Cuban sandwich with mojo pork
- Preparation 15 min
- Refrigeration 3 h
- Cooking 10 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🇨🇺 The sandwich that marked me for life
The inspiration for this sandwich came to me while watching the movie Chef with Jon Favreau right after my trip to Havana. That trip to Cuba was completely mind-blowing. It was easily 50 degrees, I was so hot that the afternoons became difficult, but I still took the time to visit Havana quickly, drink perfect mojitos, take photos and go for a ride in a convertible. It’s exactly the kind of trip that leaves engraved memories and inspires recipes for life.
🌶️ My Quebec version of the Cubano
My classic Mojo marinade (orange + lime + garlic + cumin + oregano) is pumped up with Blanche de Chambly beer and fresh mint for a nod to the Cuban mojito. I grill my pork tenderloin directly on the BBQ instead of slow-roasting it in the oven for 4 hours like the purists, 8 to 10 minutes of cooking, medium-rare to medium (60°C / 140°F), sliced thin and it’s perfect. For the cheese, I use Le Cantonnier raclette, a Quebec semi-firm cheese that melts exactly like classic Swiss but with a much superior taste. It’s a sandwich inspired by the movie and my travels, but made my way.
🥪 The quick dinner that beats everything
This is exactly the kind of recipe for hosting a Saturday night with friends, or to make yourself a lunch or quick dinner that’s completely out of the ordinary. Golden pressed sandwich, melting cheese, mojo pork with citrus flavors, smoked ham and crunchy dill pickles. You have a flavor combo that knocks you down. Serve it with homemade fries, an arugula salad, or classic white rice and black beans for the full Cuban vibe. Details matter: panini bread golden with butter, medium-low cooking so the cheese melts without burning the bread, press firmly with a spatula. Trust me, after tasting this, you’ll want to make it every week.
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🔪 20 deep punctures with a sharp chef’s knife
This is the trick that makes my quick marinade as effective as the purists’ 24-hour version. Pierce your pork tenderloin deeply in about 20 places all over the surface. It opens the fibers and allows the marinade to penetrate quickly even in 3 hours. For the final cut of thinly sliced pork, use a really sharp chef’s knife: you want almost transparent slices to stack well in the sandwich.
⏱️ 3 hours minimum, ideally 12 to 24 hours
3 hours is enough for decent flavor. 12 to 24 hours is maximum flavor, the pork becomes deeply infused with citrus and herbs. If you can plan ahead, go for the 24 hours without hesitation. The result is significantly better. But if you decide at the last minute, 3 hours does the job thanks to the knife piercing.
🚫 NEVER reuse marinade that has touched raw meat
Reserve ¼ of your marinade in a separate container BEFORE pouring the rest over the pork. This fresh portion is what you use for basting during cooking. Marinade that has touched raw pork contains dangerous bacteria that are not neutralized by quick basting on the BBQ. Non-negotiable food safety step.
🌡️ Cook to 60°C (140°F). Medium-rare to medium
This is the ideal modern cooking for pork tenderloin, recommended by Canadian organizations for years. The tenderloin comes out juicy, slightly pink in the center, never dry. If you cook your tenderloin too long, it’s mistake number one. It becomes dry and you lose all the appeal. Thermometer in the thickest part, without touching the grate.
🥩 Rest 5 minutes under tight foil, mandatory
Cover the plate with aluminum foil, sealing tightly around the edges. Not to keep it soft, but so the juices redistribute evenly in the meat and the heat stays inside. If you slice directly without resting, all the juices flow into the plate and the pork becomes dry.
🔥 Cook sandwich over medium-low heat, never higher
Mistake number two: heat too high that burns the bread without having time to melt the cheese inside. Over medium-low heat, the bread browns slowly, the butter caramelizes, and the cheese has time to melt completely between the meat layers. Be patient, 4-5 minutes per side.
💪 No panini press? Pan + spatula + your hands
If you don’t have a panini press, put the sandwiches in a large pan and press firmly with a spatula during cooking. You can also place another heavy pan on top for continuous pressure. The goal is to weld the sandwich so everything melts together.
♨️ Leftovers the next day: foil + oven 25 minutes
If you want to remake your sandwich the next day, wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the oven at 350°F for 25 minutes. It becomes hot and crispy again. The result is completely mind-blowing. Avoid the microwave, the bread becomes rubbery.
