Grilled Cuban Pork Tenderloin (Roulade)
A grilled pork tenderloin is always tasty but this grilled Cuban pork tenderloin is a whole other animal. This is a great way to mix up the grilling game a bit and deliver a fabulous piece of meat you can use in so many ways.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Always … cause it’s delicious! But, beyond that, this is a very creative way to take the traditional grilled pork tenderloin up a few notches. A citrus-marinated pork tenderloin stuffed with savory ham and melty cheesy Swiss cheese grilled to perfection will thrill them all.
What you end up with is the classic flavors of a Cuban sandwich in a beautiful presentation. You can also add a grilled roulade to your list of accomplishments. I was personally proud of myself when I did it.
Furthermore, this is a pretty inexpensive piece of meat that can be elevated to grace any meal, whether it’s a weekend cookout or an elegant dinner.
Some great sides to go with this amazing pork tenderloin are Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms, Basmati Rice Risotto (Stick Of Butter Rice), or our Creamy Mushroom Risotto.
Ingredients Needed
All the ingredients needed are easily found at your local grocery store. A couple of pork tenderloins, some oranges and lime, salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, and some cumin and coriander. Easy peasy!
This recipe is calling only for the ingredients needed to make the Cuban pork tenderloins. There are optional ingredients to make a delicious Cuban sandwich. If you plan on just slicing it into medallions, you can omit those.
See the recipe card for a full list of amounts.
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Marinating The Cuban Pork Tenderloin
The first thing you will need to do is to roll-cut the tenderloin. Using a sharp knife, trim the tenderloin, removing excess fat and the silver skin.
Then start from about a half inch from the bottom cut lengthways and cut through until you’re about a half inch to the other side.
Open it up and cut the top portion again about a half-inch thick until you’re about one-half inch away and open that up, kind of like a trifold map. Here is a video that can better visualize it.
Lay out some plastic wrap and place a tenderloin on it. Cover with additional plastic wrap and a meat mallet, pound it until it’s even and nice and thin, about 1/2 inch.
Next, juice the oranges and limes. Add the juice to a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, olive oil, salt, and peppercorns, and whisk the ingredients to combine.
Take the roll-cut pork tenderloins place them in a large receptacle and pour the marinade over it. You might want to move the pork around to get it covered well. Toss on a few of the juiced portions of the fruit and the garlic cloves.
Marinate for two hours. One hour in, go ahead and move the meat around to ensure even marination.
Preparing The Cuban Pork Tenderloin
Remove the pork tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Lay one out and layer deli ham and Swiss cheese in the middle. Optionally, add some dill pickles and mustard, or use them as a side item when serving after grilling (my suggestion).
Turn the tenderloin so it’s more horizontal in front of you. On each end, tuck a bit of the tenderloin in. Roll the tenderloin away from you and do it as tight as you can, making sure the ham and Swiss cheese are wrapped with the tenderloin and not sliding around.
Take 4 lengths of twine and soak them briefly in water. Using this twine, secure the tenderloin to make sure that it stays tightly wrapped.
Repeat the steps with the remaining tenderloin and set aside.
Grilling The Cuban Pork Tenderloin
Start your grill and set it for two zones, one direct heat, and another indirect heat zone. Oil the grill grates (or add a touch of olive oil to the tenderloins) and place the tenderloin over direct heat and grill each side to your particular level of doneness. Some prefer a bit more char, while others don’t. There is no wrong answer here.
Once that is done, move the stuffed tenderloins to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover them, and allow them to finish cooking.
note
Use an instant read meat thermometer to nail that cook. If you don’t have one, get one. We use a thermopen from ThermoWorks. Amazon fan? This instant read thermometer is good as well.
When the internal temperature of the pork has reached 142 degrees F or so, pull it from the grill and set it aside. Carryover cooking will finish this off at a perfect 145 degree temp.
How To Serve The Grilled Pork Tenderloin
You can serve this as a roulade. Cut into medallions, serve with your favorite sides, and watch them ooh and ahh. The marinade for the pork comes through with awesome hits of citrus and you’re gonna get that smokiness from the cumin as well without being overpowering.
The ham and melty cheese is the cherry on top of this grilled dish. Each bite has different notes of flavor and texture that just make it a joy to eat.
But I … well, I love a proper sandwich and this is how I enjoy consuming this. I highly recommend it.
Get yourself some mustard, pickles, and some hoagie rolls. When the meat has cooled down to room temp (or refrigerated overnight – easier to cut), slice the pork tenderloin thinly.
