I may have mentioned that we vacationed in the Florida Keys recently. We met up with Joe’s brother Chuck and our sister in law, Melody (whom I affectionately refer to as my sister of the heart). Mel found a little cafe tucked in the heart of Key West called Cuban Coffee Queen. She was an instant fan of their coffee and sandwiches and I am so glad she suggested we stop by for a quick bite. Her favorite is the Cuban Mix which is a more traditional Cuban sandwich with Mojo pork, sliced ham, cheese, pickles, mustard; you know what I’m talking about. But they also made some sandwiches that varied a bit from the traditional Cuban. I was intrigued by the Jose Marti which was loaded with Mojo pork, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a horseradish mayo. Joe loves the traditional Cuban but I talked him into splitting a Jose Marti with me and it was fantastic. I immediately wanted to recreate it when we got home, of course Joe wanted his traditional Cuban with mustard and pickles so I made one of each. I researched how to make Mojo pork and found there are two ways to go about it. I could cook it low and slow in a citrus marinade until it pulls apart like shredded pork or marinate the pork first then roast it until the outer layer has caramelized leaving the inside of the pork moist and tender. I chose the latter and cut it into small bite size pieces to pile on our sandwiches. They tasted so good and much like the sandwiches we ate at the Cuban Coffee Queen. I can’t wait to make them again!
This is going to take some time so lets start with the marinade. I’m making a small 1 lb pork roast, just enough to make 4 sandwiches for the two of us. Yes, we had them 2 nights in a row, and they were fantastic. So, you’ll need fresh orange zest and orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt and pepper as well as some olive oil.
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything has been processed together.
Pour it into a zip lock bag along with your pork roast and let sit at least 4 hours. If you have time, let it marinate overnight to let all the flavors absorb into the roast.
Discard the marinade and place the roast on a roasting pan with a rack and place in a preheated 425 degree oven. Let roast 30 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350 and roast for 1 hour more. At this point the roast should be close to the safe internal temperature of 160 degrees. If the roast hasn’t reached the safe internal temperature, turn the oven down to 250 degrees, cover with aluminum foil and let it roast an additional 20 minutes. When the roast has cooked through, remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing roast.
I sliced the roast thin, then thought afterward it would be easier to eat if I cut the roast into bite size pieces. Try to get a few pieces of those caramelized bits on each sandwich which are so tasty.
The bread used at the Cuban Coffee Queen was a crusty french roll similar to a bolillo roll. Bolillos originated in Mexico and Central America and are similar to a crisp mini baguette. They are fairly easy to find, usually in the deli or bakery area of your local grocer. First up is the Cuban Mix; slice the bolillo roll in half and place swiss or provolone cheese slices to cover both sides of the bread. Place two slices of ham on each sandwich. Take approximately 1/4 of the Mojo pork and lay on top of the ham.
I found Cuban style mustard at Walmart and some Claussen big sliced dill pickles to place on top of the pork. The menu at Cuban Coffee Queen also added mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion to their Cuban Mix.
We skipped the mayo and onions on this one but it’s stacked pretty high. To make it easier to press, first set the sandwich in the microwave and let it heat on high for 25 seconds. The bread will soften just enough to easily press.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Place the sandwich on the heated griddle and place a weighted press on top. Press the sandwich down to about half it’s original size. When it begins to brown nicely on the bottom, turn the sandwich over to heat the other side.
Now for the Jose Marti Sandwich; layer the bolillo roll with swiss or provolone cheese slices. Add approx 1/4 of the cubed pork on top of the cheese. This sandwich is dressed with a horseradish mayo. I used Woeber’s Horseradish Sauce which was on spot!
It is also topped with shredded lettuce, tomato slices and red onion slices. I was going for it all!! Now set that in the microwave at high for 25 seconds, then press same as the Cuban Mix.
And here’s the Jose Marti which I devoured!!
