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5 from 1 vote

Mexican Cuban Sandwich

A delicious update on the classic Cuban Sandwich. We are using pickled jalapenos and chipotle mayo in place of the pickles and mustard. Works great with leftover carnitas! 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 926kcal
Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked carnitas or roast pork
  • 4 ham slices
  • 4 slices cheese
  • 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos
  • 3-4 tablespoons chipotle mayonnaise
  • 2 bread rolls

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 chipotle in adobo
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • squeeze of lime

Instructions

  • (This recipe is using cooked carnitas from this slow cooker carnitas recipe but you can use any roast or pulled pork that is already cooked).
  • If you are warming up the carnitas, heat up a dollop of oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add a heaping cup of carnitas and cook until the underside is crisping up, approximately 5-7 minutes.  You can add the ham slices to the pan for the last couple minutes of cooking if you want.
  • For the Chipotle Mayo, combine the listed ingredients in a blender or food processor.   Taste for heat level and seasoning.
  • Each sandwich gets a layer of chipotle mayo, diced pickled jalapenos, cheese, pork or carnitas, and 2 ham slices.
  • Cook the sandwiches in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes per side.  Press down on the sandwiches with a casserole dish or pan to compress them.   You can also add a thin layer of butter to the skillet if you want to crisp up the edges of the sandwich.  
  • Cut in half and serve immediately with the chipotle mayo and pickled jalapenos on standby to add to future bites if needed.

Notes

Swiss cheese is commonly used for traditional Cuban sandwiches, but there is lots of leeway on choice of cheese.   I'm not a fan of Swiss cheese so I used Provolone.
 
The measurements listed for the chipotle mayo will make enough for 3-4 sandwiches.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
 
Sweet ham is traditionally used in Cuban sandwiches.  If available, try to use sweet ham slices but it's not a dealbreaker, regular ham will work fine too. 
 
If using a traditional sandwich roll you can always tear out inside portions of the bread to make the sandwiches flatter and less 'bready'.

Nutrition

Calories: 926kcal