Chef John's Cuban Sandwich
Description
Here's how I build a Cuban, or Cubano, sandwich. I like to use pulled pork. Carnitas would work too. These ingredients and amounts are open to your own personal preferences, but here's the general idea.
Instructions
- Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl to make the sauce.
- Trim off ends of bread. Cut loaf in half and evenly split bread to make tops and bottoms of 2 sandwiches. Spread each half on both sides generously with the mayo/mustard sauce.
- Divide sandwich ingredients between the two bottom halves in this order: 2 slices Swiss cheese, 3 slices ham, hot cooked pork, pickle slices, and 2 more slices of Swiss cheese. Place tops on sandwiches.
- Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet and press down with a heavy weight (such as another skillet or foil-wrapped bricks). Toast sandwiches until bread is crisp and filling is heated through, 3 or 4 minutes per side.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup mustard
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 (8 ounce) loaf Cuban bread
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 6 thin slices smoked fully-cooked ham
- 1 ½ cups cooked pulled pork, heated
- 1 large dill pickle, sliced thinly lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed