School Night Meal Idea: Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Sandwich Recipe

The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were piling up like a bad snowstorm, crumbs collecting in drifts on the counter, while sliced cucumbers slid down from their slippery green piles.

I have found myself at the “making bag lunches” phase of motherhood. Yes, because homeschooling means you actually. don’t. stay. home.

Since I’ve signed the boys up for a weekly class that takes up an entire morning and part of the afternoon, I’m rediscovering this thing called “have dinner already cooking when you get home.” AKA: the slow cooker.

Oh, I’m no stranger to the slow cooker, but it’s typically reserved for chili in the winter, because I tend to dislike the melding of flavors that happens when you cook a full meal in the slow cooker.

However, now that I’m needing better “school night” meal ideas, I’ve broken out our crock pot more often.

This week, we had a family favorite: pulled pork. I decided to change up our typical BBQ pulled pork sliders, and make Cuban Pork Sandwiches instead! These Cuban sandwiches turned out to be hearty and filling, but best of all – EASY and “fast” (depending on whether you’re me or the slow cooker talking!).

Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 Marinated Pork Tenderloins (depending on how many you plan to feed, you could get away with 1, but then be sure to use a very small slow cooker or you will dry the pork out). 
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1/2 pound Swiss Cheese, sliced
• 1/4 pound ham, sliced
• Cuban bread 
• Mustard
• Dill Pickles, thinly sliced
• Sides: 
• Sweet Potatoes
• Coleslaw Mix
• Coleslaw Dressing
• Banana Peppers (optional)

Instructions

1. Place pork tenderloins in the slow cooker with the marinade juices and add 1 cup of chicken broth over all. 
2. Cook on low overnight or through the day about 8-10 hours. 
3. Remove meat and shred. Place back into the slow cooker on low or keep warm for minimum 30 minutes but can go for much longer as long as you keep the heat on. 
4. Creating the sandwich: 
5. Slide bread / rolls
6. Spread mustard on both halves of bread. 
7. Layer Swiss cheese, ham slices, and then shredded pork on top of bottom half of roll. 
8. Place thinly sliced pickles on top and then remaining half of bread. 
9. Enjoy with coleslaw, baked sweet potatoes and banana peppers to garnish, if desired. 

Notes

(in a pinch, sub rolls will work but the hard roll surface of the Cuban bread gives the genuine flavor)

I cooked our pork overnight, because I’m simply not a fan of coming home to find the slow cooker meal still a bit raw. Nope, not a fan at all! I’d rather cook on low overnight, then check it in the morning to see how much more cook time it needs. I shredded the meat around two p.m. when I got home, and placed on the Keep Warm setting until dinner time.

Cook’s Tip! Sometimes I hear people say they don’t like to cook pork because it tastes dry. But not this pork recipe – not only did the marinade keep it flavorful and juicy, but I also like to add a cup of chicken stock or broth. The meat will generate some of its own juices, I am not taking the chance of burned or dried up meat. Adding the broth ensures a juicy result, and you could always use the extra cooking juices to simmer down into a sauce later if you wanted.

The slow cooker Cuban pork sandwiches were a snap to assemble, so we could get dinner on the table right away! And, since the slow cooker only cooked the meat and not a pile of other ingredients, the flavors in the meal were distinct and delicious! Now that’s a slow cooker keeper!!

What’s your favorite pork recipe?