This delicious Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Sandwich recipe is one of our favorite weeknight dinners! The pork is simmered in a mouthwatering mix of spices and then shredded before being served on a loaf of Cuban bread with pickles, mustard, and Swiss cheese.
Looking for specifics on the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on sections of the recipe.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- The sweet Cuban bread, melty cheese, mustard, tangy pickles, deli ham, and tender pork make this sandwich out of this world delicious.
- The slow cooker does most of the work which means that this dish is perfect for busy weeknights.
- With this easy recipe, you can have the best Cuban sandwiches right in your own home.
🧾 Ingredient List
A full list of ingredients and amounts is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Ingredients
Cuban Pork Sandwich Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- boneless pork butt cut into large pieces
- orange juice
- lime juice
- minced garlic
- ground cumin
- dried oregano
- salt
- black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
- bay leaves
- Cuban bread or Italian bread
- Swiss cheese slices
- slices ham - smoked or honey
- brown mustard
- pickles
🍲 Equipment
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Step 1: Prepare a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2:Place the chunks of pork into the slow cooker. And then add the garlic and seasonings.
Step 3: Then pour in the juices and add bay leaves.
Step 4:Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until the pork is fork-tender. Shred the meat with two forks.
Step 5:Slice the loaf of bread down the width and then place it on a clean flat working surface.
Step 6: Spread mustard over the inside of the bread, add layers of ham to the bottom, and then add the cheese to the top.
Step 7: Top the ham with the shredded pork, and then top with pickles.
Step 8: Once you've added all the toppings close the sandwich up and slice it into desired portions.
👩🏻🍳 Eileen's Tips for Success
- For easy cleanup, you can use a slow cooker liner to keep your slow cooker insert clean. Then, all you have to do is give it a quick wash. No need to scrub.
- Before the assembly of the sandwiches, you can butter the bread and toast it if you prefer.
- If your pork is hot when you add it to the sandwich it should melt your cheese. However, if you want to ensure the cheese melts completely you can place sandwiches into the oven for a couple of minutes at 350°F.
- You could also use a grill pan, heavy cast iron skillet, or panini press to get grill marks on the outside of your sandwich.
📋 Frequently Asked Questions
The closest type of bread to Cuban is usually French or Italian. However, you can use whatever type of bread you have on hand and it will still turn out delicious.
A Cuban sandwich typically includes ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and yellow mustard. A midnight sandwich usually has salami instead of ham and does not include pickles or mustard.
A real Cuban sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork (lechón asado), Swiss cheese, pickles, and yellow mustard. It's then pressed in a plancha grill or panini maker to get crispy on the outside but still warm and melty inside.
📖 Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe? Here are some ways that you increase the flavor of this dish.
- If you don't have pork butt, you can use different kinds of pork, pork shoulder, pork loin, or even a pork tenderloin will make to make this delicious sandwich. However, I think the butt or shoulder gives the best texture.
- We prefer to use dill pickles on cubano sandwiches like these, however, you can use bread and butter pickles also.
- Feel free to get creative with the cheese slices that you use. We like Swiss but you could also use provolone, cheddar, or even American cheese.
- If you're not a fan of mustard, it can be omitted from the recipe. You could also use spicy mustard, yellow mustard, or honey mustard for an extra kick of flavor.
- Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment with other condiments like mayonnaise, dressings, sauces, etc. that you have in your refrigerator!
❄️ Make ahead, storage, and freezer tips
Storage - Store leftover pork, and sandwich fixing in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing - You can also freeze the leftover pork in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Make ahead - Feel free to make the shredded pork for these pork sandwiches a day or two in advance and just reheat it when you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
🥣 Serving Suggestions
This Cuban shredded pork sandwich pairs so well with many different sides, my family loves it when I serve it with a potato side like these Baked Spicy French Fries or a bag of potato chips.
If you want a lighter side to pair with this slow cooker Cuban pork sandwich you can try this Lighter Homemade Macaroni Salad recipe.
This Summer Fruit Salad is also a great side to serve with this Cuban pork sandwich.
🍽 Similar recipes
If you love slow cooker pork recipes then next time you may want to give this Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas recipe a try!
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin is another one of my favorite pork recipes. You can't go wrong with this tender roast for a Sunday night dinner.
Slow Cooker Korean Beef is a delicious dinner option for the whole family. And, it is an easy meal to prepare and is packed with flavor, so you can't go wrong!
I love any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.
Keep up to date with recipes by following me on:
FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, TWITTER
Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.
Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cuban Pork Sandwich
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork butt cut into large pieces
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Cuban bread or Italian bread
- 12 slices Swiss cheese
- 24 slices smoked or honey deli ham
- spicy brown mustard
- pickles sliced thin
Instructions
- Prepare a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the chunks of pork into the slow cooker. Pour the juices over the pork, add the garlic. Top the meat with the seasonings; cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf.
- Top the meat with the seasonings; cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until the pork is fork-tender. Shred the meat with two forks
- Shred the meat with two forks.
Assemble the sandwich
- Slice the loaf of bread down the width. Spread mustard over the inside of the bread and add layers of ham.
- Top the ham with the shredded pork and then a layer of cheese.
- Add pickles to the sandwich and add the top layer of bread. Press the sandwich down tightly. Slice and serve.
NOTES
-
Don’t forget to shop at the Everyday Eileen store on Amazon.
Comments
No Comments