Best Cuban Mini Melts Recipes

CUBAN SLIDERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Without separating rolls, cut each package of rolls in half horizontally; arrange bottom halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Layer with ham, cheese and pickles; replace top halves of rolls. , In a microwave, melt butter; stir in onion and mustard. Drizzle over rolls. Bake, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown and heated through, 5-10 minutes longer.

CUBAN MELT

Steps:

• For the pork brine: Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, whisky, salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, bay leaves and 3 1/2 cups water. Add pork to brine and add water to cover if necessary. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
• For the chile honey pork glaze: Cook down honey, lime juice and chile in a saucepot until mixture is thick.
• For the mojo pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine pork, cilantro, mint, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, pepper, coriander, cumin, clove, salt, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic and bay leaves together in a large roasting pan with the pork skin-side up. Cover tightly with foil and roast 3 1/2 hours. Remove foil and cook until skin starts to crisp up, another 30 minutes.
• Turn oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove pork carefully from braising liquid. Strain braising liquid and set aside for mojo mustard. Pull pork off the bone into large chunks, discarding excess fat. Place pork on a sheet pan and toss in chile honey glaze. Add a little more glaze on top and roast until it starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• For the mojo mustard: Whisk together the yellow mustard, herbs, garlic salt, honey and garlic oil in a bowl.
• Whisk together 2 ounces of this mixture with 2 ounces mojo braising liquid (save the rest for another use).
• For the Cubano melt: Place 2 1/2 ounces mojo pork in a foil pouch and place on a hot griddle weighed down with a hot cast-iron press on top to reheat. Remove from foil.
• Butter bread. Layer 2 pieces Swiss cheese one side of the bread, followed by ham and the heated mojo pork. Add a heavy squeeze mojo mustard, 2 Pickles, 2 more pieces Swiss cheese and top piece of buttered bread.
• Griddle on a flat top or griddle on medium-high heat with a heated cast-iron press on top until cheese is melted ooey gooey, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Slice on a bias. Enjoy!
• Heat 1 gallon vinegar in a pot with the toasted spices, garlic, salt, sugar and peppercorns. Whisk until dissolved. Combine add the remaining 3 gallons vinegar and the dill. Layer the cucumbers with the brine so herbs, garlic and spices evenly get distributed. Brine, refrigerated, for 2 days.

CUBAN SLIDERS

Steps:

• Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish or disposable aluminum pan.
• Cut Hawaiian rolls in half. Arrange 24 bottom halves in the baking dish.
• Mix melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and poppy seeds together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 half the butter mixture over the bottom halves in the baking dish.
• Layer pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and 2 pickle chips to each roll, in this order, and cover with tops of rolls. Brush remaining butter mixture over the tops. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake sliders in the preheated oven, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove foil and press down the tops of the sliders with a spatula to flatten. Bake until sliders are heated through and top is crispy, about 15 minutes more.

PULL-APART CUBAN SLIDERS

Steps:

• Mix the butter and oregano together in a small bowl until combined.
• Split the attached dinner rolls in half horizontally with a serrated knife, keeping the rolls in each half attached. Set the top half aside. Transfer the bottom half, cut-side down, to a cutting board; spread half of the oregano butter over the top and transfer to a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, butter-side down (cut-side up).
• Stack the sliced cheese and cut into four equal stacks. Arrange the cheese slices evenly over the roll bottoms in the skillet (the cheese can overlap).
• Stack the sliced ham and cut into four equal stacks. Arrange the ham slices evenly over the cheese (the ham can also overlap). Scatter the shredded pork evenly over the top.
• Heat another 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Stir the pickles and mustard together in a small bowl and spread on the cut-side of the reserved top half of the rolls, then place it, cut-side down, on the shredded pork to close the sandwich. Spread the remaining oregano butter over the roll tops.
• Set the skillet with the sandwich over medium-low heat. Carefully place the hot cast-iron skillet directly on top of the sandwich to press and toast the roll tops. Cook until the cheese is melted and the rolls are toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the avocado, cilantro, orange juice and lime juice in a medium bowl. Mash and combine with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
• Carefully remove the top skillet and use 2 large spatulas to transfer the sandwich to a serving platter. Serve whole with avocado dip and plantain chips, letting guests pull apart their own sliders.

RITZ CUBAN MINIS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler on HIGH. Set an oven rack about 5 to 6 inches from the heat source. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
• With two forks, break apart any large chunks of the packaged pulled pork. Place the pork between several layers of paper towels and press, to get it as dry as possible. (This will help prevent the cracker from softening before serving.)
• To assemble sandwiches: Place 20 RITZ Crackers, flat side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Top each with approximately 1 tablespoon pulled pork. Next, fold a 1/2 slice of ham into thirds and place on top of pulled pork. Then, top ham with the quarter-slices of baby Swiss cheese.
• Place the baking sheet 6-inches under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from broiler.
• Top each mini bite with a 1/2 pickle slice and about 1/2 tsp. mustard then top with remaining crackers, flat side down.
• Optional: Gently insert a fancy toothpick into the middle hole of the RITZ Cracker to help hold it together.
• Serve immediately.

CUBAN SANDWICH BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Mix yellow and Dijon mustards together and spread evenly over baguette slices. Top 1/2 of the bread slices with 1/2 of the Swiss cheese and place on the rack on the baking sheet. Top each with pickle slices, ham, pork loin, and remaining cheese. Top sandwiches with remaining baguette slices.
• Spread mayonnaise over the tops of the sandwiches and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spray the bottom of a second baking pan with cooking spray and place upside-down on top of the sandwiches. Weigh down the top pan with a heavy, oven-safe item such as a cast iron skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove top pan and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes more.