Cuban Pressed Sandwich (2 Ways) with Mojo Pork
(Inspired by the Cuban Coffee Queen Menu – Key West, Florida)
Cuban Mix (Traditional Cuban Sandwich)
1/2 pound Mojo Pork, recipe follows
4 slices Deli Ham
8 slices Swiss Cheese (Provolone is also a good choice)
Dill Pickle Slices
Cuban Mustard or Yellow Mustard
2 Bolillo Rolls, sliced in half
Mayo, optional
Shredded Lettuce, optional
Sliced Tomatoes, optional
Sliced Red Onion, optional
Prepare Sandwich by layering the sandwich with sliced cheese, ham, Mojo pork, sliced pickles and mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion. Microwave sandwich on a microwave safe plate for 25 seconds or just long enough to soften the bread slightly. Place sandwich on a heated cast iron griddle and place a weighted press on top. As sandwich heats, the cheese will melt and the meat will release it’s juices. Turn the sandwich over to heat the other side. Slice sandwich in half and serve warm.
Prepare any additional sandwiches the same as above.
Makes 2 Cuban Mix Sandwiches
Jose Marti Sandwich
1/2 pound Mojo Pork, recipe follows
8 slices Swiss Cheese (Provolone is also a good choice)
Horseradish Mayo (I used Woeber’s Horseradish Sauce)
Shredded Lettuce
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Red Onion
2 Bolillo Rolls, sliced in half
Prepare sandwich by layering the sandwich with cheese slices, Mojo pork, horseradish mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion. Microwave sandwich on a microwave safe plate for 25 seconds or just long enough to soften the bread slightly. Place sandwich on a heated cast iron griddle and place a weighted press on top. As sandwich heats, the cheese will melt and the meat will release it’s juices. Turn the sandwich over to heat the other side. Slice sandwich in half and serve warm.
Prepare any additional sandwiches the same as above.
Mojo Pork
1 pound Pork Roast (Boneless Pork Shoulder roast works well)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Lime Juice
2 teaspoons Orange Zest
1/3 cup Cilantro
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Combine all the marinade ingredients and place in a food processor. Pulse on high until all ingredients are completely blended. Place the pork roast in a gallon size zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the roast to coat all sides of the roast. Refrigerate 4 hours or preferrably overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place roast on a baking sheet with a wire rack. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350 degrees and roast for 1 hour. If the roast hasn’t reached the internal temperature of 160 degrees, place a sheet of aluminum foil over top to cover and turn down the heat to 250 degrees and roast cook for an additional 20 minutes. When the roast is cooked throughout, place a sheet of aluminum foil over top and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice thin or cut into bite size pieces.
1 pound roast makes approximately 4 Cuban sandwiches.
6 thoughts on “Cuban Pressed Sandwich (2 Ways) with Mojo Pork”
Tanza Erlambang
look delicious…yummy.
thank you for sharing recipe
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NativeNM
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!
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Karen
We used to live in Key Largo and would often drive down to Key West for a long weekend so I know you had a great time on your visit. I’ve definitely eaten a few varieties of Cuban sandwiches and both of yours look great! I like the idea of just cooking a small pork roast as there is just the two of us as well. The only thing I would do differently (and that is a personal preference) is roast the pork to the USDA food preparation guidelines for pork at 145 degrees Fahrenheit, then resting for 3 minutes as my husband likes the pork a little less done.
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NativeNM
I’m sure you have enjoyed so much good food in the Keys, and Florida as a whole. This was my first time to visit the Keys and I thoroughly enjoyed everything we sampled. The seafood was excellent and those Cubans, well that was the best I’ve ever tasted. You might want to go revisit the Keys again someday, it’s a great walk around town and there’s always an aroma coming from a neighborhood restaurant to tempt your senses.
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mjskit
Well, I just learned a lot about Cuban sandwiches. To be honest, I’ve never had one. Your Mojo pork looks awesome and the finally sandwich delicious. My husband has had them before and loves them, so this would be a great treat to make this. Thanks Jan!!!!
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NativeNM
Hi MJ, I’ve not had many Cuban sandwiches myself, but Joe is a big fan. I was so impressed by the sandwich we shared in Key West that I had to give it a try. If your husband like Cuban sandwiches, he might like one or both of these.
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