The Cuban sandwich — the Cubano — is one of the great sandwiches of the world. Roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, and dill pickles pressed between Cuban bread until flat and golden with a crackling crust. The Cubano burger takes this iconic combination and adds a beef patty to the equation, creating something that honours both traditions while being entirely its own thing.

The pressing technique is what defines this burger. After assembly it goes back onto the griddle under a heavy weight — a cast iron pan, a sandwich press, a foil-wrapped brick — and is pressed firmly until flat, the bread is golden and crispy, and the Swiss cheese has melted completely. The result is structurally different from any other burger — flat, compact, with a crackling exterior that gives way to layers of layered flavour inside.

The mojo-marinated roasted pork is the element that takes this from a burger with ham to something genuinely special. Even a quick version — pork loin marinated for 30 minutes and roasted — adds an authenticity and depth of flavour that deli ham cannot provide. If you have leftover roasted pork from another meal this is the ideal use for it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 740 kcal   |   Protein: 44g   |   Carbs: 48g   |   Fat: 38g   |   Fiber: 3g

Cubano Burger

Recipe by By butter u0026 berries

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

740

kcal

Ingredients

• Ingredients

• •t400g beef mince (20% fat)

• •t200g roasted pork loin or shoulder, thinly sliced

• •t4 slices Swiss cheese (Emmental)

• •t4-6 dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthways

• •t2 tbsp American yellow mustard

• •t4 slices Cuban bread or soft ciabatta roll, cut in half

• •t2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• •tFor quick mojo pork: 300g pork loin

• •tFor quick mojo pork: juice of 2 limes

• •tFor quick mojo pork: juice of 1 orange

• •tFor quick mojo pork: 4 garlic cloves, minced

• •tFor quick mojo pork: 1 tsp cumin

• •tFor quick mojo pork: 1 tsp oregano

• •tFor quick mojo pork: salt and pepper

Directions

• Make mojo pork: Combine lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Marinate pork loin in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. Roast at 200C for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Rest and slice thinly.
• Shape beef mince into 2 thin patties roughly the shape of the bread. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Cook patties on a hot griddle for 3 minutes per side for medium. Set aside.
• Butter the outside of all bread pieces. On the inside bottom piece spread yellow mustard generously. Layer Swiss cheese, then the beef patty, then sliced roasted pork, then pickles, then another slice of Swiss cheese. Close with the top bread piece buttered on the outside.
• Place the assembled burger on a medium-hot griddle. Place a heavy cast iron pan directly on top and press down firmly. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the bread is deeply golden and the cheese is completely melted.
• Serve immediately cut diagonally.

Notes

• The butter on the outside of the bread is what creates the golden, crackling crust during pressing — do not substitute with oil.
  Press firmly and consistently. The compression is fundamental to the Cubano character — it should be notably flatter than a regular burger.
  Yellow mustard is correct here. Dijon or wholegrain mustard would change the flavour profile significantly — the sharpness of American yellow mustard is what balances the richness of the pork and cheese.
  Leftover roasted pork from a Sunday roast is ideal here and transforms this into a very quick weeknight dinner.

Storage

Pressed burgers lose their crispy exterior very quickly once off the griddle. The components can be prepared ahead — mojo pork keeps for 3 days refrigerated, cooked patties for 2 days. Assemble and press fresh when ready to eat.

Serving Tips

Serve with thin cut chips, black beans and rice, or a simple tomato salad. A cold Modelo Especial, a Cuba Libre, or a freshly squeezed orange juice are the natural accompaniments. For wine, a chilled dry rosé or a light Tempranillo from Spain echoes the Cuban-Spanish heritage of the dish.

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