Best Jeans Cuban Sandwich Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• 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.

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.

JEAN'S CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat panini maker, griddle, or cast iron skillet.
• 2. Cut Cuban rolls in half horizontally. Spread mustard on bottom and mayonnaise on the top.
• 3. Layer ham, shredded lamb, some extra Mojo sauce for moisture, avocado, tomato slices, Swiss cheese (in halves so it fits), and pickle slices. Put top on. Brush top with olive oil.
• 4. Grill and squash the sandwich. I used a griddle and then put a pre-heated skillet on top and pressed it down until the bread was brown and crispy.
• 5. Cut in half to serve.

CUBAN CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Place chicken tenders between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet until flattened out. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag and add enough mojo marinade to cover the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken tenders from the marinade, drain, and place in the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a plate.
• Add sliced onions to the same skillet, adding a bit more oil if necessary, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet.
• Cut Cuban bread into 4 rolls. Slice each in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Cover the bottom and the top of each roll with yellow mustard. Assemble the sandwich by placing pickle slices on the bottom, followed by chicken, Swiss cheese, and onion. Cut each sandwich in half at an angle, and serve.

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!