Classic Cuban Sandwich Food

CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• To make the Cuban Roast Pork: Mash the garlic and salt together using a mortar/pestle.
• Place the mash mixture in a small bowl; add in oregano, onion, and sour orange juice; mix thoroughly.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add in the mash mixture and whisk to blend.
• Remove from heat and set marinade aside.
• Pierce the pork roast with a sharp knife or fork.
• Set aside a small amount of the marinade for use during the roasting period.
• Pour remaining marinade over the pork, cover, and refrigerate 2-3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°; remove pork from marinade and place on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Sprinkle reserved marinade over pork.
• Roast until completely cooked and a meat thermometer registers 160° (about 20 minutes per lb).
• Baste occasionally with the pan juices.
• Remove pork from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before thinly slicing the meat.
• Bring remaining pan juices to a boil and simmer until juice is reduced by half; use this juice to sprinkle onto the meat in the sandwiches.
• To make the sandwiches: cut the bread into 4 sections, each about 8 inches long; slice these sections in half horizontally; spread butter on the inside of both halves.
• Generously layer sandwiches with filling ingredients in the following order: pickles, roasted pork, ham, and cheese.
• Spread with the optional mustard or mayonnaise if desired.
• Preheat a pancake griddle or large skillet.
• Lightly coat hot griddle or skillet with cooking spray; add in the first sandwich (make sure that your griddle or skillet is not too hot or the crust will burn before the cheese melts).
• Place a heavy iron skillet on top of the sandwich to flatten it (you want to smash the sandwich, compressing the bread to about a third of its original size).
• Grill the sandwich for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden.
• Repeat the process for each sandwich.
• Slice each sandwich in half diagonally and serve.
• Note--Additions like Genoa salami, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and onion have become popular in the past forty years but are considered heresy by purists; in the old days, the sandwich was brushed on the outside with a small amount of pork drippings.

CLASSIC CUBAN MIDNIGHT (MEDIANOCHE) SANDWICH

Steps:

• Split the sandwich rolls in half, and spread mustard and mayonnaise liberally onto the cut sides. On each sandwich, place and equal amount of Swiss cheese, ham and pork in exactly that order. Place a few pickles onto each one, and put the top of the roll onto the sandwich. Brush the tops with melted butter.
• Press each sandwich in a sandwich press heated to medium-high heat. If a sandwich press is not available, use a large skillet over medium-high heat, and press the sandwiches down using a sturdy plate or skillet. Some indoor grills may be good for this also. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, keeping sandwiches pressed. If using a skillet, you may want to flip them once for even browning. Slice diagonally and serve hot.

CUBAN SANDWICHES (CUBANOS)

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium, and add the sliced boiled ham. Cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until brown spots start to appear. Remove to a plate.
• Brush or spread softened butter over the cut side of each roll. Add to the skillet and brown the cut side of the bread until it is golden and starting to toast.
• When the bread is toasted, spread with mustard. Use as much as you like.
• Layer the pork, browned ham, Swiss, and sliced pickles. Top with the bread. Brush the top and bottom of the sandwich with butter.
• Grill the sandwiches in the same skillet, using another heavy skillet to press down the sandwich. Add cans or something else heavy if it's not being pressed well. If you have a George Foreman or a panini press, use that. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip the sandwich, squish it again, and cook for another 2-3 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it. You want to outside to be crisp and golden and the cheese melted.
• Slice in half and devour immediately!

CUBAN SANDWICH - A TAMPA CLASSIC!

Steps:

• Cut Cuban bread into 6 8-inch pieces.
• Split bread lengthwise.
• Spread mustard on six halves of the bread.
• Spread mayonnaise on the other six halves of the bread.
• Layer ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and salami on the mustard halves of the bread.
• Layer pickles on top of salami; top with mayo halves of bread.
• Can be eaten cold, but tastes better "hot pressed".
• To press: Heat a counter top grill (like a George Foreman grill) and place sandwich between the plates.
• Press down hard on the sandwich, squeezing the halves together tightly.
• Grill until the bread is toasted to a light brown on the outside and the cheese is melted.
• Alternate method: Heat a heavy pan on top of the stove on medium heat.
• Place sandwich in pan and press down with another heavy object (a brick wrapped in foil is good).
• Toast sandwich until light brown on one side, then turn over.
• Replace brick on toasted side.
• Serve with potato chips and a cold soda.

