1/4 cup of the fat and drizzle over the pork chunks. Broil until the meat is crispy and the fat is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.
GRILLED CUBANO SANDWICH
When you think of the classic flavors of a Cubano sandwich, you think spicy mustard, tangy pickles and succulent pieces of pork. In this recipe we marinate pork tenderloin in yellow mustard and pickle juice so those bold flavors penetrate the meat. Pressing the sandwich onto the grill with a weight guarantees that the bread gets nice and toasty and the cheese is completely melted.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cut the pork tenderloin in half crosswise with a sharp knife, creating two 5-inch-long pieces. Make a vertical cut down the middle of each piece, about 3/4 of the way through. Open the pieces like a book. Lay them cut-side down on a piece of plastic wrap, cover with another piece and use a meat mallet to lightly pound the pork to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Add the pork, 1/4 cup of the yellow mustard, olive oil, pickle brine and garlic to a quart- or gallon-size resealable bag. Close the bag, and rub the marinade into the pork. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare a grill or large grill pan for medium-high heat.
- Once the pork has marinated for 30 minutes, transfer it to a plate, shaking off any excess marinade. Lightly oil the grill grates with vegetable oil. Sprinkle both sides of the pork liberally with salt and pepper, and grill until charred on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness. Transfer the pork a cutting board, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Reduce the grill heat to medium. Slice the pork across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Brush the outside of the Cuban loaf with the butter, and lay the loaf halves cut-side up on a very long piece of aluminum foil. Mix the remaining tablespoon yellow mustard with the mayonnaise, and slather the mixture onto both pieces of bread. Layer the ham, pickles, pork and Swiss cheese on one half of the bread. Top with the other half, and wrap the sandwich up in the foil.
- Put the sandwich on the grill, place a large baking sheet on top and weigh it down with a large cast-iron pan or 2 large cans of food. Grill for 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet and weight, flip the sandwich, weigh it down again and grill until the Swiss cheese has melted, about 5 minutes more.
- Unwrap the sandwich, cut into 4 pieces and serve immediately.
CUBANO PANINI SANDWICH RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: french bread, yellow mustard, swiss cheese, dill pickles, honey ham, pulled pork
Provided by Hitomi Aihara
Categories Lunch
Time 20m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat a grill or campfire to medium heat
- Slice the French loaf almost all the way in half lengthwise, leaving a long side still attached like a hot dog bun.
- Open the bread and spread mustard liberally on both sides. Lay the Swiss cheese slices on both sides of the bread. Lay the pickles over the Swiss slices on the bottom half of the bread. Layer the ham slices and pulled pork over the pickles, then gently lift the top side of the bread to close the sandwich. Double wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil.
- Set the sandwich on the grill over medium heat. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top to press down. Cook the sandwich for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 minutes more, until the outside of the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted.
- Let sandwich cool for a few minutes before carefully unwrapping. Slice and serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 261 calories, Carbohydrate 39 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 12 grams, Sugar 13 grams
CUBANO SANDWICH WITH QUICK PICKLES
A traditional Cubano has slow-cooked pork and mojo made from scratch. This shortcut version relies upon dressed ham, a mojo made with Italian dressing and quick pickles.
Provided by Trisha Yearwood
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- For the quick pickles: Combine the sugar, apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, dried dill, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic, onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Toss the cucumber slices with 1 tablespoon of salt and place in a strainer. Let the slices sit for 10 minutes, then rinse well with cold water.
- Put the pickles in a jar, pour in the pickling liquid and leave for at least 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.
- For the cheater mojo dressing: Mix together the dressing, lime juice and orange juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the sandwiches: Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat.
- Spread a thin layer of mustard on the inside of each roll. Put some quick pickle slices on each bottom roll, then top with a cheese slice. (You may need to cut the cheese slices into triangles to fit.) Toss the ham in the bowl with the mojo dressing, letting the excess drip off. Put 4 ounces of ham on each sandwich. Put the tops on the sandwiches.
- Spread butter on the outside of the sandwiches and put them in the cast-iron pan (do not crowd the pan; you may need to do 2 batches). Place a second cast-iron pan on top of the sandwiches and press down. Cook the sandwiches on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the top pan and turn the sandwiches over, making sure they are golden brown on the bottom. Place the top pan back on the sandwiches and press down. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown on the second side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half diagonally. Serve warm.
THE SANDWICH CUBANO
Provided by Food Network
Yield 1 sandwich
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In Cuba it was just called el sandwich it was here in USA that we gave it a country!
