Jump to the recipe for Paleo Cuban Sandwich Backpacking Meal…
First, let’s set the scene for how I came to this post and the one-and-only Paleo Cuban Sandwich Backpacking Meal.
A Lo Cubano (The Cuban Way)
A little known fact about me is that I enjoy Latino hip hop, reggaetón and dance music. From Selena to Kumbia Kings, I love a good rhythm. ¡Baile! I bought a Latin Grammy Nominees CD in 2005 (seems ages ago) and the group Orishas had a single (Naci Orishas) on there I loved enough to go and buy an entire album.
Just try and listen without swaying the hips…
Orishas is a Cuban group, taking their name from the Afro-Cuban influence for many salsa songs. Their first album was “A Lo Cubano” which is also a single and inspired the post name. But, Orishas make great ear candy when trying to drudge up a steep trail but you can’t eat the music for dinner.
Another little known fact, Cuba (Koo-ba) is on my bucket list of countries to visit, especially after watching this at the Pacific Science Center a few years ago. Who would not want to go? ¡Vámanos!
What Is A Cuban Sandwich?
The basics of a Cuban sandwich are ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. The official Cuban sandwich itself is not Cuban, but rather originated from Tampa or Key West where it was created for immigrant Cuban workers then migrated to Miami and now the two cities compete to be the iconic sandwich’s birthplace. El Cubano has a close relative that is from Cuba, el medianoche (midnight), but that has sweet pickles and who wants those?
One of my favorite movies that I could watch on the regular is The Chef with John Favreau, John Leguizamo, Sofía Vergara, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt and Robert Downey Jr. If you haven’t seen this comedy, make plans TONIGHT! Besides the all star cast and entertainment, it is serious food porn and the protagonist’s star dish is the Cuban sandwich.
But even though I love this movie, I never put two and two together to create a version of that coveted sandwich. So, how just did I get the idea to make it a backpacking meal?
Jimmy John’s
Well, everyone has that place that that their coworkers like to order lunch from and for my job that place is Jimmy John’s. And one day I gave in to ordering with the gang and upon perusing the menu decided that the tastiest thing was the Jimmy Cubano as an “Unwich”. I skipped the cheese and got extra lettuce and pickles. I am hooked now and will sometimes make stops on road trips when that ideal mayo, mustard, pickle combo calls to me.
Every summer I try to take some of my current favorite meals outdoors with me. Turns out, that same Cuban sandwich combo is FANTASTIC on the trail!
I have tried several different ways to mimic the delicious pork that they use in the movie but it was never quite enough flavor on trail to make is worth the effort. So, this Cubano is not even going to pretend to be close to an authentic version like in the movie Chef but more like the Jimmy John’s style to keep it simple and get you out on the trail. Yes, this is about as white bread a variety as you can get and probably borders on cultural appropriation.
Ham
Let’s talk about the ham. I find that the easiest form that rehydrates well is to dehydrate prosciutto. If you are only going to be out for a few days or on a road trip, you could also just take some fresh that you have cut or diced. You can also use bacon bits, pork rinds, dehydrated canned ham, a Wild Zora pork apple bar, etc., or any combination of these. I will use the dried prosciutto, bacon bits and pork rinds on top for the crispiness you would have if you had a real Cubano fresh off the panini grill.
I bought prosciutto slices at Costco and dried the whole package which filled a kalamata olive jar (also Costco) and had me set for the season. I dried for about 10 hours, blotting the slices at the end. The first few times I did not remove the larger fat pieces but now I do (they are easier to remove when dried). This recipe will give you a 4 serving version using just a 3 ounce package of prosciutto.
I did try a batch with the diced prosciutto cubes and it just didn’t rehydrate well.
Cheese
If you can do cheese, experiment with your favorite kind. Traditionally, it is Swiss cheese on a Cuban sandwich. You might even like the flavor of Whisps. If you can’t do cheese but want that nutty flavor, bring a small packet of nutritional yeast. Personally, I find the meal is great without the cheese.
Pickles
Dehydrated sliced spears (DILL, of course) work the best. Not too thin, they are mostly water and will shrink significantly so a larger chunk produces the best flavor. I tried a jar of “stackers” and could barely find them on the tray after a few hours they were so small.
I dried an entire 24 ounce jar of pickles and ended up with less than a cup dried. Seriously. That gives me about just shy of 1/4 cup of pickles to add to a meal, four meals to a jar. Want more pickles and who doesn’t? You may need to dry several jars worth. These took 6-8 hours and I dried mine with the prosciutto at the higher temp and they did fine.
