Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich (Sandwich Cubano)

A classic pressed sandwich of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard on Cuban bread, crisped on a plancha until the cheese melts. Born in Cuba and perfected in the cafés of Ybor City and Miami's Little Havana.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •4 loaves (about 25 cm each) (4 loaves (10 in each)) Cuban bread, soft, fluffy white bread with a thin crust; a soft Italian or French loaf is the closest substitute
• •450 g (1 lb) roast pork, sliced thin, seasoned with mojo (garlic, citrus, oregano, cumin)
• •225 g (½ lb) deli ham, sweet, thinly sliced; a glazed or smoked country ham works well
• •8 slices Swiss cheese, thinly sliced, about 90 g (3 oz)
• •16 dill pickle slices dill pickles, sliced lengthwise, not sweet
• •60 ml (4 tbsp) yellow mustard, traditional Cuban-style; Dijon is acceptable
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, for the outside of the bread

Steps

1. 1 Slice each loaf of Cuban bread in half lengthwise to open like a book. Pull out a little of the soft interior crumb if it is very dense, leaving a thin bed for the fillings.
2. 2 Spread the yellow mustard in a thin, even layer on both cut sides of the bread.
3. 3 Lay the Swiss cheese slices on the bottom half so they cover the bread from end to end; the cheese will melt and act as a barrier against sogginess.
4. 4 Layer the roast pork evenly over the cheese, then the ham slices, then arrange the dill pickle spears in a single line down the length of the sandwich.
5. 5 Place the top half of the bread on and press down gently with the palm of your hand to compact the fillings.
6. 6 Spread the softened butter over the entire top crust of the sandwich, then carefully flip and butter the bottom crust as well.
7. 7 Heat a plancha, cast-iron skillet, or heavy frying pan over medium-low heat (around 160 to 175°C / 325 to 350°F). If using a panini press, preheat it to the same range.
8. 8 Place the sandwich on the plancha and weigh it down with a heavy skillet, a foil-wrapped brick, or press it in the panini press. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
9. 9 Press is done when the bread is deeply golden and crisp on the outside, the cheese has fully melted (you should see it oozing at the edges), and the pork and ham are heated through to at least 74°C / 165°F internal temperature.
10. 10 Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 1 minute, then slice diagonally into halves or thirds and serve immediately while hot and crunchy.