If you have ever had a Cubano Sandwich, you know that it is something special. If you have yet to taste this wonderful sandwich creation, this is the time! The tender slices of pork, the cheese, the tang of the pickles, and the mustard. You owe it to yourself to make this; I know you will love it!
If you are a sandwich lover, then here are a couple more fabulous sandwiches you need to make! This Smoked Pastrami Sandwich is simply out-of-this-world good! Or maybe you prefer something a little easier. This Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich has all the flavor you love and is so simple you are going to wonder why you haven’t made it before!
There are quite a few ingredients that go into a cubano sandwich, but everything comes together in a symphony of tastes that you will love!
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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WHAT IS IN A CUBANO SANDWICH?
The main protein ingredient in the cubano sandwich is pork. I use pork tenderloin, and because I like the flavor, I use black forest ham slices that I get from our local deli.
INGREDIENTS
- Pork tenderloin
- Olive oil
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- Lime juice
- Garlic, minced
- Fresh oregano
- Cumin
- Kosher salt
- Red chili flakes
- Fresh ground pepper
- Cuban-style loaf (you can use panini buns or an Italian loaf)
- Swiss cheese
- Sliced black forest ham
- Dill pickles, sliced
- Yellow mustard
It looks like a lot, but the marinade has a big flavor, and the sandwich builds on that big flavor. This sandwich is a “knock it out of the park” flavor home run!
HOW TO MAKE a cubano sandwich
Start by trimming the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and remove the sliver skin. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, red chili flakes, Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.
Place the tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 1 – 2 hours.
When you are ready to grill the tenderloin, preheat your grill to medium hot, about 375 degrees F. Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade before placing it on the grill.
Reserve the marinade and pour it into a small saucepan. Bring the reserved marinade to a boil and gently simmer for at least 5 minutes. If it seems to be a little thick, you can add a Tbsp or 2 of water. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Grill the tenderloin turning occasionally so that all sides have nice grill marks. Cook to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
I check the temperature with Thermoworks Thermapen instant-read thermometer; it works great every time!!
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After resting, slice the tenderloin into slices about 1/4 of an inch thick. Place the thinly sliced pork into the boiled marinade, making sure that all the slices are coated in the liquid.
Now it’s time to make your cubano sandwich!
Building your cubano sandwich
Start by slicing the loaf or buns lengthwise in half. Place 1/2 of the Swiss cheese slices on the bottom of the bread. Then cover the cheese with the smoked ham slices, then top that with the sliced pork tenderloin coated in the marinade.
Top the pork tenderloin with pickles and place the remaining cheese on top of the pickles. Spread the yellow mustard on the top piece of bread and place that on top of the bottom bread. Your cubano sandwich is ready got for the final process!
Tightly wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place it on the grill heated to medium or about 350 degrees F. Place a heavy cast iron pan on top of the foil-wrapped sandwich and press down slightly. You want the sandwich to be about 1/2 the thickness of its original thickness.
Leave the cast iron skillet on top of the foil-wrapped sandwich while it grills. Allow the sandwich to grill for about 5 – 7 minutes, then flip it over and grill the other side leaving the heavy skillet on while grilling. You want to make sure that the cheese is melted, everything is heated through, and that there are grill marks on the bread.
The Cubano sandwich!
Once your sandwich is heated through, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labours! Unwrap the sandwich from the foil and slice the loaf in pieces or the buns in half.
You want to serve this baby warm! You can also use any of the reserved marinade as a dip for the sandwiches. Mmmm, Mmmm, good!
You can use a panini press to heat this pressed sandwich if you prefer. Sometimes Cuban bread can be difficult to find. You can substitute Italian bread if you like; it will work fine.
Serve the sandwich with chips, rice, or some salsa, whatever your preference is. This sandwich is as good or better than any restaurant cubano that is on the menu that I have found up here in Canada. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Cubano Sandwich
Ingredients
Tenderloin
- Medium pork tenderloin about 1 lb
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Pinch of red chili flakes
- Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Sandwich
- 2 Cuban style loaves Panini buns or an Italian loaf will also work
- 8 oz Swiss cheese slices
- 8 oz smoked ham slices i.e. black forest ham
- 6 oz dill pickles sliced
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
Instructions
- Trim the pork tenderloin removing any excess fat and silver skin on the tenderloin.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, red chili flakes, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Place the tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours.
- When ready to grill the tenderloin, preheat your grill to medium hot, about 375 degrees F.
- Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and shake off excess marinade before placing the tenderloin on the grill.
- Reserve the marinade and pour it into a small saucepan. Gently boil the reserved marinade for at least 5 minutes (add a Tbsp or 2 of water if it seems a little too thick). Side aside and allow to cool.
- Grill the tenderloin turning occasionally so that all sides have nice grill marks. Cook to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Remove the tenderloin from the heat and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- After resting, slice the pork tenderloin into slices about ¼ of an inch thick (the thinner, the better). Place the pork tenderloin slices in the marinade that was boiled and stir, making sure that the pork slices are coated in the liquid.
- To build the sandwiches, start by slicing the loaves or buns lengthwise in half.
- Begin by layering 1/2 the cheese on the bottom of the sandwich bread. Then cover the cheese with the smoked ham slices, then the sliced pork tenderloin coated in the marinade, and top with the sliced pickles.
- Place the remaining cheese on top. Spread the mustard on the top piece of bread and place it on the sandwich.
- Wrap each sandwich tightly in aluminum foil and place on the grill. Using a heavy cast iron skillet, press down on the sandwich flattening it to about 1/2 its original thickness. Leave the cast iron skillet on top of the foil-covered sandwich while it grills.
- Allow the sandwiches to grill over medium heat for at least 5 minutes, then turn and grill the other side keeping the heavy skillet on top of the sandwich. You want to ensure that you have nice grill marks on the bread, making sure that the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
- Unwrap the sandwiches and serve while still hot. The remaining reserved marinade can be used for dipping if you like.
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