CLASSIC CUBAN MIDNIGHT (MEDIANOCHE) SANDWICH

Steps:

• Split the sandwich rolls in half, and spread mustard and mayonnaise liberally onto the cut sides. On each sandwich, place and equal amount of Swiss cheese, ham and pork in exactly that order. Place a few pickles onto each one, and put the top of the roll onto the sandwich. Brush the tops with melted butter.
• Press each sandwich in a sandwich press heated to medium-high heat. If a sandwich press is not available, use a large skillet over medium-high heat, and press the sandwiches down using a sturdy plate or skillet. Some indoor grills may be good for this also. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, keeping sandwiches pressed. If using a skillet, you may want to flip them once for even browning. Slice diagonally and serve hot.

CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Heat a flattop or pan on medium heat.
• Slice alpine roll in half and butter each side. Set roll on flattop and cook until warm and toasted, approximately 5 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange pork loin and ham on the flattop in piles shaped like the roll and grill until warm, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and place 2 pieces cheese on each pile of meat. Grill until the cheese has melted. Meanwhile, remove toasted roll and spread mayonnaise on both halves, then add mustard to half. Place ham and cheese on one half of the roll, then place the pork loin on the other half. Add pickles (don't be shy-add a lot! They make the sandwich!) to the bottom half and top with the other side of the roll. Cut sandwich in half and enjoy!

THE ULTIMATE CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Begin by braising the pork shoulder. Tie the shoulder in 4 places with kitchen twine so it will hold its shape while being cooked or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season the pork with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil.
• Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock and bay leaves.
• Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your pressure cooker. The pork should be tender when done. When done allow to cool in juices before removing twine and slicing.
• To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together). Season with salt and pepper in between the ham and pork layers. (Optional: drizzle a little of the pork braising liquid over the meat as well).
• To cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Serve with beans, rice and plantain chips.

ORIGINAL CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Cut Cuban bread to desired size, common size is 7 inches. Next, slice open the bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread 1-ounce of mustard, evenly across. Then place 4 pickles on top of the mustard. You then place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles. Slice ham to desired thickness, recommended size is 1 1/2 ounces per slice, the thinner the better. Now fold each slice of ham in half and place evenly on bottom of bread. On top of the ham, place slices of roast pork, 1 1/2 ounces per slice. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.
• Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner. DO NOT USE A MICROWAVE OVEN!

CLASSIC CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker, preferably with pecan wood, to 200 degrees F.
• Coat the ham with the garlic, cumin and liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat and place on a roasting rack or wire rack. Place the rack into the smoker and cook until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 4 hours. Let rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
• Cut the flatbread into twelve 8-by-9-inch rectangles and toast with beef tallow on a griddle over high heat until light golden brown. Slice each rectangle in half horizontally, then smear the cut-sides with spicy mustard.
• On baking sheets, make twelve stacks of sliced ham and Swiss cheese; broil until the cheese is melted and the meat is warmed. Then put the stacks on the flatbread bottoms, top with some onions and pickles for sandwiches. Transfer the sandwiches to a hot griddle prepped with beef tallow and grill, pressing down with a weight, until golden brown. Slice the sandwiches on a diagonal to plate.
• Mix together the yeast, sugar and 1 1/2 cups of warm water (just under 110 degrees F) in a large bowl and set aside until tripled in size.
• Place the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and add the flour, oil, salt and 4 cups of tepid water. Mix on low speed until incorporated, then mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. Remove the hook but leave the dough in the mixer bowl. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 4 pieces. Place each piece on an oiled baking sheet and let rest for 30 minutes. Press the dough out to fill the baking sheets, then let rest for another 20 minutes. Press the dough again to fill out the baking sheets; let rest for 20 more minutes. Press the dough for the third time to fill out the baking sheets; let rest for 5 minutes.
• Bake for 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.