Recipe: Cuban Sandwich Empanada With Slow-Roasted Pork Filling

This Cuban-inspired empanada brings together classic sandwich flavors in a portable, fried pastry pocket. The filling combines thinly sliced honey maple deli ham, Swiss cheese, slow-roasted pork, yellow mustard, and dill pickle slices layered onto a round of empanada dough before sealing and frying until crispy.

To assemble each empanada, begin by laying down the ham, followed by cheese and lechon on the prepared dough round. Create a line of mustard across the pork layer, then position pickle slices on top. Brush the dough edges with egg wash, fold the dough over to enclose the filling, then press the sealed edges firmly with a fork before frying.

Fry the assembled empanadas at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the exterior turns golden brown. The result is a crispy, handheld pastry with warm, savory filling that captures the essence of a traditional Cuban sandwich in empanada form.

The foundation of this recipe relies on properly prepared roasted pork. Begin with a pork butt cut in half and trimmed of excess external fat. Score the flesh side deeply in an X pattern to allow seasoning and marinade penetration throughout the meat.

Combine kosher salt, demerara sugar, granulated onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground black pepper, and mustard powder. Apply this dry seasoning mixture generously over all surfaces of the pork butt halves and transfer to a large, deep baking pan.

Blend cilantro, Italian parsley, one large shallot, eight to ten garlic cloves, trimmed scallions, fresh orange juice, and fresh lime juice until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. Coat the seasoned pork generously with this marinade, then add water to the pan until the meat is just covered.

Cover the baking pan with parchment paper pressed directly onto the pork surface, then seal tightly with aluminum foil. Braise at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours until the pork achieves complete tenderness. Allow the meat to cool, then remove and discard any accumulated fat from the braising liquid and the pork itself, including skin and exterior fat layer.

Pull the cooled pork into large chunks and toss gently with a small amount of the defatted braising liquid to maintain moisture and flavor before using as the empanada filling.