Hard

Best Ever Cuban Sandwich

Total Time
3h 26m
44m prep · 162m cook
Servings
4 people
Rating
Difficulty
Hard
2 views
🌾 Gluten-Free 🥜 Nut-Free

This is the best ever Cuban sandwich, pressed and toasted, buttery, Cuban bread layered with shredded pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickle, and dressed with mustard and mayonnaise.

Ingredients

  • 0.5 whites onion
  • 15 cloves garlic
  • 3 oranges
  • 3 limes
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 , 5 pound

Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare pork shoulder: Add onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and salt into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

  2. 2

    Place pork in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large baking dish and cut 3 or 4 large deep slits in the meat. Pour marinade over pork, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.

  3. 3

    Place Dutch oven with prepared pork, covered, in the oven and set the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake until pork is very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Remove from the oven; rest 15 minutes. Remove pork to a cutting board. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid, and set cooking liquid aside.

  4. 4

    Shred pork with two forks, and discard any remaining fat and bone. Return pork to the pot, and add cooking liquid back into meat as needed to moisten.

  5. 5

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

  6. 6

    Spread about 2 tablespoons softened butter over cut sides of bread and place bread, buttered sides down, in skillet. Cook until buttered side is lightly browned and toasted, about 3 minutes.

  7. 7

    Stir mustard and mayonnaise together in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons mustard mixture over bottom halves of bread and top with 1 slice of cheese, tearing as needed to fit the bread without hanging over the edges. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, add about 1/2 cup shredded pork to each sandwich, draining off any excess liquid. Top each evenly with ham, 3 pickle slices, and 1 cheese slice. Spread remaining mustard mixture evenly over top pieces of bread and place on top.

  8. 8

    Reheat the skillet over medium heat. Spread about 1 tablespoon butter lightly on the outsides of the 4 bottom buns. Working 2 sandwiches at a time, place sandwiches, buttered side down, in skillet. Place 1 or 2 heavy-bottomed skillets on top of sandwiches to weigh them down. Cook until toasted and lightly golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove weighted skillets.

  9. 9

    Spread remaining 1 tablespoon butter over the 4 top halves of sandwiches, flip and press with weighted skillets again until toasted. Remove the first 2 sandwiches from skillet; repeat the toasting process with remaining sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in halves and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

🍳

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