Roast Pork & Honey Ham Cuban Sandwich

My little twist on the Miami Classic...and a must-try

The Cuban Sandwich is my all time favorite sandwich, or at least definitely top 3. However when you take the time to make the pork from scratch, it truly sends your eyes rolling to the back of your head. We’re talking juicy, spice-rubbed pork roasted to perfection, sweet and sticky honey-seared ham (because you know I love a good sweetness), melty Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, pickles, and my added spice factor: pickled jalapeños. It is the Miami classic for a reason…and a must-try this summer.

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Ingredients:

Makes 2 Sandwiches

For the Roast Pork:

• 1 tbsp light brown sugar

• 1½ tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1½ tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 (2.5 lb) pork butt roast, bone-in (you can also use boneless pork shoulder)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1½ cups beef broth

For the Sandwich:

• 1 loaf Cuban bread (or I used sourdough loaf)

• 8 slices Swiss cheese

• Yellow mustard, to taste

• 10 dill pickle chips

• Pickled jalapeños, to taste

• Honey (about 1 tbsp)

• 8 slices deli ham

• Butter, softened (for the outside of the bread)

• 2 tbsp butter, divided

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Instructions:

To make the pork:

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.

2. In a small bowl, mix all spices and brown sugar. Rub mixture all over pork shoulder.

3. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear pork on all sides until browned (about 7–9 minutes total).

4. Add chicken broth, scraping any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven.

5. Bake for 3 hours covered, then uncover and bake 1 hour more, until pork is fall-apart tender. Add more broth as needed to keep it moist.

6. Shred pork with two forks. Set aside and keep warm. (This makes more pork than you need, so stash leftovers for tacos, rice bowls, or sandwiches.)

To make the honey ham:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.

2. Add ham slices and sear until browned, about 1–2 minutes per side.

3. Drizzle honey over the slices in the last 30 seconds of cooking to caramelize. Remove from heat. Lower heat to medium on the cast iron skillet.

To make the Sandwich:

1. Slice bread into 2 portions and cut each in half lengthwise.

2. On the same cast iron skillet, add 1 tbsp butter and place the bottom slice of 1 bread and start topping with the following:

3. Layer in this order:

   • Yellow mustard

   • Swiss cheese

   • Honey Ham

   • Roasted Pork

   • Pickles

   • Pickled jalapeños

   • Another layer of Swiss cheese

4. Close sandwich and spread butter on the outside of the bread. Press down and flip. Continue to press down to flatten sandwich and grill on both sides. Lower heat if starting to burn.