Best Throwdown Cuban Sandwich With Homemade Pickles Recipes

CUBAN SANDWICH

Cuban Sandwich image

Provided by Bobby Flay

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 26

Ingredients

3 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons clover honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup steak rub, such as Bobby Flay's Steak Rub
3 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 heaping tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, chopped to a paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
8 thin slices Serrano ham
4 Cuban buns, split
16 thin slices Swiss cheese
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

Steps:

For the pickles: Combine the vinegar, dill, sugar, salt, coriander and mustard in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Put the cucumbers in a medium bowl, pour the pickling liquid over, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
For the sour orange glaze: Combine the orange juice and lime juice in a small nonreactive saucepan over high heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the honey and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.
For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season the pork with salt and pepper and rub with the steak rub. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Heat the oil over high heat in a cast-iron pan or oven-proof skillet until it begins to shimmer. Add the pork and cook until a crust has formed on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Brush liberally with the sour orange glaze and transfer the pan to the oven. Brush with the glaze every few minutes, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the pork thinly.
For the garlic mayonnaise: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk together and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
For the serrano ham: Heat the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches 350 degrees F. Add the ham one slice at a time and cook until crisp, about 30 seconds. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
To serve: Spread the top and bottom of each bun with the garlic mayonnaise and top each piece with 2 slices of cheese. Put some pickles on the bottom piece of bun. Top with 4 to 5 slices of the pork and 2 slices of the fried ham. Combine the tops and bottoms to make the sandwiches.
Brush the outsides of the buns with the butter. Heat a cast-iron pan over low heat. Put 2 sandwiches in at a time, top-sides down, and press with a brick wrapped in foil, or put foil over the top of the sandwiches and weigh them down with another heavy cast-iron pan. Cook until the bread is crispy, then flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is crispy and the cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes total. Slice in half and eat.

CUBANO SANDWICH WITH QUICK PICKLES

Cubano Sandwich with Quick Pickles image

A traditional Cubano has slow-cooked pork and mojo made from scratch. This shortcut version relies upon dressed ham, a mojo made with Italian dressing and quick pickles.

Provided by Trisha Yearwood

Categories main-dish

Time 35m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 small red onion, sliced
Kosher salt
1 English cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup garlic Italian dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
Kosher salt and pepper
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
6 soft rolls, halved horizontally
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced ham
6 tablespoons salted butter

Steps:

For the quick pickles: Combine the sugar, apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, dried dill, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic, onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Toss the cucumber slices with 1 tablespoon of salt and place in a strainer. Let the slices sit for 10 minutes, then rinse well with cold water.
Put the pickles in a jar, pour in the pickling liquid and leave for at least 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.
For the cheater mojo dressing: Mix together the dressing, lime juice and orange juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
For the sandwiches: Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat.
Spread a thin layer of mustard on the inside of each roll. Put some quick pickle slices on each bottom roll, then top with a cheese slice. (You may need to cut the cheese slices into triangles to fit.) Toss the ham in the bowl with the mojo dressing, letting the excess drip off. Put 4 ounces of ham on each sandwich. Put the tops on the sandwiches.
Spread butter on the outside of the sandwiches and put them in the cast-iron pan (do not crowd the pan; you may need to do 2 batches). Place a second cast-iron pan on top of the sandwiches and press down. Cook the sandwiches on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the top pan and turn the sandwiches over, making sure they are golden brown on the bottom. Place the top pan back on the sandwiches and press down. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown on the second side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half diagonally. Serve warm.