Cuban Sandwiches

My fiancé is obsessed with Cuban sandwiches, but we never have the energy or time to make roast pork, so we're often forced to settle for a lesser sandwich. It’s about time someone (me!) developed a recipe for a shortcut Cuban sandwich. My version is everything you love about the classic—mojo marinated roast pork, thinly sliced deli ham, melty Swiss cheese, and tangy dill pickles piled onto a Cuban roll and griddled to golden brown perfection—but in a fraction of the time.

So, what’s my secret to saving time without sacrificing flavor? Drumroll please…. pork chops! Instead of breaking out a 3-lb. pork shoulder or tenderloin, I used boneless, thinly sliced pork chops, marinated in zesty mojo and roasted for about 20 minutes to mimic the flavors of the original. Just one shortcut turns this sandwich from an all-day project into something you can accomplish in just 1 hour. Make these for your next game night watch party, picnic in the park, or lazy Saturday afternoon, and watch everyone swoon over how delicious they are.

How To Make A Cuban Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• Thick Boneless Pork Chops: This ingredient makes this recipe a shortcut Cuban sandwich. The typical choice for roast pork is pork shoulder, but that can take hours to cook down and tenderize because of all of the connective tissue. A pork chop is more tender and less fatty, but it takes to marinade very well and cooks through in just 20 minutes. I like butterflying a thick-cut pork chop, but you can use whatever your grocery store has. Avoid sirloin and shoulder chops because they contain a lot of gristle and connective tissue that will need more time to break down.
• Navel Orange Zest & Juice: Mojo marinades are usually made with sour orange, but those are notoriously hard to find, especially when they’re out of season. Navel oranges are always easy to find, so I use those as a substitute with a little bit of lime to balance the sweetness.
• Lime Zest & Juice: Lime is a staple ingredient in a lot of Cuban food, but here it’s used in partnership with the navel orange to mimic the sharp but floral and fruity taste of the sour orange.
• Dried Oregano: Oregano is another key mojo ingredient. It adds a hint of herby, minty flavor, rounding out the other strong components in the marinade. I opted for dried oregano because, odds are you already have it in your pantry, but if you want to go with fresh, use 3x the amount listed in the recipe.
• Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Garlic and onion are mojo staples, adding savoriness. A lot of mojos use fresh garlic and onion, but this is supposed to be shortcut-friendly, so I’m using things I always have on hand.
• Cumin: The most essential spice in mojo seasoning, ground cumin adds earthiness to the mojo. If you really want to amp the flavor up, you can toast and grind cumin seeds instead of using pre-ground cumin.
• Mayonnaise: Mayo isn’t a typical Cuban spread, but since we’re using a leaner cut of pork, adding a little extra fat is essential for making a sandwich that isn’t super-dry.
• Dijon Mustard: Mustard is one of the hallmarks of a good Cuban. It adds the perfect amount of punch needed to bite through the pork and cheese.
• Cuban Bread: Cuban bread is essential for a Cuban sandwich (because, duh), but it can be tough to find. French bread and Italian bread make good substitutes.
• Swiss Cheese: Thinly sliced Swiss is the perfect complement to this pork-heavy sandwich, providing a touch of nuttiness and plenty of melty goodness.
• Deli Ham: Thinly sliced deli ham is a must-have for a good Cuban sandwich. Go for an American-style ham over French bistro ham for stronger flavor.
• Dill Pickle Slices: These add much needed tang and crunch to this otherwise rich sandwich. Pickles sliced lengthwise will hold together best in the sandwich. You can buy pre-sliced sandwich pickles at the grocery store, or just buy whole pickles and slice them yourself.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder.

Place pork chops in a 3-qt. glass baking dish. Using a fork, poke holes into pork all over; season all over with 1 tsp. salt. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add half of marinade to pork and let it rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange a rack in center of your oven; preheat to 425°. Once the oven has preheated and the pork has marinated, transfer the pork to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°, 15 to 20 minutes.

Then, add some mayonnaise and mustard to the remaining marinade and stir until smooth. This will create our sauce.

To build the sandwiches, cut the loaf in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise for 4 pieces total. Spread butter on outside of bread, being sure to coat on the top and bottom.

Spread the mustard mixture on inside of bread. On 2 bread pieces, layer each with 2 oz. cheese, 4 oz. ham, pork, 4 pickle slices, and remaining 2 oz. cheese. Close with remaining bread pieces and wrap each sandwich in foil.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place foil-wrapped sandwiches in skillet, then place another heavy skillet on top to create a homemade sandwich press. If you don’t have another heavy skillet, weigh the pan down with another lighter skillet or baking sheet, then top with couple of canned goods.

Grill the sandwiches turning halfway through, until toasted and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich in half and serve with any remaining sauce on the side.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Variations

• Hot Dog Cubans
• Cubano Burger
• Pull Apart Cuban Sliders

Recipe Tips

• Do I have to use Dijon mustard for a Cuban sandwich? I prefer Dijon mustard because it’s a tad spicier and has more kick than yellow mustard but truthfully, yellow mustard is a more classic choice. Use whatever you have on hand: Dijon, yellow, spicy brown, or grainy mustard.
• Can I make a Cuban sandwich with a panini press? Absolutely! In fact, owning a panini press requires you to make this sandwich. Leave a comment down below and brag about how well it went!
• Pork options: If you’re in the mood for a project or you can’t resist the urge to slow roast a pork shoulder for the ultimate Cubano, try my recipe for low and slow-cooked pernil. It’s technically a Puerto Rican preparation, but it has a very similar flavor profile and will scratch your itch for a roast pork project.

Storage

Wrap any leftovers in foil or plastic film and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.