Roast Pork for Cubanos

[SheilaAnn]

Anyone have a favorite recipe? Should this be in the recipe section?

[acorgihouse]

This isn't really "roast" pork, but I make it occ and put servings in freezer for "emergency Cubanos." Done in slow cooker. Reminds me of the pork I get here on some of my favorites in the Cuban restaurants around my neighborhood. I can get sour oranges, usually, but have made w tangerine or mango juice in a pinch. https://www.thekitchn.com/slow-cooke...ecipe-23469219. It has more flavoring to it than basic roasted pork, but I like it.

[SheilaAnn]

I do have a recipe for the pork that calls for Seville oranges (sour orange), but sub orange juice with a few squeezes of lime. Or pick my oranges before they get too ripe 🤣

[Jerod Broussard]

This is A DISCUSSION, ya done good.

[bbqLuv]

Should not the requested recipes be answered in the recipe section? But then the answers would not be in this thread.

I am so confused.

[Jerod Broussard]

bbqLuv the single largest complaint (other than Panhead John ) was from people who were tired of clicking on a Recipe Thread only to find no recipe. Therefore, Meathead made it a decree that if someone is starting a Thread WITH AN ACTUAL RECIPE (containing a list of ingredients, instructions, etc...) it belongs in Recipes. ALL OTHERS, including those ASKING ABOUT A RECIPE, belong in the Discussion section.

[Panhead John]

Jerod Broussard It warms the cockles of my heart to know that I’m a thorn in your side…..🤓

[barelfly]

I guess I’ve always taken the easy way with Cubans. Either pork steak hot and fast with the flavor profile or a pork chop the same. Just the way I have done them, but the slow roast of pork…..on a baguette with some ham, pickle, spicy mayo and melty cheese……oh my!!!! I use to make these often prior to going GF.

looking forward to seeing what you come up with soon!

[johnec00]

We make pulled pork for our Cuban sandwiches using QSV and a pork collar (top of pork butt). Salted and rubbed with MMD, smoked at 225º to IT about 165º. Then SV at 165º overnight (15-18 hours).

My X wife's mother was born, raised and lived her entire life in Tampa. She roasted pork to pull. I don't know the recipe she used, but, like acorgihouse said, she insisted the marinade include sour orange juice. She marinated the butt overnight (x-wife used commercial mojo marinade), then wrapped it in paper (parchment I think or maybe butcher paper). Roasted it in a cast iron dutch oven all day, then removed the lid, unwrapped an broiled for a short time. Sorry I can't supply the recipe, but that's probably how pork was roasted in Tampa in the '20s - '30s.

Anyway, the QSV is good albeit not as tasty, but a lot easier.

[Bkhuna]

This is link I saved for Cuban cooking. This site has not only the recipe for the shoulder, but also making the sandwich. The only problem is finding a bread the duplicates the texture of authentic Cuban bread.

https://icuban.com/food/cubano_pork.html

First, you have to fight the Miami vs Tampa battle. 🤣

[Bkhuna]

SheilaAnn I think a bolillo is way to dense. No way will it compress properly when pressed. A baguette should work.

[SheilaAnn]

Bkhuna I hear ya, but these bolillos are light as air! I served them in my (short-lived) sandwich shop.

[Bkhuna]

SheilaAnn I have a co-worker who is Cuban American from Miami. She say's try using Challah. The difference between the two sandwiches is the use of a sweeter eggy bread for the medianoche.

Let me now how this works out. I need to start using my sandwich press which was a gift that is sitting on a high shelf gathering dust.

[LA Pork Butt]

You can make it a number of different ways. I have one from America’s Test Kitchen that I really like, but it is a lot of work. If you are really interested, I’ll type it in for you.

[SheilaAnn]

LA Pork Butt I’ll take it if it’s not too much trouble.

[LA Pork Butt]

@SheliaAnn It wasn’t too much trouble since I decided I would enter it into Paprika.

1 - 7-8 pound, bone in, skin on Pork Picnic
3 cups of sugar
2 cups salt
2 Garlic heads, unpeeled cloves separated and crushed
4 cups orange juice, (8 oranges)

Paste
12 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
6 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For Sandwich
Bread like baguette, ciabatta or Poboy
Yellow mustard
Swiss Cheese
Dill pickle slices

For the pork cut, 1 inch deep slits, 1 inch long all over the roast, space about 2 inches apart. Dissolve the sugar, and salt in 6 quarts of cold water in a large food safe container. Stir in garlic and orange juice. Submerge, pork in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours. Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

For the paste, pulse garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a food processor to course paste, about 10 pulses. With processor, running add orange juice, vinegar, oil and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Rub paste all over the picnic and into slits. Wrap meat and plastic wrap and let’s set at room temperature for one hour. Cook the picnic at 325° until the skin is brown and the meat registers 190°.

Let the roast rest for one hour or it will not be tender. Remove skin in one large piece, scrape off and scarred fat from top of roast and from underneath the skin. Cut me away from the bone in three or four large pieces then sliced into quarter inch thick slices. Cut skin strips and serve

For the sandwich cover both sides of the bread with yellow mustard. Top with pickle slices and Swiss cheese. Put the pork on the sandwich and close both halves. Place on the grill and top with a brick or other heavy weight until cheese melts.

[SheilaAnn]

Thank you! My first takeaway on the sandwich build: no ham? I like the idea of brining first.

[LA Pork Butt]

SheilaAnn My bad! The sandwich was my recipe by memory and I forgot the ham, but it is probably not bad with pout it. The pork cook was the American Test Kitchen Recipe.

[johnec00]

Cubanos are best if made using authentic Cuban bread. Hard to find in our local grocery stores. I've conjured up a reasonable approximation of Cuban bread and posted it in the bakery section of recipes.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/recipes-technique-food-cooking/baking-recipes/1493942-cuban-sandwich-loaf-as-close-to-authentic-as-i-ve-gotten

[acorgihouse]

Haha, I drive through Ybor frequently, and right by La Segunda regularly. Let me know if I can bootleg ship to you! I can't actually eat it anymore, other than a few bites on rare occasions, but it's great. My brother and I called it "toothpick bread" when we were small.

[Bkhuna]

Orlando's ethnic enclaves are pretty well defined. The closer you get Azalea Park, the greater the number of places that sell pan cubano, pan Puertorrqueño, etc. Have you tried Sedano's on Curry Ford Road? They have a bakery that makes cuban bread. There's also a small grocery store on Colonial near Alafaya and every Sunday, right before mass lets out, the start stacking up hundreds of loaves. We buy two hot loaves when we go and one never makes the trip home.

[johnec00]

acorgihouse Thanks for the kind offer. My son, DIL and kids live in the Carolwood area so we visit fairly often. They get lunch sandwiches from some place nearby. We've been happy with the home made bread though, so thanks again. Bkhuna We've been to the Sedano's on the South Trail, never tried their bakery though, thanks for the hint (Seldom frequent the east side of town).

[JoeSousa]

I have made this one before: https://www.seriouseats.com/cuban-ro...er-mojo-recipe and it is delicious. It does have a bit more citrus than I have tasted on a lot of Cubanos but still delicious. Great shredded over rice as well.