Cuban burgers are not like other burgers. Their preparation is different from other burgers, and their appearance has some similarities to sandwiches. If you like having burgers, know that a Cuban burger can make for a delicious meal and a fun culinary experience. Try our Cuban burger recipe if you’re looking for different burgers (or sandwiches) recipes.
Cuban burgers are becoming all the more popular in America as there is a growing presence of immigrants opening up their businesses here. Cuban burgers could also be deli-style burgers. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make one at home.
Cuban sandwiches are popular among New Yorkers. However, we’ll be sharing a Cuban burger recipe, which is different and amazing.
What Is a Cuban Burger?
La Frita Cubana, the Cuban burger, uses ground beef with the addition of chorizo or pork. The chef will also add some spices, stick-cut potatoes, onion, and ketchup into the mix. In Cuba, people add another alternative to potatoes if those potatoes aren’t available easily. The patties are smashed and can sometimes be topped with pulled pork or ham slices.
The Cuban burger has been around for a long time, and many Cuban immigrants have spent years trying to perfect the Cuban burger recipe. However, the most common variations of the Cuban burger consist of roasted pork and potatoes.
Cuban sandwiches and burgers have tomatoes in common. However, many believe the ketchup can be left off the Cuban burger altogether. The Frita Cubana dates back to the 1920s in Cuba, and many believe that it was brought to the US by immigrants, where it was popularized?
Cuban Burger Recipe
You can choose to make a Cuban burger in different ways. However, the recipes have a fair amount of variations on them. You can stick to a simpler recipe or change the Cuban burger to your heart’s content.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of ground chuck
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cup quality mayonnaise
- Three cloves of minced, roasted garlic
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- Four soft hamburger buns
- Eight thin slices of Swiss cheese
- Four thin slices of smoked ham
- Two dill pickles, thinly sliced
Instructions:
- Preheat the grill and set it to high.
- Take the ground chuck and divide it into four portions. You want to have the burgers be at least ¼ inch thick. Make sure you season the meat as you prepare the patties with some salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Season on both ends, and then place the patties on the grill.
- You want to grill on both sides for two to three minutes until you feel like the meat is done to your liking. If you want a medium burger, 2 to 3 minutes is ideal. For greater doneness, you will have to grill for longer.
- Once the burgers are done, remove the burgers from the head and drop the heat down to a medium-low.
- Now, you can prepare the sauce. Take the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a bowl and mix them together.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper as per your liking, and then gently apply the sauce to the lower portion of each bun. Top the mayonnaise sauce with some mustard and add a slice of swiss cheese.
- Once the burger patties are rested, place the burger on the cheese and top it with a slice of ham.
- Place another slice of cheese on the burger and add the pickle slice.
- Top with the bun and cover the burgers in foil on all sides. Once they are wrapped, place them on the grill. Use a heavy pan to press down the burgers for up to a minute.
- Then remove the weight and close the lid on the grill. You can continue grilling the burger until the cheese melts and the bun is firm.
- Many people also add fritas and fried onions to the burger to ensure that it is crunchy.
What Is the Difference Between a Cuban Sandwich Recipe and a Cuban Burger Recipe?
The biggest difference between the two is that the Cuban burger recipe involves ground meat. The Cuban sandwich, often called the Cubano, mostly uses deli meat. The traditional Cuban sandwich is something that makes use of Cuban bread, which is softly brushed with olive oil. It uses many of the same ingredients a Cuban burger uses, such as dill and mustard.
The Cuban sandwich has three different deli meats: glazed ham, roast pork, and salami. All of these meats are generally applied in a Cuban sandwich. However, in a normal Cuban burger, you will likely only use ham.
You should also remember that we’re talking about this food’s traditional versions and recipes. You can add anything you want to a Cuban burger or sandwich. The Cuban burger often comes with some sort of ketchup and stick-like potatoes fried and placed in the sandwich.
Many people add lettuce and tomato to the Cuban sandwich, which is not present in the Cuban burger. The next most important thing is the bread. The Cuban burger uses burger buns, whereas the Cuban sandwich uses Cuban bread.
Cuban Burger Recipe Variations
You can build upon the traditional Cuban recipe in many other ways. You can use ground pork for the patties instead of ground beef. You can add tomato and tomato sauce to the burger after adding the mayonnaise. You can add ham slices into the Cuban burger and even salami to make it seem closer to the Cuban sandwich.
Add lettuce and bacon, or fill the Cuban burger with deep-fried onion chips. Many have experimented with making the Cuban burger recipe crunchier with fritas and fried onions.
Final Thoughts
The Cuban burger recipe is different from some of the other recipes you may be used to, but that’s what makes it so great. You can pull this recipe out in any barbecue, and you will surely have a hit on your hands. It’s a much more seasoned take on your regular burgers, and people will surely enjoy it.
