miami-style cuban sanguich (the real o.g.)
There has been a war of sorts going on for a very long time and it centers around a simple, yet exquisite sandwich representing the heart and soul of a people. I’m speaking, of course, of the indomitable Cuban Sandwich. In an epic battle to lay claim as the originators of this gastronomic tour-de-force, Miami and Tampa have been locked in combat for decades. My grandmother told me that she used to eat the emblematic combination of roast mojo pork, sweet ham, queso suizo, pickles and mustard pressed between crispy bread, in cafes and around the sugar mills my grandfather worked for in Cuba. Back then, however, it wasn’t called a “Cuban Sandwich” or “Sanguich Cubano.” She knew it as “El Sanguich.” My mother remembers eating them as a kid in the early 50s at a restaurant called La Antigua Chiquita in Havana, which is still there to this day. Based on my family’s testimonials along with countless others from older Cubans that were there pre-revolution, the distinction goes to Cuba, “La Madre Patria,” as the true creator of the sandwich. I have found that actual life experience beats a historian’s second-hand account any day.
Regardless of where the sandwich originated, I’m from Miami so I’ll represent the 305 ‘til I die! I will say this: back home, putting salami on a Cuban sandwich is considered a profane desecration to our beloved king of sandwiches. And anyone that swipes it with mayo, or puts lettuce and tomato on it would be run out of town as a culinary heathen. Please don’t misunderstand me. Tampa’s version is absolutely delicious in its own right, but that ain’t a Cubano. A spectacular mixed pork and swiss panini for sure, but not a Cubano as I know it. In the end, it’s really just a matter of personal preference. My best guess is that Cuban immigrants to Key West and Tampa knew the sandwich back home and brought it with them to the states where they made it their own and offered it to a new and foreign populace, passing it off as their creation. However, just about every native-born, exiled Cuban I’ve ever spoken to says the Miami version is the closest to the original back on the mother island.
Now, when it comes to making a spectacular Cubano I think that both contingents would agree you need to start with amazing mojo roast pork. Maaaan, it’s all about the pork on this puppy! For an epic pork experience, check out my own mojo roast pork recipe. It’s guaranteed to take your taste buds on a tasty trip to flavor country.
The pork and the ham are accented perfectly by the brine of the dill pickles and the tangy yellow mustard, while the sharp melted Swiss and the crisp, buttery bread are ethereal and complimentary. This sandwich makes me happy in ways I can’t even begin to explicate.
While Tampa certainly started making their version for sale in the states first, it was undoubtedly the exile community in Miami that popularized the sandwich and made it the sensation that it is today. But I really don’t care who invented it. The only thing that matters is that it exists and the world is a better place for it.
miami-style cuban sanguich (the real o.g.)
4 oz. mojo roast pork
5 slices (4 oz.) virginia ham
2 swiss cheese, sliced
3 dill pickles, sandwich-cut
2 tsp. yellow mustard
butter, softened
1 cuban bread sandwich roll
Heat a panini press to 375 degrees F.
Slice the sandwich roll in half lengthwise up the middle. Build the sandwich upward thusly: bottom half of the roll + ham slices, folded + mojo pork + swiss cheese slices + dill pickle slices. Brush the inside of the top half of the roll with the mustard and place on top of the sandwich.
Lightly schmear the outside of the bread with the softened butter.
Place the buttered Cubano in the sandwich press and press down with the top part. Press until the bread is crispy and golden on the outside and the cheese is melted, about 4-6 minutes. Executing this step properly is key to the overall success of the meal. Ideally, the sandwich should compress down to about 1/3 of its original thickness, compacting all the luscious ingredients together into succulent, nutritive nirvana.
If you don’t have a panini press, heat up a cast iron skillet set over medium heat. You don’t want the skillet to get too hot, or the bread will burn before the cheese melts. Once your skillet is ready, add the sandwich. Put a dry dish towel inside another cast iron skillet and place it atop the sandwich. Press down to compress and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully flip it and repeat the process for a total cooking time of 6 minutes.
mariquitas
2 very green plantains
48 fl. oz. canola oil
sea salt, to taste
In a cast iron dutch oven set over medium-high heat, bring the oil to 365 degrees F.
