Blackstone Cuban Sandwich (Cubano): Pressed to Perfection
A Cuban sandwich (Cubano) is pressed, toasted, and built from a specific combination of ingredients: slow-roasted pork, thinly sliced ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard on Cuban bread — nothing else. The griddle press flattens everything together, toasts both sides until crispy, and melts the cheese around the pork and ham so every bite has all five components at once.
The Blackstone works exceptionally well here. The large flat surface lets you press multiple Cubanos at once, and you get complete, even contact across the full bread surface — which is what creates the crispy, flattened crust that defines a properly made Cuban.
Prep time: 10 minutes (using pre-made roast pork) · Cook time: 6–8 minutes · Serves: 4
Griddle temperature: 325-350 degrees F (medium heat)
Ingredients
For Each Sandwich:
- 1 Cuban bread roll (or a section of a Cuban loaf), split
- 3 oz slow-roasted pork shoulder (mojo pork, thinly sliced)
- 3 oz thinly sliced ham (Black Forest or honey ham)
- 2 slices Swiss cheese
- 4–5 dill pickle chips
- 1.5 tsp yellow mustard (on both sides of the bread)
- 1 tbsp butter (for the outside of the bread)
Quick Mojo Pork Marinade (if making from scratch):
- 2 lbs pork shoulder
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Pork (Day Before, or Use Leftover)
If making mojo pork from scratch, combine all marinade ingredients and marinate the pork shoulder overnight. Roast at 325°F for 3–4 hours until fork-tender, then let cool and slice thin. Leftover pulled pork, carnitas, or store-bought roasted pork all work well here. The pork does not need to be hot — it will warm through on the griddle.
Step 2: Preheat the Blackstone
Set to medium heat and preheat 5 minutes. You want a steady, moderate heat — too high and the bread burns before the cheese melts.
Step 3: Spread Mustard and Build
Spread yellow mustard generously on both cut sides of the bread. On the bottom half, layer in this order: Swiss cheese, sliced ham, roasted pork, pickle chips, Swiss cheese (second slice goes on top to melt into the top bread). Place the top half of the bread on.
Step 4: Butter and Press
Butter the outside top and bottom of the assembled sandwich. Place on the griddle. Press down firmly with a heavy spatula or a bacon/burger press. Hold pressure for 30–60 seconds, then leave the press resting on top.
Step 5: Toast and Flip
Cook 3–4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Carefully flip, press again, and cook another 3–4 minutes until both sides are evenly browned and the cheese is fully melted.
Step 6: Slice and Serve
Cut diagonally and serve immediately. A proper Cuban is flat, thin, and crispy on the outside with a hot, cohesive interior.
Tips for the Best Blackstone Cuban
- Authentic bread matters. Cuban bread has a specific texture — light and airy inside, thin crust outside — that presses and toasts differently than a baguette or Italian loaf. If you can’t find it, a soft hoagie roll or bolillo is a better substitute than a hard baguette.
- Only yellow mustard. A Cuban sandwich uses yellow mustard, not Dijon, not spicy brown. It’s part of the flavor profile. Substituting it changes the sandwich.
- No mayonnaise. A real Cuban has no mayo, no lettuce, no tomato. Those are additions that turn it into a different sandwich. Keep it to the five components.
- Press hard and hold. The weight on the sandwich for the full cooking time is what creates the flat, cohesive result. A light press and a quick flip produces a regular toasted sandwich, not a Cuban.
- Pork temperature doesn’t matter going in. Cold leftover pork warms through in the 6–8 minutes on the griddle. You don’t need to heat it separately.
More flat-top recipes: Blackstone Griddle Sandwiches · Blackstone Lunch Ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
What meat goes on a Cuban sandwich?
A traditional Cuban sandwich has exactly two meats: slow-roasted pork (typically mojo-marinated pork shoulder) and thinly sliced ham. Both are required. Salami is sometimes added in Tampa-style Cubans, but the classic Miami version is pork and ham only.
What is the difference between a Cuban sandwich and a regular pressed sandwich?
The Cuban’s specific combination of mojo pork, ham, Swiss, dill pickles, and yellow mustard on Cuban bread is what makes it a Cuban — pressing is the technique, but the ingredients are what define it. A panini or pressed sandwich can be any filling; a Cubano is a specific recipe.
Can I use a Blackstone instead of a plancha or sandwich press?
Yes — a Blackstone flat-top is ideal. It gives you a large, even surface and you can press multiple sandwiches at once with a spatula and press. Traditional Cuban presses (plancha) do the same job. The key in either case is sustained downward pressure and moderate heat.
What’s the best pork to use for a Cuban sandwich at home?
The easiest shortcut is leftover carnitas or pulled pork — both work well. You can also buy a pre-cooked pork tenderloin from the deli and slice it thin. If cooking from scratch, mojo pork shoulder (marinated in citrus, garlic, and cumin) is the traditional choice and worth making in a big batch.
Do you put mayonnaise or butter on a Cuban sandwich?
Butter on the outside of the bread only, for griddling. No mayonnaise inside a traditional Cuban — it’s mustard only. The butter goes on the exterior so the bread toasts to a golden crust on the griddle.
What temperature do you cook Cuban sandwiches on a Blackstone griddle?
Cook Cuban sandwiches at 325-350 degrees F (medium heat) on a Blackstone griddle, pressing firmly with a heavy spatula or press. Medium heat toasts the bread and melts the cheese without burning, about 3 minutes per side.