✅ What to serve with my Cuban sandwich with mojo pork?
This sandwich is a complete main dish, but it deserves a side to push the feast. Serve it with my sugar snap pea salad for a fresh and crunchy side, my Air fryer sweet potatoes as a replacement for classic Cuban fries, my grilled corn on the barbecue with bacon and cheddar to stay in the summer BBQ vibe, or simply with an arugula salad and white balsamic for a lighter side.
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Mojo pork
- 1 lb (450 g) pork tenderloin
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Blanche de Chambly beer (or your favorite Belgian white beer)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 orange
- Zest of ½ orange
- Juice of 1 lime
- Zest of ½ lime
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sandwiches
- Dijon mustard, to taste
- 4 panini breads
- 8 slices smoked ham
- Dill pickle slices, to taste
- 8 slices Le Cantonnier raclette cheese (or other semi-firm raclette cheese)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, or more as needed
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Preparation
- Using a small sharp knife, pierce the pork tenderloin deeply in about 20 places all over the surface. This step is crucial: it opens the fibers so the marinade penetrates quickly even with short marinating time.
- In a bowl, whisk together the beer, mint, cilantro, garlic, orange and lime juices and zests, olive oil, cumin and oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the pork tenderloin in a resealable bag. Pour three-quarters of the marinade over the pork. Reserve the remaining quarter in the fridge in a separate container for basting (never reuse marinade that has touched raw meat. Risk of cross-contamination). Remove air from bag, seal and refrigerate for 3 hours minimum (ideally 12 to 24 hours for maximum flavor).
- Preheat BBQ to maximum power, then reduce to medium power. Oil the grate.
- Remove pork from bag and drain. Place tenderloin on BBQ grate and cook 8 to 10 minutes total, turning every 2-3 minutes and basting with the reserved fresh marinade. Cook until internal temperature reaches 60°C (140°F) for medium-rare to medium pork. The ideal modern cooking for pork tenderloin.
- Place tenderloin on a plate and cover tightly with aluminum foil around the edges so juices redistribute and heat stays inside. Let rest for 5 minutes mandatory before slicing the pork as thinly as possible with a sharp chef’s knife.
- To assemble sandwiches: spread a little Dijon mustard on the bottom and top halves of the panini breads. On the bottom halves, place 2 slices of smoked ham, a few slices of mojo pork tenderloin, a few dill pickle slices, then 2 slices of Le Cantonnier raclette. Close sandwiches and press well with your hands.
- In a large pan heated over medium-low heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and spread over the entire surface. Place sandwiches in the pan and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, pressing firmly with a spatula (and your hands as needed), until bread is well golden and cheese is completely melted. Add a little butter as needed between sides.
- Cut in half and serve immediately.
3 hours minimum, ideally 12 to 24 hours for maximum flavor. My trick to make quick marinade as effective: pierce the pork tenderloin deeply in about 20 places with a sharp knife. It opens the fibers and allows the citrus, white beer and herbs to penetrate quickly even in 3 hours.
It’s my unapologetic Quebec version of the Cubano. Blanche de Chambly beer (or any Belgian white beer or your favorite) adds light malty notes and mild acidity that perfectly complements the citrus, mint and cilantro. It’s a nod to the traditional Cuban mojito and a Quebec anchor on a classic Cuban sandwich.
Absolutely. Le Cantonnier raclette is my favorite Quebec choice (semi-firm that melts perfectly), but you can use any semi-firm raclette cheese or even classic Swiss cheese if you want to stay with the traditional American version. The goal is a cheese that melts well without becoming liquid.
60°C (140°F) at the center, medium-rare to medium. This is the ideal modern cooking for pork tenderloin. Juicy, slightly pink in the center, never dry. If you cook your pork too long, it’s mistake number one and you lose all the appeal. Meat thermometer mandatory in the thickest part of the tenderloin, without touching the grate.
It’s a complete main dish for lunch or quick dinner, but it deserves a side to become a feast. Serve it with my sugar snap pea salad, my air fryer sweet potatoes to replace classic fries, my grilled corn on the barbecue with bacon and cheddar to amplify the summer BBQ side, or with my creamy brocoli salad for a fresh accompaniment.
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