Come On Up To The House

Cuban Pork Sandwiches

Pork
scant ⅓ cup kosher salt
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp lime zest
1 tbsp orange zest
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder with fat cap

Mojo
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup pineapple juice
⅓ cup orange juice
⅓ cup lime juice
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 ¼ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp pepper
¾ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Small french steak rolls or hoagies
Slices of swiss cheese
Sliced deli ham
Yellow mustard
Kosher pickles, sliced thin
Butter

Plan to use an enameled dutch oven to cook in. Don’t pre-slice roast if saving for leftovers.

Combine salt, sugar, lime zest, orange zest, garlic, cumin, oregano, and pepper flakes in bowl. Using sharp knife, trim fat cap on pork to ¼ inch. Cut 1-inch crosshatch pattern in fat cap on the pork shoulder.

Place pork on large double layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle all over with the salt mixture. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place on plate, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325o F. Unwrap pork; transfer to Dutch oven, fat side up; and pour water around pork to cover half way up. Cover and transfer to the oven, and cook until meat registers 175oF in center, 2½ to 3 hours.

Uncover pork and continue to cook until meat registers 195oF in center and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 45 minutes to 1¾ hours longer. Transfer pork to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 45 minutes.

FOR THE MOJO: While pork is resting, heat oil and garlic in small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until tiny bubbles appear and garlic is fragrant and straw-colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Whisk pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, mustard, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and pepper flakes into cooled garlic oil.

When ready to make sandwiches, slice pork as thin as possible. Brush bread bottoms with mojo. Layer on ham, followed by pork, swiss cheese, and pickles, overlapping and/or folding meats as needed to keep them from overhanging sides of bread. Spread mustard on bread tops. Cap sandwiches with bread tops. Butter the top and bottom of the breads and grill on press.

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