Trim the ends off the plantains. Using a sharp paring knife, cut the peel lengthwise along the ribs without cutting into the flesh. Peel the plantains and cut in half widthwise.
Using a mandolin, slice the plantains lengthwise very thinly. Gently separate the slices and set aside.
Working in small batches fry up the plantain slices until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Using a spyder strainer spoon, lift the fried mariquitas out of the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sea salt to taste.
Cut the sandwich on a hard bias and serve immediately with some mariquitas alongside.
brujo notes:
- It must be noted that real Cuban bread has about as much in common with French baguette or Italian bread as Stephen Hawkings’ A Brief History of Time has to a roll of paper towels. Cuban bread is pale, with a graphene thin crust on the outside and a soft, airy center. These are the qualities that create that graceful texture on a perfectly pressed Cuban sandwich. Having said that, if you can’t get access to real-deal Cuban bread a freshly baked baguette or white hoagie roll would suffice. Really, any long loaf fresh-baked bread that is easy to press down will work.
- If you can’t get Virginia ham at your local deli counter, honey baked ham or black forest ham works well, too.
- Once completely cool, mariquitas will hold in an airtight container for 1-3 days, but they are best enjoyed the day they’re made. Honestly, I have yet to experience mariquita leftovers. Such is my mania for these outrageously tasty treats!
- If you decide you want to try the Tampa version and judge which is best for yourself, just add 4 slices of Genoa salami over the ham when you build the sandwich. Like I said above, while not what I know to be “authentic,” it sure makes for a bangin’ hoagie!
beer pairing: Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale
The combination of citrus juices and herbal notes bring out the mojo in the roast pork and play nicely with the briny pickles. It’s simply perfect for this sandwich. Also, it’s produced in Tampa, FL making for a delicious armistice between the two warring factions and proving that we can, in fact, all get along.
soft drink pairing: Materva
If you want to experience the joy of eating a Cubano like true native Miamian, then you MUST have it with a Materva. First introduced in Cuba back in 1920 and produced in Miami since 1971, Materva has remained a popular staple since its creation and has become a symbol of nostalgia and identity not only for Cubans, but for anyone raised in “The Magic City”. Sweet and crisp with a unique flavor reminiscent of a cross between cream soda + ginger ale, it’s a perfect accompaniment to this sandwich.
post-meal drink: Café con Leche
When you have finished savoring every divine bite of your sandwich, then it’s obligatory to cap off the meal with one of these. Nothing washes down a Cuban sandwich quite as well as super-charged, hyper-caffeinated and nectarous Cuban coffee with steamed milk. Plus, it pairs perfectly with the pastelito you’re sure to enjoy afterwards!
musical pairing: Tipo Tropical – Otto von Schirach (A true Miami original!)
miami-style cuban sandwich
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 sandwich 1x
Description
The emblematic sandwich! A combination of succulent roast mojo pork, sweet ham, queso suizo, pickles and mustard pressed between crisp cuban bread. ¡Si señor!
free from: gluten + soy + dairy + peanuts + tree nuts + fish + shellfish + vegan
Ingredients
cuban sandwich:
4 oz. mojo roast pork
5 slices (4 oz.) virginia ham
2 swiss cheese, sliced
3 dill pickles, sandwich-cut
2 tsp. yellow mustard
butter, softened
1 cuban bread sandwich roll
mariquitas:
2 very green plantains
48 fl. oz. canola oil
sea salt, to taste
Instructions
for the sandwich:
Heat a panini press to 375 degrees F.
Slice the sandwich roll in half lengthwise up the middle. Build the sandwich upward thusly: bottom half of the roll + ham slices, folded + mojo pork + swiss cheese slices + dill pickle slices. Brush the inside of the top half of the roll with the mustard and place on top of the sandwich.
