He produced and directed The Jungle Book.
He directed Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Elf.
He co-starred in The Breakup and Couple’s Retreat.
But when actor Jon Favreau starred in the movie “Chef,” it gave America a new obsession. We fell in love with The Cubano. Did see the movie? It’s a foodie’s dream. Chef Carl Casper, played by Favreau, gets sideways with a food critic and loses his restaurant job. His loss is our gain, because he revs up a new sandwich food truck called El Jefe, and introduces America to the new darling of the sandwich world, The Cubano Sandwich.
Is that where the fad started? Or, was it just the Cubano’s time to get discovered by a larger food loving community.
The Cubano sandwich is so more than a fad. It has found a place in our hearts and on our plates. Why? Because it’s filled with all the things we love anyway; cheese, shredded or sliced pork, pickles, ham, bread and butter—and mustard! (You can find prepared pulled pork in most grocery stores, but if you want to make it from scratch, I’ve included a simple method.)
But what makes the Cubano so much better is that it’s grilled and toasty and cheese oozes out and the bread makes a great crusty-cracky sound when you slice into it and it’s just downright delicious! Yep. It’s time for a new “hero” and the Cubano sandwich is it!
| Servings |
- 1 bread roll, sliced lengthwise (Italian, French or Cuban)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 4 slices thin cut Swiss cheese
- 2-3 thin sliced dill pickles, sliced lengthwise
- 2-4 slices ham
- 1/3 cup shredded or sliced pork
- 1 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper for coating pork
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
Ingredients For the Cubano Sandwich:
For Pulled Pork from Scratch:
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- Heat cast iron or heavy skillet. Slice bread lengthwise. Butter both sides of the outside of the bread. Spread mustard over both sides of the inside of the bread. Place 2 slices of cheese, folded over, on both sides of the bread. On one side, add pickles, ham and pork. Close sandwich and grill, using a heavy skillet to press sandwich down. Turn sandwich over to grill on the other side. Grill until browned on the outside and cheese has melted on the inside. Serve immediately.
- Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet. Add olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides of pork ribs. When oil heats and glistens, add pork. Sear on both sides until browned. Place pork ribs in small crock pot with onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin and salt. Cook until for tender. (This can be cooked on low overnight.)
