Cuban Pork

Juicy pork chunks cooked until fork-tender in a mojo sauce made with, cilantro, onions, garlic, caramelized onions and lime juice. Packed with flavor, this pork is a great additional to any Cuban-inspired meal.

Serving Suggestions

Perfect to build a Cuban sandwich or serve alongside black beans, rice, and fried plantains.

Cuban Rice and Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 green peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 10 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over to remove any stones
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, diced into 1/8” pieces
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon turbinado or other brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Combine 1 bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces and half of the minced garlic in a large pot with the beans, ham hock, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer the beans until tender.
2. Sofrito- In a separate large skillet, make a sofrito by combining the olive oil and the bacon in a sauté pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown. Add the remaining ½ green pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice, with and onion and cook, until slightly softened. Add the cumin, black pepper, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, oregano, and 2 teaspoons salt and stir to combine. Pour in the vinegar and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon.
3. Once the beans are cooked, remove the ham hock and let it cool. Remove 1 cup of the cooked beans to small bowl, and mash them into a paste with the back of a fork and return to the pot. Add the sofrito, then the sugar. Shred the meat from the ham hock and then chop the ham into ½-inch pieces and return it to the bean pot.
4. Stir well to combine the ham hock and the beans and simmer uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with Cuban style pork heated according to package instructions and drizzle with mojo sauce.

Cuban Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Cuban bread, or baguette
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard, or to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds boiled ham, sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds roasted pork , sliced
• 1 pound Swiss cheese, sliced
• 1 cup dill pickle chips, or to taste
• 1 package A La Carte Cuban Style Pork

Instructions:

1. Slice loaf of bread lengthwise. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, A La Carte Cuban Style pork, cheese, and pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.
2. Wrap the sandwich in foil.
3. Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.
4. Press and grill the sandwich on high setting in a Panini press or on a cast iron skillet with a second skillet used as a weight on top.
5. Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and remove off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.
6. Slice and serve.
7. Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedge. Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.