Instead of dealing with traffic and tourists on their days off, many Miamians like to lie low and spend time in their homes, enjoying the company of their friends and family. Now, this doesn’t mean that it’s always a laid back gathering. Whether you love to throw colossal house parties or intimate gatherings, outfitting your home with a Miami outdoor kitchen, complete with seating, a fire pit, and a Tiki Hut, can make you and your guests feel like they’ve just booked a ticket to Paradise.
Today on the blog, we’ll be exploring dishes you can grill on your outdoor kitchen in Miami, with a Cuban influence. We hope you’ll enjoy these dishes the next time you use your Paradise Grills BBQ grill.
But first….
A (super) Brief History of Cuban Cuisine
The Cuban cuisine is both rich in history and flavor. With a base in its Taino roots (the earliest known inhabitants of Cuba, and a sub-tribe of the Caribbean Arawak Indians.) and substantial European, Caribbean, and African influences, Cuban cuisine features a wide variety of flavors and methods to create a marriage of flavors you won’t find anywhere else. Cuban cuisine staples include:
- Rice, Beans & Plantains
- Mojo Criollo ( a light sauce with Spanish and African roots)
- Ropa Vieja (a slow-cooked shredded beef dish)
- Pescado, Gambas y Camarones (Fish, Jumbo shrimp, and shrimp usually served in their shells.
For our Cuban inspired meal, that you can grill on your Miami outdoor kitchen, we will be highlighting these and some other famous recipes.
Cuban Sandwich (Cubano)
Whether the Cuban sandwich originated in Cuba, Miami, or Tampa (it’s still up for debate), one thing is for certain–its delicious. If you’re grilling a Cuban inspired meal, you can’t leave the infamous Cuban sandwich out of the equation. This Ultimate Cuban Sandwich recipe comes from Tyler Florence from the Food Network. You’ll Need:
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One tablespoon ground cumin
- One tablespoon dried oregano
- Two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Four cloves garlic, peeled and gently smashed with the side of your knife
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- One medium onion, sliced
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- One lime, juiced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Two bay leaves
- One long Cuban bread roll
- Three tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Eight thin slices Swiss cheese
- 1 cup bread and butter pickles
- Eight thin slices deli ham
- Olive oil
You can do this in a Dutch oven, but to save time, use a pressure cooker as follows the rest of the recipe, which you can find here.
Grilled Ripe Plantains (Plátanos Maduros a la Parrilla)
As previously mentioned, Plantains are a staple of Cuban cuisine. Whether sweet or savory, they are much loved by most. However, few ever make ripe Plantains as they are usually deep-fried and messy explains, Chef, nutritionist, and cooking teacher Lourdes Castro. However, her recipe that follows solves this problem–a must for family cookouts. You will need:
- Three tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- Two tablespoons apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
- Four very ripe (black) plantains
Learn more about the preparation of this sweet traditional Cuban treat here.
Cuban Grilled Pork with Mojo (Lechon Asado con Mojo)
For this dish, you’ll want to plan ahead and marinate the pork in the mojo for at least eight hours before throwing it on your Miami bbq grill. The results, according to Fine Cooking, give a grand centerpiece that has unbelievably tender meat with crisp, crackly skin that makes it well worth the wait. Serve with rice and beans for a full meal for you and your family. Here’s what you’ll need to serve up this mouth-watering masterpiece:
For the mojo
- 50 peeled cloves garlic
- 5/8 oz. kosher salt (1-1/2 Tbs. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbs. Morton)
- 1 Tbs. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 Tbs. dried oregano
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice (from 1 medium)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large)
- 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice (from 1 small)
For the pork
- One 6- to 8-lb. bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder
- One medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1-1/2 lemons)
- Three large lemons, cut into wedges
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Marinate and grill the pork as the recipe outlines here.
Cuban Flan
And what Cuban meal would be complete without the traditional, delectable Cuban Flan? This recipe comes from My Big Fat Cuban Family and will have your guests asking for more underneath your Miami Tiki Hut. For this traditional Cuban Flan you’ll need:
- ½ cup of sugar
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- One can of water
- One tablespoon Vanilla extract
- One whole egg, lightly beaten
- Four egg yolks, lightly beaten
- Cinnamon
Then follow the steps as outlined by the recipe.
Mojito
To keep your guests happy and refreshed all night long, the mojito is the perfect adult beverage to serve. For this drink, we chose the recipe from Wynn & Encore resort pools in Las Vegas that gives a pineapple twist on this Cuban Classic. To make one cocktail, you will need:
- 12 mint leaves
- 2 oz. fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 2 oz. pineapple-coconut rum (like Bacardi Fusion)
- 1⁄2 oz. Grand Marnier
- 3 oz. ginger ale
Then in a Collins glass, muddle the pineapple and mint. Fill with ice. In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake together rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and Grand Marnier. Strain into glass and top with ginger ale.
You can choose to make your own simple syrup or use store-bought.
And there you have it! A complete Cuban-inspired meal that you can create using your Miami outdoor kitchen without even stepping foot off of your own little piece of Paradise. For more information on how you can own a piece of Paradise, we invite you to visit our Miami outdoor kitchen showroom the next time you’re in the area. Our experienced staff will help you make the perfect selection for your style and budget. It’s time you started living the good life and grill in Paradise.
