Mini Crispy Pork Sandwiches

August 7, 2019 by Madeline Horszt 4,106 Comments

Mini crispy pork sandwich with greens and tomato on a plantain bun, topped with a zesty jalapeno avocado sauce — Pairs great with our Citrus Ginger Juice!

Crispy Pork Jibarito

Marinated mini crispy pork, lettuce, tomatoes and micro greens drizzled with jalapeno cilantro sauce sandwiched between two fried plantains is our riff on a Jibarito. Traditionally, a Jibarito is made with fried, smashed, fried, green plantains, an extra garlicky mayo sauce, steak, cheese, lettuce and tomato. With summer fully blazing we wanted to make a light summer sandwich. Our plantain sandwiches can be made in about an hour, but you will need to allow additional time for marinating the meat.

I am sure you have heard the phrase; timing is everything. It could never be more true than with this recipe. Your ultimate goal is to have warm crispy fried plantains, hot out the pan breaded pork strips, assemble your sandwiches and eat them while they are fresh. These are definitely not a make ahead sandwich. Best when fresh are their motto! At South Shore Kitchen our favorite days to make this recipe is when everyone is sitting around the kitchen telling stories or out on the deck ready to eat. Even better if you have a pair of extra hands to help with the frying. One working the plantains and the other on the pork. Even if you don’t have a helping hand it is fairly easy if you keep on top of things with the following tips.

We Got the Meat

Make sure that your meat is pounded very thin. These are a delicate creation and you want to be able to bite through the meat without destroying the structure of your whole sandwich. Starting out with a very thin slice of meat is essential because they will bulk up considerably after breading or frying.

We pounded our pork very thin which makes for a quick cooking time. Keep in mind you don’t want to overcook because they will dry out easily. To cook pork safely “The National Pork Board recommends cooking chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145° F, followed by a three-minute rest.” for best results. At South Shore Kitchen it has been our experience that it takes approximately 4 minutes per side.

Plantain Preparation

We used plantains aka cooking bananas as a substitute for bread in our sandwiches. You will need to use unripened plantains; they should be green and firm in texture. At this stage they will be starchy with a neutral flavor. As they ripen the flavor becomes sweeter, so it is best for this recipe to be very green. The skin on plantains is much thicker than you find on Cavendish bananas which means no peeling by hand. We use a sharp knife to open the skin. Lay plantain flat on its side, cut away from your body along the length only cutting deep enough to go through the skin but not cutting the fruit itself. Peel skin away and cut in half on the short side. Next take one of your half pieces and cut it in half again lengthwise. Making the same cut on the other large piece of plantain. Now that your plantain is cut into fourths take each piece and cut off the outside curved edge. They are now ready for frying. Keep in mind cutting the plantains doesn’t have to be exact you are just trying to make the best slices for your mini sandwiches.