Spiced pork tenderloin is sliced and pressed into sandwiches with homemade fennel bread, cheese, pickles, and ham. It’s an incredible sandwich!

Homemade Cuban Sandwich - Sliced in Half to show Rubbed Pork Tenderloin and Filling

Cuban sandwiches are awesome to begin with.

I mean, any variation on ham and cheese has to be good right?

Well I did a little spin on the Cuban by rubbing the pork tenderloin with a spice mixture and making a homemade fennel seed bread to go with it since fennel goes absolutely beautifully with pork.

Arugula and Mixed Greens on a Cutting Board

This sandwich is crispy, cheesy, meaty, it’s got the salty crunch from the pickles, the juicy tomatoes.

Well heck, it’s got everything.

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Cuban Sandwich Sliced in Half on White Plate

Rubbed Pork Tenderloin Cuban Sandwiches with Homemade Fennel Seed Bread

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Spiced pork tenderloin is sliced and pressed into sandwiches with homemade fennel bread, cheese, pickles, and ham. It's an incredible sandwich!
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Ingredients

  • 4 fennel seed bread rolls*
  • 1 lb pork tenderloin
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 4 tsp coarse ground mustard
  • 1/2 lb Swiss cheese about 8 slices
  • 1/2 lb black forest ham
  • 8 dill pickle slices
  • 8 slices of tomato
  • 1 cup arugula leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • butter or oil for the panini press

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat up an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat.
  • Rub the pork tenderloin with 1.5 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp pepper. Whisk together the cumin, coriander, thyme, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar to combine, then rub it all over the pork.
  • Once the cast iron skillet has heated up, sear all sides of the pork tenderloin for 5 minutes, until browned. Pop the pan into the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the interior reaches 150 degrees F. Cool on a wire rack, and let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Once cooled, slice the pork on a bias into thin slices.
  • Slice the rolls in half, and spread 1 tsp of mustard on each roll. Place 1 slice of cheese on each half of the rolls (the cheese protects the bread from getting soggy). Place 2 slices of the black forest ham on the bottom, then one layer of sliced pork tenderloin, 2 slices of tomato, ¼ cup arugula, and 2 pickles. Repeat with the remaining 3 sandwiches.
  • Heat up a panini press to high, and rub the surface with the oil or butter. Press the sandwiches for 10 minutes until golden brown and crusty, and serve.

Notes

*For the fennel rolls, make A Bread Recipe for Those Who Don’t Know How To Boil Water and just add 2 tsp fennel seed to the dough. Shape the dough into rolls and bake according to the instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 634kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 55g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 158mg, Sodium: 1207mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cuban
Author: Fifteen Spatulas