The Biggest Mistake You're Making With Cuban Sandwiches, According To An Expert

Each time we make a sandwich, there's an opportunity to make a good sandwich. No, wait — there's an opportunity to make a great sandwich; a perfect sandwich even. No one likes a slippery tomato or a plop of mustard straight to the shirt because of unfortunate preparation. And when it comes to Cuban sandwiches, well, because of their ingredients, they separate the sandwich artists from the makers.

Some of those ingredients can fall out (looking at you, dill pickles and bits of roast pork). It's about balancing just the right amount of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. They are perfectly layered in this all-out Cuban sandwich recipe because too much of one ingredient or not enough of another can leave your Cubans lackluster or all over the plate.

"I think one of the biggest mistakes made when preparing a Cuban sandwich is overfilling the sandwich," says Michelle Wallace, owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co. "Because the sandwich has to be pressed, you have to be mindful of the amount of ingredients when building the sandwich." There's the other side of the coin too. Keep those ingredients in proportion to the soft Cuban bread that's just thick enough to handle those bold sandwich fillings. If you don't put enough of them on there, you'll only get a hint of all that deliciousness. "The goal is to get an even spread of ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickles to press together for a coast-to-coast finish and avoid spilling out while being pressed," Wallace says.

Once you learn how to make a Cuban sandwich, you'll understand how integral it is to layer the ingredients in order before placing it under a hot press. Mustard and cheese goes on both sides of the bread. The mustard should be enough to moisten the bread, but not too much to overpower the flavor of the other ingredients. Oh, and don't forget this must-use cheese-layering tip to keep in mind when building a Cuban sandwich (hint: It's the glue that goes first). Place the pickles on top of the cheese on one side only and remember a single layer works best, no matter how many slices you like. You could even make homemade ones with this classic dill pickles recipe.

Next comes the sliced ham, but not too much. Three slices for ⅓ loaf of Cuban bread is the standard for a sandwich for one or two people. And finally, add the roast pork. Three slices is also the standard, or up to two ounces of shredded or pulled roast pork. When it comes to pressing the sandwich, always remember to spread room-temperature butter or use pan spray on both sides of the sandwich before heating it. If you don't have a sandwich press, use a large skillet to heat the sandwich and a smaller one to weigh the sandwich down as it heats for about four minutes on each side.