Is There A 'Right' Cut Of Pork For A Traditional Cuban Sandwich?

The Cuban sandwich has a rich history, but like many culinary creations, its true origins are murky. Many people would probably trace it back to Florida — as for an exact city, it's usually a toss-up between Tampa and Miami and Key West — but it's more likely that the sandwich was actually born from a different Cuban sandwich called the mixto, which is a similar amalgamation of different meats and cheeses that was brought to the U.S. by Cuban immigrants. Despite its disputed genesis, though, there are still established traditions for a Cuban sandwich's construction. The Cuban, also called a Cubano, is a combination of mojo pork, ham, mustard, pickles, and cheese (if you're in Tampa, some also put salami on a Cuban sandwich). Over time there have been variations, but the Cuban sandwich's foundational ingredient remains the pork — and private chef and media personality Ronaldo Linares says that if you really want to stick to tradition, the sandwich requires pork shoulder.

Linares, who shares his own culinary tales on TikTok and Instagram, told Chowhound that any Cuban sandwich's story should begin with pork shoulder or its porcine neighbor, pork butt. These cuts are found in a pig's shoulder, and they deliver rich flavor. "It has great marbling," says the chef, "making it an ideal cut!" This marbling indicates spots of fat within the muscle; when this fat is cooked right, it dissolves into flavor and moisture.

A pig's shoulder also contains lots of connective tissue, and the muscle is worked hard as the pig moves, so both the butt and shoulder cuts can be tough. Don't let that initial texture be cause for culinary concern, though — because a real Cuban sandwich doesn't require just any pork shoulder. It needs pernil. Pernil is marinated pork shoulder that's slow-cooked, holding the meat at a low temperature for a long time to melt connective tissue (or collagen) and turn it into luxurious, juicy gelatin. "My dad always said you need to roast the pernil," says Ronaldo Linares, "in order to develop the proper flavor of the pork for the Cuban sandwich."

Pernil typically begins with a garlic-based marinade for the pork shoulder, then Linares sets his oven to 275-300 degrees Fahrenheit. After patting the pork dry, put it in a roasting pan and slather it with the traditional mojo sauce, a mixture of garlic, citrus, herbs, spices, and some delicious heat. After four to five hours and an internal temperature reading of 190-200 degrees Fahrenheit, bump the heat up to 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes to give it a crispy crust. Then Linares has one last secret for unbeatable flavor: "Brush it with extra mojo sauce after cooking for added juiciness."

Although pork shoulder is Linares' ideal cut for Cuban sandwiches, he has a few alternatives. Pork loin and tenderloin will be similar, but both have less fat content and need care to avoid overcooking. Another option, pork belly, will be rich and flavorful — if you don't mind breaking with tradition.

If you do opt for the traditional Cuban sandwich cut, you'll have to combat pork shoulder's texture and tendency toward toughness. Slow roasting at that low temperature of 275-300 degrees Fahrenheit will be crucial, because temperature matters more than ever when cooking tough cuts of pork. However, Ronaldo Linares has a few other simple steps you can follow to make sure the shoulder turns out tender. Rely on a meat thermometer to test your pork shoulder's doneness; a precise reading will help you avoid overcooking. Once it's ready and out of the oven, though, take a beat before you slice or shred the meat — Linares suggests letting the pork rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Overcooking can still happen, but the chef says not to fear. "Luckily pork is very forgiving," reassures Linares. "Slice it thinly against the grain [and] reheat it in reserved mojo marinade or a little broth if you ran out of the mojo marinade." If that still doesn't do the trick, it might be time to abandon your plan of perfecting the Cuban sandwich — just chop the meat up and make a mojo pulled pork sandwich instead.