If you are going out for just a few days and don’t mind the weight, using one of those pickle slices packages would work, too.
Also, pickles (and pickle juice) are great for providing salt as an electrolyte!
Lettuce
I am sure you can dehydrate lettuce but I imagine it dries down to a ghost of itself one can hardly peel off the tray so I use shredded cabbage or a coleslaw mix for more substance. You can read more about how I do that here. For this recipe you will need 2 cups fresh which is about equal to one bag of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix in the produce section.
I took this meal on a road trip with a cooler in the spring so I brought along a fresh bag of coleslaw mix which is always another option!
Mustard and Mayo
You can not have a proper Cuban Sandwich without mustard and I add mayo (like Jimmy) because it creates the creamy mouthfeel you would get if you had cheese. Plus extra calories! If you are going to just make one meal on your trip, you could use individual packets. But if you might enjoy this meal several times (it’s that good!), a squeeze bottle like this saves on plastic. I don’t feel safe transporting mayo (homemade) this way, though, so I stick with the individual and reduce plastic elsewhere.
If you are following an autoimmune protocol and not consuming eggs, you can substitute olive oil or another oil of your choice. You can also just skip the mayo but your calories decrease significantly and you would really have to love mustard (and there is nothing wrong with that).
Speaking of mustard, did you know it is an awesome trail companion? Not only is known to fight inflammation, some folks report it helps alleviate leg cramps. It is most likely the vinegar (giving pickles the same benefit).
Get Your Cuban “Sandwich” Out On The Dance Floor
Okay, once you have your ingredients prepped, the ratio for your meal is totally up to you. Want to protein and fat heavy meal? You might skip the cabbage. Want it heavier on the veggies and more like a coleslaw salad? Up the cabbage and add some bacon bits. Just don’t forget the MUSTARD AND PICKLES!!
The trick with this meal is to rehydrate the meat, pickles and veggies in hot water then drain the water to add the mustard and mayonnaise but I will let you in on a little secret. I just DRINK the hot water after the goodies are done soaking, it is salty deliciousness. No need to waste that piquant meat and pickle brine. Just wait until it’s coolish, you don’t want to end up with pizza palate (I speak from experience).
I usually use two mustard packs and two mayo packs per serving (one bowl or two wraps). This gives it just the right tang and creaminess I am going for. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
Over the last few months, I have eaten this Paleo Cuban Sandwich right out of the bowl or layered it on coconut wraps (which also add more calories). If you are using wraps, I suggest extra mayonnaise as they can be a tad dry at times.
For now, I am savoring this meal on all my backpacking trips. And some day, you will find me in Miami enjoying a real Cubano sandwich or even better, in Cuba dancing in the streets and soaking up the sun.
Paleo Cuban Sandwich Backpacking Meal
Love a good Cuban sandwich? Try this paleo dehydrated version as a meal in a bowl or on coconut wraps!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Dehydrating Time
10 hours
Total Time
10 hours, 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nightshade Free, Nut free, Paleo, Whole Food
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 package sliced prosciutto (usually 3 ounces)
- 24 ounces dill pickle spears
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw
- 1 cup bacon bits
- 8 packets mayonnaise
- 8 packets mustard
- pork rinds (optional)
- nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients
- Slice the pickle spears into 1/2 inch chunks.
- Dehydrate the prosciutto, pickles and shredded cabbage on separate trays in the dehydrator on the meat setting (145 degrees) until completely dry. You will be able to pull the pickles and cabbage out earlier (6-8 hours) and the prosciutto later (8-10 hours). The prosciutto should snap when you bend it, the pickles should not be moist when squeezed and the cabbage should be brittle.
- Store in airtight jars until needed. The prosciutto is best kept in the fridge with paper towel.
Assemble At Home
- For each of the four servings, add 1/4 cup prosciutto, 1/4 cup bacon bits, 1/4 cup cabbage and 1/4 cup pickles to a bag and drop the mayonnaise and mustard packets in.
At Camp
- Remove the mayo and mustard packets and add boiling water to cover. Let rest for 10 minutes or until the ingredients are soft.
- Drain or drink the brine then add the mayo and mustard packets.
- Top with pork rinds and yeast if desired. Enjoy in a bowl or serve with coconut wraps (each serving should be enough for 2 wraps)!
Thank you so much for stopping by Must Hike Must Eat!
If you need some healthy eating inspiration start here:..
Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
Find out what’s been happening outside the blog:
If you have a question you don’t want to post in the comments, you can ask them here:
Discover more from Must Hike Must Eat
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.