via BroBible
Lunchtime. For most, it’s a bleak 30 minutes with mediocrity. A sad desk salad, or leftovers that have seen better days. A smoothie. Maybe a P&J with bread that’s about to expire. A general sense of despair.
But not today. Today, we fight back.
A few weeks ago, I was hanging in the backyard by the pool, with the California sun beating down, when a profound truth washed over me: I needed a Cubano.
Not just any Cubano. I needed a crispy, melty, pork-and-pickle-packed masterpiece. A sandwich that transports you to Havana itself, that both fills you up and makes you a better person.
So I fired up my Solo Steelfire 30 Griddle—the same one made that epic bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sammie on—and set out to make the best backyard Cubano known to mankind.
Now, look. Could I have spent 14 hours smoking my own pork butt, tending to it with the obsessive care of a first-time parent? Yes. Am I that person? Sometimes. But did I want to eat a life-changing sandwich in the next ten minutes?
Abso-freaking-lutely.
So, I embraced the genius of store-bought pulled pork. Don’t knock it. It’s my sacred shortcut. With my protein secured, I assembled the rest of the dream team: some solid Black Forest ham, a borderline irresponsible amount of Swiss cheese, classic yellow mustard, and the most crucial ingredient of all—the pickle. The pickle is the acidic arbiter of justice in a Cubano. Without it, you just have a greasy ham and cheese. Don’t be that guy. Get the pickle.
Once again, the stage for this culinary drama was the Solo Steelfire 30 Griddle. It’s a beautiful thing to have a big, hot flattop like this in your backyard. I highly recommend go buy one on Solo’s website, and use the code BROBIBLEGRIDDLE to get a FREE APRON when you buy the griddle, or a free apron AND griddle shelter when you buy the griddle and stand.
Solo Steelfire 30 Griddle – Starting at $899
I fired it up and threw everything down at once. The pork crisped up in one corner, the ham sizzled in another. I anointed the bread in the shimmering pork fat—a baptism of flavor—and let it toast. Then came the cheese, draped over the meat like a glorious, gooey blanket.
I was a maestro conducting a symphony of sizzle. A flick of the spatula here, a press there. This is why man invented the griddle.
Once assembled, the entire sandwich went back on the Steelfire for the final, sacred act: The Press. This is where the bread gets its signature crunch and all the ingredients inside are forced to become best friends.
Pulling that thing off the heat, I felt a sense of accomplishment usually reserved for summiting a mountain or correctly assembling IKEA furniture on the first try, or parallel parking in one fell swoop. That first bite was transcendent. The crunch of the bread, the savory punch of the two-pigs-one-sandwich combo, the melty Swiss, and that zesty pickle cutting through it all. It’s the kind of sandwich that makes you want to immediately buy a linen shirt and learn to play the congas.
This Cubano lunch was a declaration of independence from boredom.
And it happened in minutes, in my backyard.
Check it out in the video below. For more of my cooking adventures, just follow me on Instagram.
And remember… If you’re considering buying the Solo Steelfire 30 Griddle, use the code BROBIBLEGRIDDLE to get a free apron with your purchase. Plus, you can also get a free apron and griddle shelter when you buy the griddle and stand.