Melty Cuban Sliders

Course: Appetizer / Lunch

Cuisine: American / Cuban

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 527kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Everything you love about an authentic Cubano packed into easy, crowd-pleasing party rolls. These Cuban sliders are layered with tender pulled pork, smoky ham, melty Swiss, and crisp pickles, then brushed with a savory Dijon butter glaze and baked until warm and golden.

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Equipment

1 medium skillet
9"x13" baking dish or baking pan

Ingredients

For the Seasoned "Mojo" Pork

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 cups shredded pork ie, pulled pork (w/out added BBQ sauce), carnitas pork, or store-bought shredded pork
1 tablespoon orange juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper

For the Sliders

1 12-count package Hawaiian rolls or slider rolls
12 slices Swiss cheese
¾ lb deli ham thinly sliced
8 to 12 dill pickles sandwich sliced ("planks"
3 tablespoon yellow mustard ballpark style

For the Savory Butter Glaze and Topping

4 tablespoon unsalted butter ½ stick, melted
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning see NOTES for recipe, or sub with poppy seeds

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Toss in the shredded pork, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Warm through for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the pork is glossy and fragrant. Remove from heat.
1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 2 cups shredded pork, 1 tbsp orange juice, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter or line a 9x13-inch baking dish, or spray with cooking spray.
Using a long serrated knife, slice the entire slab of rolls horizontally in half, keeping the individual rolls connected so you have one large top sheet and one bottom sheet. Place the bottom slab into your prepared baking dish.
1 12-count package Hawaiian rolls
Layer half the Swiss cheese slices evenly across the bottom rolls. Next, add a layer of folded slices of ham. Add the warmed shredded pork over the ham, spread edge-to-edge evenly. Add the dill pickles in a single flat layer (ensure they are dry!). Add the remaining cheese slices.
12 slices Swiss cheese, ¾ lb deli ham, 8 to 12 dill pickles
Smear the mustard on the cut side of the top slab of buns. Place on top of the sliders, mustard-side down.
3 tbsp yellow mustard
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, and garlic powder. Generously brush the glaze over the tops and sides of the rolls, allowing some of it to drip down into the crevices. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning or poppy seeds.
4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp everything bagel seasoning
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, until the roll tops are golden brown. Keep an eye on them, Hawaiian rolls will burn quickly. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 3 to 5 minutes so the cheese sets slightly, then slice along the roll seams and serve warm.

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.

Pulled Pork: Use unsauced pulled pork or carnitas for this recipe. Avoid pulled pork that is already tossed in sweet BBQ sauce, as it will clash with the traditional mustard and pickle flavors.
Prevent Soggy Rolls: Thoroughly pat pickle slices dry with paper towels, and always put down the bottom layer of cheese before adding the meats to create a moisture barrier.
Roll Varieties: Hawaiian sweet rolls offer a delicious sweet-and-savory contrast, but slider-sized brioche or potato rolls are great alternatives if you prefer a less sweet sandwich.

Everything Bagel Seasoning Recipe:

Just combine all of the following and store in a jar with a lid:

2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds (or use more white if you don't have black)
1½ tbsp dried minced garlic (flakes, not powder)
1½ tbsp dried minced onion (flakes, not powder)
1 to 1½ tsp coarse sea salt or flaky salt (like Maldon), to taste

Make-Ahead: You can assemble the sandwiches up to 24 hours in advance without the butter glaze. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Brush on the warm glaze right before baking and add 3 to 5 extra minutes to the covered bake time.
Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat loosely covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through and crisp.

Nutrition