December 1, 2025

CookMe

Posting Recipes the Right Way

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large bone-in pork shoulder

  • 4 cups orange juice

  • 2 cups water

  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

  • 1/2 cup spiced rum

  • 1/2 cup kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

  • Whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and crushed

  • 2 stems oregano, roughly chopped

  • 2 stems rosemary, roughly chopped

  • 2 stems thyme, roughly chopped

  • 2 stems sage, roughly chopped

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 3 oranges, juiced and zested

  • 6 limes, juiced and zested

  • 2 stems oregano, roughly chopped

  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

  • 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

  • Whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and crushed

  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper

  • 2 Tbsp toasted and freshly ground cumin

  • 1 loaf of pan Cubano

  • 4 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

  • 8 ounces thick deli ham

  • 12 slices swiss cheese

  • Dill pickles, thinly sliced

  • 4 Tbsp mustard

Method

Makes 1 large roast, 4 sandwiches

  1. Remove excess fat from pork roast, and score fat cap on the top. Combine orange juice, water, rice wine vinegar, rum, salt, brown sugar, garlic, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves in a large bowl – whisk to combine.  Place the pork shoulder in a large stainless steel bowl, and pour marinade over top, making sure it’s completely submerged.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

  2. To make mojo marinade: combine olive oil, orange juice & zest, lime juice & peels, oregano, cilantro, mint, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin, whisking to combine.

  3. Remove pork shoulder from brine and discard brine.  Place pork shoulder back into stainless steel bowl, and cover with mojo marinade.  Massage marinade into the pork for one minute before covering and refrigerating for 2 hours.

  4. Remove pork from the marinade, brushing off any large pieces of herbs.  Place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, brush with marinade, and roast at 350°F for 2 1/2 hours, until pork registers 165°F at its thickest point.  Tent the roast with foil and allow to rest for 30 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to use.

  5. Butter the inside of the pan Cubano, cut into 4 pieces, and toast butter-side-down in a hot plancha.  Slice pork about 1/4-inch thick.  In a lightly oiled nonstick pan, sear pork and ham.  Fill sandwiches with pork, ham, cheese, and pickles – smear with mustard, smear top exterior of the pan Cubano with butter, and press in the plancha for 2-3 minutes, until bread is deeply browned and cheese is melted.  Cut diagonally and serve.

Here are some additional notes from another site I found:

https://www.recipetineats.com/cuban-pork-sandwich-cubanos-from-chef-movie/ This is the cubanos sandwich recipe from the 2014 movie Chef. The food in the recipe was created by real life rock star chef Roy Choi. This is the actual recipe from the movie! It was published on thestar.com. This is supposed to be made with a panini / sandwich press but I do not have one so I’ve provided instructions for how to make this in a skillet. AND these are great for freezing! Refer Note 1 for instructions.

Ingredients

  • 2 thin slices baked leg ham
  • 4 large , thin slices Mojo Marinated Pork
  • 2 pieces of white baguettes , 6 inch/15 cm in length, cut in half
  • Melted butter , for brushing
  • American mustard
  • 2 thin slices Swiss cheese
  • 2 or 3 dill pickles , thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Heat skillet over medium heat. Add ham and pork slices, and cook each side until slightly browned then remove to a plate.
  • Butter cut sides of baguettes then place in the skillet, cut side down, for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove onto work surface.
  • Layer the bottom of the baguettes with pork, ham, then cheese and pickles. Cut, break or fold the ham, pork and cheese so they fit. Spread the cut side of the bun tops with mustard then place on the sandwich.
  • Butter the bottom AND top of the outside of the baguettes.
  • Heat skillet over medium high heat. Place the baguettes in the skillet, top with a sheet of baking paper then weigh it down with a heavy skillet or pot (use cans if necessary for extra weight so the sandwich compressed). Cook for 3 minutes on each side, until dark golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted.
  • Let sandwiches stand 1 minute before cutting in half. Serve IMMEDIATELY.

Recipe Notes:

1. If you don’t have homemade Mojo Marinated Pork but need this in your life, you can use pork slices from the deli.  

2. Because I made so many of these, I discovered quite by accident that they freeze really well! It’s because the sandwich is compressed. Let them cool, then wrap them in baking paper (parchment paper), then foil and freeze them. Reheat them from frozen or defrosted in the oven – you don’t even need to unwrap them!