Since I already made Paper Pork roast, which was by the way delicious on freshly baked Pain Façon Beaucaire buns, I wanted to use this opportunity to also make a Cuban Sandwich.
Historical records indicate that this sandwich was first made in late 1800 to early 1900 although it is unclear if it originates from Cuba or Florida. During this period Cubans frequently sailed back and forth to Florida Keys and Tampa, mostly looking for work. Following the cultural exchange there are some indications that this was a worker’s lunch meal food in cigar factories of Key West and Cuba and Cuban sugar mills.
Regardless wherever was made first, there must have been something real special about it when it managed to still be around, about 120 years later.
After I tasted it myself, I can confirm; it is absolutely an outstanding and delicious sandwich! It has a beautiful mouth feel: smoky ham flavour combined with saltiness and texture of pulled pork, sliced pickles, Swiss cheese enrobed in mustard and mayo spread.
The sandwich bread is made with lard has a fine tender crumb, with crunchy and thin crust.
By the time everything is layered and pressed together in panini press you realize that this a rich sandwich, a whole meal by itself. I served the sandwich with some potato chips and beer. A simple but proven combination that made this Cuban sandwich a true joy!
The recipe for the bread and sandwich was adapted from Chef John.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 2-3 minutes |
| Servings |
sandwiches
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- 1/2 cup warm filtered water
- 1/2 cup all purpose non bleached flour
- 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup warm filtered water
- 3 tbsp lard
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 1/2-3 cus all purpose non bleached flour
- vegetable oil for coating
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp mustard
- 16 slices dill pickles
- 16 slices Swiss cheese
- 12 slices smoked ham
- 400 g pulled pork
- water spray bottle for misting
Ingredients
Poolish
Dough
Sandwich Ingredients
Additional Tools
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- In a small bowl stir all the ingredients together well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- In a medium size mixing bowl dissolve yeast and sugar, let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add 1 cup of flour, mix until incorporated.
- Stir in salt and lard and add just enough flour until compact mass is created. Turn it over to the counter and start kneading. Slowly add more flour as needed. Your to make s goal is to make a soft and just slightly tacky dough. Use a window pane check to make sure the gluten is fully developed. It takes 5-8 about minutes of kneading.
- Place dough in the bowl, coat with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature or until more than doubles in size, 1-2 hours.
- Line large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough to the lightly floured counter. Gently flatten the dough and make it into a rectangle. Divide into 2 equal parts, by the length of rectangle.
- From each part make gently a long rectangle about 12" long and 1/2" thick.
- Roll the dough starting from the top long edge towards you. Place the loaves on a baking pan, seam down. Cover with floured kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubles in size, 1.5-2 hours. The dough is ready when lightly pressed with finger comes back just slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, rack in the middle.
- With sharp knife or razor blade cut 1/4" deep slit in the middle, full length of the loaves.
- Please the pan in the preheated oven, lightly spray mist the loaves and around the hot oven before closing the door. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown crust is developed.
- Let cool completely on a cooling rack, at least 2 hours.
- Mix together mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl to make a spread.
- Divide the loaf and slice off the round ends. Slice each 6" long piece horizontally, to make a sandwich.
- Butter the spread on a bottom piece of bread.
- Make the sandwich by adding ingredients in the following order: 2 slices of cheese, 3 slices of smoked ham, pulled pork, 4 slices of dill pickles, 2 slices of cheese.
- Heat the sandwich in a panini press or in a skillet with lard or butter.
- Repeat the same and make other 3 sandwiches.
- Cut each sandwich on angle and serve with potato chips or salad of your preference.
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