Name: Cuban-Style Sandwiches (Cubano) with Smoked Pork Loin
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup diced dill pickles; 1/3 cup diced jarred banana peppers; 4 potato sandwich rolls; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard; 8 ounces pork loin roast (from 1 recipe cold Smoked Pork Loin), sliced thin; 4 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

Why This Recipe Works

The history of this sandwich is a little murky, but one story suggests that it started as lunch fare for cigar factory and sugar mill workers in Cuba, and when they moved to Florida cities like Key West, Tampa, and Miami, they brought the sandwich with them. Whatever the origin, this sandwich is satisfying and packed with flavor. It typically features ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on soft Cuban bread, but we found that slices of our Smoked Pork Loin could fill the roles of both pork products while potato rolls made a worthy stand-in for the harder-to-find traditional bread. Cubanos are traditionally pressed and toasted on a plancha; instead, we cook them in a hot skillet, weighted and toasted on the top side with the help of a preheated Dutch oven.

Before You Begin

To ensure very thin slices of pork, slice the leftover roast straight from the refrigerator. Potato rolls are our first choice for this recipe, but Kaiser rolls can be used as a substitute.

Instructions

Combine pickles and peppers in small bowl. Split rolls in half horizontally; spread roll tops with mayonnaise and roll bottoms with mustard. Layer one-quarter of pork, one-quarter of pickle mixture, and one-quarter of cheese onto each roll bottom (finishing with cheese on top). Set roll tops in place and press down to flatten sandwiches.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, heat large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Brush tops of sandwiches with melted butter and place buttered side down in skillet. Brush bottoms of sandwiches with remaining butter and use preheated pot to compress sandwiches for 15 to 20 seconds. Cook (keeping pot on sandwiches but not pressing down) until first side is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pot, flip sandwiches, replace pot on top of sandwiches, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.