Pork Belly Bánh Mì

Most of the savory recipes I post on here – like 90% – are simple weekday meals because they normally take less than an hour to put together or you just throw it in a slow cooker. But this? This Pork Belly Bánh Mì was the most labor intensive thing I’ve ever posted on here. IMHO, it’s also one of the best things I’ve ever posted.

This is a true DIY sandwich. I did everything from scratch. Except raise the pig…grow the vegetables. I think you know what I mean. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was a labor of love.

So how laborious was it? Here was my sandwich making timeline:

• 48 hours before sandwich day: prep pork belly
• 24 hours before sandwich day: cook pork belly, make pickled vegetables
• Sandwich day: make mayo, heat pork belly, assemble sandwiches

Yep. It took 48 hours, but don’t let that scare you.

I’ve broken the sandwich recipe down into 4 smaller recipes because there are so many components to it. Once everything is done, you should be able to serve about 10 people or 5 very hungry guests.

For 10 servings/sandwiches:

• 2 baguettes (DIY or buy)
  
• Sốt mayonnaise (recipe below)
• Sliced pork belly (recipe below)
• Pickled vegetables (recipe below)
  
• 8 oz. pork pâté*
  
• 1 English cucumber, sliced**
• ½ c. fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 large jalapeños, sliced

Slice baguettes halfway lengthwise. Divide mayo and pâté between two baguettes and spread on baguette top halves. Evenly spread pork belly slices on the bottom halves of the baguettes. Add pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, cilantro leaves, and jalapeño slices on top; top with the baguette top halves. Cut into desired sandwich sizes and serve immediately.

*You can buy this stuff from a can at Whole Foods, specialty stores, and Asian grocers.

**A lot of people slice it lengthwise for bánh mì but I slice it the other way because old habits die hard.

And here are the mayo, pork belly, and pickled vegetables recipes you NEED for your fuckin’ amazing sandwich…

Pork Belly

For 10 servings (the Momofuku recipe):

• 2 lbs. pork belly
• 2 tbsp 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  

Season pork with the salt and granulated sugar. Sprinkle couple turns of freshly ground black pepper. Let it sit overnight, wrapped in paper, in the fridge. Roast pork on a roasting pan in a 450F preheated oven for 30 minutes. Decrease temperature to 275F and roast for an hour, until tender. Let it cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for about an hour. Slice into slabs. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown each side, about 2 minutes.

Pickled Vegetables

For a generous cup:

• ½ c. white vinegar
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¾ c. shredded carrots
• ¾ c. shredded daikon

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt over medium heat. Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat. Add carrots and daikon; stir. Once the mixture is cooled, transfer ingredients in the saucepan to a airtight, glass container. Refrigerate vegetables overnight.

Sốt Mayonnaise

For ½ cup (adapted from Viet World Kitchen):

• 1 egg yolk
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• ½ c. canola oil

Combine all of the ingredients, except oil, in a food processor until incorporated. Very VERY slowly, add a steady stream of canola oil through the feeder while the processor is still running. You’ll see the emulsion forming and bam! There’s your mayo.

(Insert mildly attractive looking photo of mayo. Let’s face it: mayo is not pretty to look at.)