Add a bit of butter to the outside of the hoagie roll then apply the mustard on both sides of the inside of the hoagie roll and lay down some of that thinly sliced pork tenderloin, add some more Swiss cheese.
Then do it again! We want a couple of layers of that tasty marinated pork tenderloin and Swiss cheese.
Add some pickles to the top of that meat stack and put the top of the hoagie on. Get a skillet going at medium heat and when ready, place the sandwich in. Using a spatula, press down hard on the sandwich. Keep pressing, we want to flatten it.
When one side is golden brown, turn over and press! Get it as flat as you can. When the cheese is nice and melty and the roll is nice and golden brown, remove and set aside for a minute or two.
Cut in half and delve into your Grilled Cuban Pork Tenderloin Roulade sandwich. For me, it’s even more texture and flavor. Everything goes perfectly together and each bite is better than the last.
We also made some banging sliders using this same recipe. So, if you want to share the love, try our Grilled Pork Tenderloin Cuban Sliders. Freaking fantastic!
So, give this recipe a whirl. As I earlier said, there are all sorts of ways to enjoy this thing. And, it’s fun to make and it won’t break your wallet. These are the best recipes for me!
Tips
If you’re a sandwich fan, get yourself a panini press to make this sandwich. We love ours!
Wrap a brick in heavy tin foil and use that to press down on your sandwich in the skillet.
Make sure to dry the tenderloin well out of the marinade. This will make rolling it up easier as well as not hindering the cooking process.
If you’re using this for sandwiches, refrigerate it overnight and it will be nice and firm for easier, thinner slices.
The marinade is full of acid and will cause it to brown a bit. No worries. I would NOT recommend marinating the meat over 4 hours.
If you don’t have a grill, cook in the oven at 375 degrees F for approximately 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature reads 143. Optionally, brown the sides in a skillet beforehand.
Variations
Add finely chopped jalapeños or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the ham and Swiss cheese layer for a spicy kick.
Add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, cilantro, or oregano to the marinade for an herbaceous depth of flavor.
Brush a honey-mustard glaze over the tenderloin during the last few minutes of grilling for a sweet and tangy finish.
FAQ’s
It’s best to marinate the pork for no more than 4 hours due to the high acidity of the marinade, which can break down the meat too much if left longer.
Yes, you can use any melting cheese like provolone, mozzarella, or even a garlic and herb cheese for a different flavor.
Make sure to roll the tenderloin tightly and secure it well with twine. Tucking in the ends can also help keep the cheese inside.
You can cook the pork tenderloin in an oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Other Amazing Grilled Dishes
Grilled Cuban Pork Tenderloin (Roulade) Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 Pork tenderloins 2 to 3 lbs total
- 4 slices Ham Deli sliced
- 4 slices Swiss cheese Deli sliced
Marinade
- 2 Oranges juiced, about 1/2 cup
- 2 Limes juiced, about 1/4 cup
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
Optional Ingredients For Grilled Cuban Sandwich
- Hoagie Rolls
- Mustard
- Dill pickles
- Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Roll cut the pork tenderloins: trim excess fat and silver skin, then cut lengthwise about 1/2 inch from the bottom, repeating the cuts to open the tenderloin like a trifold map. Pound to 1/2 inch thickness between plastic wrap.2 Pork tenderloins
- Juice oranges and limes, mix with cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Pour over the tenderloins in a large container, adding juiced fruit and garlic cloves. Marinate for 2 hours, moving the meat around halfway through.2 Oranges, 2 Limes, 5 cloves Garlic, 1 tbsp Olive oil, 1 tsp Cumin, 1 tsp Coriander, 1 tsp Black peppercorns
- Remove tenderloins from marinade and pat dry. Layer deli ham and Swiss cheese in the center. Tuck in the ends and roll tightly, securing with soaked twine.4 slices Ham, 4 slices Swiss cheese
- Set up a grill with direct and indirect heat zones. Oil the grates or tenderloins. Grill over direct heat to your preferred char, then move to indirect heat, cover, and cook until internal temperature reaches 142°F. Let rest until 145°F.
- Slice into medallions for a roulade or cool, thinly slice, and assemble into sandwiches with mustard, pickles, and more Swiss cheese on buttered hoagie rolls. Grill sandwiches in a skillet or panini press until golden brown and melty.Hoagie Rolls, Mustard, Dill pickles, Swiss cheese