How Alton Brown Adds A Twist To His All-Time Favorite Sandwich

When it comes to sandwiches it's difficult to choose a favorite. A classic grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and a BLT all rank among some of the most favored, but for Alton Brown, it's all about a really good Cuban sandwich. In an Instagram post, the author and TV personality wrote, "The Cuban is my favorite sandwich of all time and I respect it deeply." 

While Brown has a profound reverence for this handheld meal, whenever he doesn't have the required pork roast readily available, he turns to a Thanksgiving Day favorite: Turkey.  He went on in his social media post to explain why the deviation, "However, sometimes, in summer, I occasionally skip roasting a hunk of pork and reach instead for herb-roasted turkey from the deli. Is it authentic? No. It is however, delicious."

The "Good Eats" host has a point. Roasting a pork tenderloin or pork shoulder takes time and planning, making it difficult to have a Cuban sandwich on the fly. One of the benefits of using a deli meat like turkey is that it is pretty easy to come by, making it more convenient to have a Cuban whenever the mood strikes. But that's not the only reason to try this twist.

Of course, the proof is in the bite and the herby slices of turkey go perfectly with the salty and sweet slices of ham. Its texture is moist and meaty and you can ask the person behind the counter to slice it as thin or thick as you like. Turkey also can have different flavor notes depending on if you choose one that has been smoked, honey-roasted, or rubbed with some heat-inducing spices.

In addition to the taste and the ease of this substitution for your Cuban, turkey is lighter and less fatty than roast pork. But you don't have to use deli meat. Using freshly roasted turkey is also a great way to use up those leftovers from holiday meals. In fact, your family will enjoy eating Christmas turkey reimagined on a Cuban sandwich so much, they will forget it's a leftover.

When it comes to the rest of the fillings, Alton Brown uses all the classics, including slices of ham, provolone cheese, turkey, and dill pickles — the thin ones perfect for stuffing in a sandwich, of course. If you like Brown's idea of using deli meat for your Cuban but want something closer to pork, you could try some mortadella, which is a mash-up of minced pork, pork fat, and a little peppercorn. Or have your deli counter slice up some Capicola, which is made from pork shoulder and is dry cured.