Photo: Katie Chudy
You’d be hard “pressed” to find a better sandwich than a good Cuban. Great crusty bread, slow-cooked pork, melted Swiss, bright pickles and neon yellow mustard all come together to form a melted magical experience. Veering slightly off the Havana turnpike and spinning this classic ever so slightly, we modernize the dearly beloved sandwich with pickled mango, a fiery yet refreshing grapefruit mojo mustard and roast pork for days.
Ingredients
Grapefruit Mojo mustard
- 1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint
- 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 cup Yellow mustard
Pickled Mango
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 4 cilantro stems, rinsed to remove any dirt
- 4 mint stems
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole clove
- 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 mango, not too firm, not too soft, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Roasted Pork
- 6 - 8 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 limes, zested and juiced
- 2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- a pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle puree
- kosher salt, to taste
- olive oil, as needed
For Assembly
- 12 slider rolls, mini Portuguese buns or brioche rolls
- 1/2 pound pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
For the grapefruit mojo mustard:
- Combine everything except the mustard in a blender and purée until smooth.
- Adjust seasoning with salt.
- In a bowl, whisk together with the mustard.
For the pickled mango:
- Combine all ingredients except for the mango in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Place the mango in a large mason jar or other container and pour the brine over it.
- Seal the jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Pickles will last for about a week in the fridge and are even better the next day.
For the roasted pork:
- In a blender, combine all ingredients except for the pork and olive oil.
- Purée until smooth, thinning with water or oil as needed.
- Coat the pork all over with marinade and place in a large container to marinate overnight.
- Remove from the fridge and pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the pork on a large roasting pan and season all over with salt.
- Roast the pork, rotating the pan every hour, until the pork registers 160°F, about 3 hours.
- Increase the oven to 425°F and cook the pork until the skin is very crispy, another 15-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing into thin pieces.
- You may have leftovers, this is a good thing. Remove the top layer of skin separately and enjoy the crunchy cracklings as a snack.
For Assembly:
- Build the sliders by spreading each half of bread with the mojo mustard, and top with slices of pork, cheese and pickled mango.
- Pre-heat a grill pan or large griddle over medium heat.
- Add the sliders, working in batches, and slowly cook them until the bread toasts, the cheese melts and the filling is warmed through.
- Press down with a heavy spatula or your hands to help them flatten, flipping as needed. They should take about 6-9 minutes per sandwich.
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