The Cuban sandwich originated from Cuban workers who purchased hot meat and cheese sandwiches from vendors. The sandwich is made with Cuban bread, roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickle, and mustard. Authentic Cuban bread is hard to find, but some sandwich shops use Italian bread as an alternative. The most defining ingredient is marinated roast pork. The most authentic version of the sandwich can be found in the Tampa, Florida region.
Many of the world’s most popular sandwiches have gained popularity among the working classes, and this is the case with the hearty Cuban sandwich. Cuban workers in the early 20th century often purchased hot meat and cheese sandwiches from vendors stationed at their workplaces. When many of these workers emigrated to the United States, especially to the South Florida region, they brought with them many of their food recipes and traditions, including the original ingredients of their beloved “Cuban Sandwich,” also known as cubano.
A traditional Cuban sandwich starts with a special Cuban bread similar to long loaves of French bread. Originally, local bakeries spent the early morning hours baking light, crusty loaves of Cuban bread, which were then delivered to customers by hanging the loaves on an outdoor nail. Cuban bread has a very short shelf life, so most recipients make a Cuban sandwich within hours of receiving or purchasing the bread.
Cuban bread is cut in half like a submarine or hoagie sandwich, then buttered. They are therefore thin slices of roast pork marinated in a mojo sauce
added to sandwich, followed by thin slices of ham. In the Tampa, Florida area, where the Americanized version of the Cuban sandwich is believed to have originated, the ham may be substituted for thin slices of salami. A layer of Swiss cheese follows, followed by thin slices of dill pickle.
Traditionally, mustard is the only condiment added to a Cuban sandwich, although it’s not uncommon to find mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato added afterwards. A Cuban sandwich can be served cold, but is generally placed in a heated sandwich press until the cheese has melted and the bread is grilled. Because authentic Cuban bread can be hard to find, some sandwich shops use Italian bread as a viable alternative.
The most defining ingredient of an authentic Cuban sandwich is marinated roast pork. The mojo marinade gives the meat a distinctive citrusy undertone, along with a savory garlic flavor. Much like deep-dish pizzas from Chicago or Philly cheese steaks from Philadelphia, many Cuban sandwich aficionados claim that the most authentic version of the sandwich can be found in the Tampa, Florida region. While many of the ingredients can be found elsewhere or prepared at home, only a few bakeries in the South Florida area can make authentic Cuban bread acceptable enough for the traditional Cuban sandwich.
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