Pork Banh Mi
For years our take on a char siu tofu banh mi has been on heavy rotation in our kitchen and many of yours. This version, made with pork tenderloin, is similarly quick and easy to make. It's an American adaptation and, while truly delicious, doesn't claim authenticity. I'd encourage you to seek out the Vietnamese original as well.
Calories: 363kcal
Ingredients
For the pork
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- ¼ cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral high-heat oil (such as safflower)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 pounds (907 grams) pork tenderloin
For the pickled vegetables
- 2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber or ½ English cucumber seeded and cut into matchsticks
- 1 small daikon cut into matchsticks, or 8 radishes, sliced
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
For the sandwiches
- 2 hoagie rolls about 12 inches each, each cut into two portions
- Kewpie mayo
- Sriracha
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Jalapeño slices fresh or pickled
Instructions
For the pork:
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
- In a 12-inch cast iron or other oven-safe skillet, whisk together the garlic, five spice powder, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oil, and vinegar.
- Dry the pork tenderloin with paper towels.
- Add pork to pan and turn to coat completely with marinade.
- Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake until tenderloin reads 145°F in the center, about 20 minutes depending on thickness. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing thinly. Reserve the thickened marinade to spoon onto the sandwiches if you like.
For the pickled vegetables:
- While the pork marinates, place the cut vegetables into a shallow bowl.
- Pour the ½ cup vinegar overtop and stir to coat.
- Let sit until ready to assemble sandwiches, stirring occasionally.
- Before using, drain off excess vinegar.
For the sandwiches:
- Lightly toast the rolls, then split each one lengthwise down the middle, leaving the bottom intact so the roll can open like a book.
- Spread a generous amount of mayo onto each of the inside faces.
- Nestle some pork slices into the sandwich. Top with a generous serving of pickled vegetables. Drizzle with sriracha and top with plenty of cilantro leaves and jalapeño slices to taste. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I've tried to give an indication of how much produce you should buy, but really you want to end up with about 3 cups total of matchsticked veggies. This isn't something to stress about. Whatever you have will be delicious.
- If you don't have seasoned rice vinegar, stir together ½ cup plain rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin (great if you have it, but don't stress if not) and 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Heat it up in the microwave or in a small pot until the salt and sugar have dissolved, then let cool to room temperature before pouring over the vegetables.
- I get my meat from Butcher Box and tend to receive pork tenderloins that are about 1 pound each, so I bake two for this recipe. One isn't enough for four sandwiches, but two yields some leftovers.
- Real banh mi is all about the bread. If you can get legit Vietnamese banh mi rolls, go for it. Otherwise, the key is to find whatever rolls you can that can get a little crisp on the outside with a light toasting but are kind of medium-shitty and soft on the inside. In New Jersey this means run of the mill “sub” or “hoagie” rolls. You can also use sections of baguette.
- You can pickle the vegetables and cook the pork up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. Assemble the sandwiches right before serving. Or, if you're picnicking with them, assemble, wrap tightly in foil, and serve within a few hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 11.8g | Fat: 18.7g | Fiber: 5.4g