Take A Shortcut With These Cuban Sliders With Our Quick Mojo Pork

Mojo pork is typically one of those "big effort, big reward" type recipes, requiring a hefty amount of time not only to marinate the pork but also to slow-roast it to tender perfection. The results speak for themselves, though, with that citrusy marinade and garlic-forward seasoning shining bright in the final dish. If you want all of that mojo pork goodness but aren't necessarily in it for the long haul, then this Cuban sliders recipe (with a quick mojo pork tenderloin) is just the satisfying solution.

Recipe developer Patterson Watkins sings high praise of the separate elements of these sliders, which all come together to make for one undeniably tasty bite (and a fun take on the classic Cuban sandwich). She first highlights the all-in-one seasoning blend, which provides pops of garlic, onion, and pepper, all of which play well with the citrus in the marinade. "Those savory elements meld and infuse into the citrusy-pan drippings, which really bring out that mustardy flavor (balanced nicely with the sweet-tart OJ and those tasty seared pan remnant brown bits)," she says. Pile that flavorful pork onto sweet slider rolls along with Cuban sando staples like Swiss cheese, ham, pickles, and yellow mustard, and you've got a handheld that Watkins aptly describes as "deliciously dangerous."

You'll start the recipe by making the seasoning blend, which consists of dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, flaky sea salt, cumin, mustard powder, black pepper, and optional crushed red pepper flakes. You'll use some of that seasoning blend for the pork tenderloin, and other necessary tenderloin ingredients include olive oil, orange juice, and dill pickle juice.

Once it's time to assemble the sliders, start with a dozen slider rolls. Next, you'll need yellow mustard, Swiss cheese, sliced deli ham, dill pickle slices or chips, melted butter, and the remaining seasoning blend to sprinkle on top of those buns.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

To make the seasoning blend, place the garlic, onion, sea salt, cumin, mustard powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Stir to combine the seasoning blend and divide it in half.

Pat the pork tenderloin and dry it with paper towels.

Coat the pork in one of the seasoning halves, pressing with your hands to adhere.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the seasoned pork to the skillet, and sear on all sides until golden brown.

Remove the seared pork tenderloin from the skillet and set it aside.

Deglaze the skillet with the orange juice and pickle juice, whisk to combine, and bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, return the pork to the skillet and cover it with foil.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 12 minutes.

Remove the foil, flip the pork tenderloin over, and return it to the oven. Roast for another 12 minutes or until cooked through (145 F internal temperature).

Remove the skillet from the oven, remove the pork from the skillet, and set it aside to rest for 15 minutes (reserve the pan drippings).

Once rested, cut the tenderloin into thin slices.

Line a baking dish with parchment paper.

Place the slider roll bottoms on the prepared baking dish.

Drizzle each bun with some mustard.

Top each bun with a slice of Swiss cheese (fold the cheese to fit the buns).

Top the cheese with a slice of ham.

Top the ham with a couple slices of the roast pork.

Drizzle the roast pork with some of the pan drippings.

Top the pork with a couple slices of pickle.

Top the pickle with the remaining slices of Swiss cheese.

Cap the sliders with the top buns.

Generously brush the top buns with melted butter.

Sprinkle the buns with the remaining seasoning blend.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the buns are toasted. Serve warm.

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When Watkins refers to the seasoning blend in this recipe as an "all-in-one" concoction, she's not messing around. This stuff truly makes for an excellent all-purpose blend. And Watkins proves how versatile the blend is by using it in two ways in this recipe. "It makes for an excellent rub on the pork tenderloin, imparting oodles of garlic, onion, and peppery accents. And that dusting over the slightly butter-sweet slider rolls provides a lovely texture contrast as well as a little salty pop." Of course, there are even more ways to put such a useful blend to use, and you might want to double it so you can try them all. 

"That combo of aromatics, pepper, dry mustard, and salt is ideal for most/many proteins as well as a variety of veggies," Watkins says. Naturally, other cuts of pork would make for wonderful bases for such a blend, but you can certainly venture outside of pork territory. "It would make a great steak rub or could be used as the primary seasoning behind an epic marinated grilled chicken," Watkins suggests. If you're looking for something lighter or vegetarian, "Shrimp, salmon — definitely asparagus — so tasty. Mushrooms — grilled, broiled, roasted, sauteed, well played." Another creative way to put the blend to use is by adding it to your favorite salad dressing or vinaigrette recipe for a simple but bold flavor boost.

Before you even delve into cooking your pork tenderloin for this recipe, know that you can go with other cuts of pork if desired (or if your store only has pre-seasoned or marinated tenderloins, which you'll want to avoid). Watkins notes that pork loin would work here, but she recommends slicing it into halves or quarters to make it easier to handle. Alternatively, you could take a slow-cooked pulled pork route and use pork shoulder or butt instead. "For pulled pork, season and sear, deglaze the pan with OJ and pickle juice, and transfer to your slow cooker," Watkins advises. Then add ½ to ¾ cup beef broth and slow cook for 8 to 10 hours. 

If you intend to use tenderloin and follow the searing method as written, there are a few best practices to keep in mind. "Since we are using a chunky seasoning rub on the pork, we need to keep an eye on our searing situation," Watkins says. Some of the seasoning elements (like the garlic and onion) may burn easily, so rotate your pork regularly and make sure no seasoning chunks are turning black. 

You could also prep the pork ahead of time. "Follow the instructions, allowing the pork to rest and cool at room temperature before refrigerating," Watkins says. Just make sure you don't slice the pork until right before you assemble the sliders, or it will dry out in the fridge. 

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