Lightly schmear the outside of the bread with the softened butter.
Place the buttered Cubano in the sandwich press and press down with the top part. Press until the bread is crispy and golden on the outside and the cheese is melted, about 4-6 minutes. Executing this step properly is key to the overall success of the meal. Ideally, the sandwich should compress down to about 1/3 of its original thickness, compacting all the luscious ingredients together into succulent, nutritive nirvana.
If you don’t have a panini press, heat up a cast iron skillet set over medium heat. You don’t want the skillet to get too hot, or the bread will burn before the cheese melts. Once your skillet is ready, add the sandwich. Put a dry dish towel inside another cast iron skillet and place it atop the sandwich. Press down to compress and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully flip it and repeat the process for a total cooking time of 6 minutes.
Cut the sandwich on a hard bias, and serve with the mariquitas.
for the mariquitas:
In a cast iron dutch oven set over medium-high heat, bring the oil to 365 degrees F.
Trim the ends off the plantains. Using a sharp paring knife, cut the peel lengthwise along the ribs without cutting into the flesh. Peel the plantains and cut in half widthwise.
Using a mandolin, slice the plantains lengthwise very thinly. Gently separate the slices and set aside.
Working in small batches fry up the plantain slices until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Using a spyder strainer spoon, lift the fried mariquitas out of the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sea salt to taste.
Notes
pairings:
beer: Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale
The combination of citrus juices and herbal notes bring out the mojo in the roast pork and play nicely with the briny pickles. It’s simply perfect for this sandwich. Also, it’s produced in Tampa, FL making for a delicious armistice between the two warring factions and proving that we can, in fact, all get along.
soft drink: Materva
If you want to experience the joy of eating a Cubano like true native Miamian, then you MUST have it with a Materva. First introduced in Cuba back in 1920 and produced in Miami since 1971, Materva has remained a popular staple since its creation and has become a symbol of nostalgia and identity not only for Cubans, but for anyone raised in “The Magic City”. Sweet and crisp with a unique flavor reminiscent of a cross between cream soda + ginger ale, it’s a perfect accompaniment to this sandwich.
post-meal drink: Café con Leche
When you have finished savoring every divine bite of your sandwich, then it’s obligatory to cap off the meal with one of these. Nothing washes down a Cuban sandwich quite as well as super-charged, hyper-caffeinated and nectarous Cuban coffee with steamed milk. Plus, it pairs perfectly with the pastelito you’re sure to enjoy afterwards!
musical: Tipo Tropical – Otto von Schirach (A true Miami original!)
brujo notes:
- It must be noted that real Cuban bread has about as much in common with French baguette or Italian bread as Stephen Hawkings’ A Brief History of Time has to a roll of paper towels. Cuban bread is pale, with a graphene thin crust on the outside and a soft, airy center. These are the qualities that create that graceful texture on a perfectly pressed Cuban sandwich. Having said that, if you can’t get access to real-deal Cuban bread a freshly baked baguette or white hoagie roll would suffice. Really, any long loaf fresh-baked bread that is easy to press down will work.
- If you can’t get Virginia ham at your local deli counter, honey baked ham or black forest ham works well, too.
- Once completely cool, mariquitas will hold in an airtight container for 1-3 days, but they are best enjoyed the day they’re made. Honestly, I have yet to experience mariquita leftovers. Such is my mania for these outrageously tasty treats!
- If you decide you want to try the Tampa version and judge which is best for yourself, just add 4 slices of Genoa salami over the ham when you build the sandwich. Like I said above, while not what I know to be “authentic,” it sure makes for a bangin’ hoagie!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: sandwich sorcery
- Cuisine: Cuban
Keywords: miami style, miami, 305, cuban, cuban sandwich, media noche, sandwich, roast pork, mojo, mojo pork, pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, cuban bread, pressed sandwich, panini