- The plancha has to be set to 350 F
- Slice the bread in half lengthwise, spread the mayo on the bottom bread then place the roast pork then the baked sweet ham then the pickle then the cheese. this way the cheese will melt down and blend with the hams.
- Next put the sandwich on la plancha and spread a little melted butter on top of the bread and press down the top part of the plancha. in about 3 minutes raise the top part of the plancha spin your sandwich to the other side and repeat the butter process again
- Your bread should be toasted and the cheese melted. this should be done in about 10-to 15 minutes depending on the plancha
- Any good ham dish starts with the night before. marinating gives all foods that extra punch of flavour. We accomplish this with sour oranges limes alot of minced garlic, ground cumin dried oregano. This mixture gets spread all over the fresh ham and massage into the meat .Put it the fridge covered with plastic wrap. the next day when u are ready Preheat the oven to 350f place the pork in a roasting pan cover fresh ham in salt skin up, this will keep the ham from drying out, cook for about 4 to 5 hours or until your ham reaches an internal temp of 180f. Remember to take off the salt that by now has become hard. Skin should be toasted and crispy.
- Allow the meat to rest and carve when you can't wait any longer!
CUBANO INTERNATIONAL SANDWICH
This hearty Cuban sandwich is full of so much flavor it's like a party in your mouth with every bite. The German mustard, chipotle mayo and zesty bread and butter pickles really have a great flavor combo and gives this a little zing. The bread is crisp and holds in all the warm filling of this amazing sandwich. It's quite...
Provided by Julia Ferguson
Categories Sandwiches
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Cut focaccia bread into 2 rounds.
- 2. Spread cut side of round bread bottom with chipotle mayonnaise.
- 3. Layer sliced chicken breast over mayonnaise.
- 4. Layer sliced ham over chicken breast.
- 5. Layer Swiss cheese over ham.
- 6. Layer bread and butter pickles over Swiss cheese.
- 7. On cut side of round bread top, spread mustard and place on top of the bread and butter pickles.
- 8. Brush top of focaccia bread with oil.
- 9. Place oiled side down onto hot grill pan.
- 10. Top sandwich with heavy pan or skillet and press down. I used a cast iron skillet. Grill until golden brown and crispy.
- 11. Before turning, brush the bread with oil and turn, grill weighing down again with heavy pan or skillet, until golden and crispy and cheese is melted. If you have a panini press or George Foreman grill they can also be used.
- 12. Cut in quarters and serve with your favorite side.
CUBANO SANDWICH WITH FRIED PICKLES AND SPICY AIOLI
Living in Miami, one sandwich you are always sure to find is the Cuban sandwich! As a little girl, my grandmother always had one ready for me when I would come home from school. While my grandmother made a traditional Cuban sandwich, I added my own twist by frying the sweet pickles and smearing a spicy red pepper aioli. For...
Provided by Naylet LaRochelle
Categories Sandwiches
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions, red pepper, peperoncini, lime zest, and cilantro. Cover; set aside.
- 2. In a medium, deep skillet, pour vegetable oil to cover bottom and about ½ inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium high heat. In a medium bowl, combine the corn meal, sugar, smoked paprika, and buttermilk. Dip pickles in batter, allowing excess batter to drip off. When oil is hot, drop the pickles in oil; fry until light golden brown. Transfer to a paper-lined plate. Do not cover.
- 3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Place outside of bread slices face down on skillet. Toast, pressing down gently with a spatula to flatten slightly, about 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- 4. To assemble sandwich, spread aioli on cut-side of bottom buns. Top each with arugula, 1 Swiss cheese slice, roast pork (dividing equally among sandwiches), 1 ham slice, and 1 Smoked Gouda cheese slice. Top each with 4 fried pickles. Close with top buns. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better the sandwich will be. Look for fresh, flavorful bread, meats, and cheeses.
- Press the sandwich. This helps to meld the flavors and textures of the sandwich together. You can use a panini press, a waffle iron, or even a heavy skillet.
- Don't be afraid to experiment. There are many different ways to make a Cubano sandwich. Feel free to add or remove ingredients to suit your taste.
- Serve the sandwich with your favorite sides. Some popular options include Cuban black beans, rice, and plantains.
Conclusion:
The Cubano sandwich is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With its combination of savory meats, tangy cheeses, and flavorful bread, it's sure to satisfy everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give the Cubano sandwich a try. You won't be disappointed!
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