Cubanos

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Cubanos are the basically the best thing to come out of a pot of carnitas. Much as I love a good taco, sandwiches are my favorite food form. And of sandwiches, the ones that get griddled and crispy and melty are at the top. That’s why these Cubanos are a long-standing family favorite. They’re simple as anything but so delicious. You swipe a bit of mustard on a roll, layer it with pickles which lend moisture, salt, and crunch, top that with crispy shredded pork and thinly sliced ham, then finish off with a layer of swiss cheese. All of that gets buttered and griddled (under a weighted pan to ensure a maximally crispy outside) and what you end up with is crunchy exterior yielding to a delightful blend of textures and flavors inside.

If you don’t already have carnitas in your meal rotation, you should. You can go ahead and eat them in tacos the first night but do yourself a big favor and set aside enough for these!

A note on the recipe: it’s a little tricky to write down ingredient amounts for sandwiches. Do you really weigh out the meat and cheese you’re putting on a sandwich? Or count out the thinly shaved ham slices? How big are the rolls you’re using, anyway? And how many sandwiches are you making? You’ll have to go off a little intuition and common sense. The important thing is proportion. These aren’t supposed to be like a NY Reuben, like a cow sandwiched between crackers. The layers are all pretty balanced.

I find one per person is basically enough, especially with a side. If that’s all you’re serving, a grown adult might have an extra half.

cubanos

for 6 cubanos

Ingredients:

  • 6 bolillos (you can usually find these at a supermarket for cheap) or another light, crispy roll

  • yellow mustard

  • pickle slices

  • 1/2 lb or so carnitas*

  • 3/4 - 1 lb thinly shaved deli ham

  • 1/2 lb swiss cheese, sliced

  • butter

Instructions

  1. Slice open the bolillos. Spread one side with mustard. Top with a generous amount of pickle slices. Spread the carnitas evenly over the pickles, then a generous layer of sliced ham. Top with the swiss cheese. Close the sandwich. Spread butter on the outside of the roll, both top and bottom.

  2. Preheat a large griddle or cooking surface over medium heat.

  3. Place the sandwiches on the griddle (if you can do them all at one time, great! if not, do in batches.) Cover with another large, heavy skillet (or a sheet pan and weigh down with heavy pan.) Cook for a minute or two on on side, until golden brown and crispy. Watch for burning and adjust the heat accordingly! Flip carefully and cook on the other side, another minute or two.

  4. Remove from heat, slice in half, and enjoy!

*I think a really proper Cubano uses pork mojo but carnitas is a good and convenient substitute. You could probably also use any basic shredded or roasted-and-thinly-sliced pork.