Hard Cider Brined Smoked Pork Loin Cubano Sandwich (recipe in comments)

Ingredients

https://preview.redd.it/pjmdp6fd0q041.jpg?width=4527&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8b2618ac17515a000953efe5d3555bb9c61862c7

• 4 pork loin chops

For Hard Cider Brine

• 10 oz. hard apple cider
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBSP chile powder

For Cubano dressing

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 TBSP yellow mustard
• 2 TBSP hot dijon mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

For Smoked Pork dressing

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 TSBP brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• cracked black pepper

For Final Assembly

• 2 cups of the smoked pork, sliced thin
• 1 loaf Cuban bread, or mini French loaf (when in Montana…improvise)
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 thin slices Black Forest ham
• 1 large dill pickle, sliced thinly lengthwise
• Butter as needed for grilling

Instructions

Smoking the Pork

1. Mix hard cider, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, shile powder, and kosher salt until dissolved.
2. Place pork loin chops into the hard cider brine.
3. Brine for at 4 hours or overnight.
4. Remove from the brine and smoke over a fruit wood (cherry in this case).

For Cubano dressing

1. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl.

For Smoked Pork dressing

1. Mix apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and black pepper together.
2. Slice the smoked pork thin and place it into the vinegar mixture.

For Final Assembly

1. Cut loaf in half and evenly split bread to make tops and bottoms of 2 sandwiches.
2. Spread each half on both sides generously with the Cubano dressing.
3. Stack the split bread with smoked pork, Swiss cheese, Black Forest ham, and pickle slices.
4. Spread butter on the outside of the sandwiches.
5. Place sandwiches on a hot skillet or flat top.
6. Press down with a heavy weight.
7. Toast sandwiches until bread is crisp and filling is heated through, 3 or 4 minutes per side.
8. Enjoy!

bon appetit