Vietnamese Char Siu Banh Mi Sandwich

When given the option, I will likely never turn down a good Banh Mi. Words can’t describe the combination of flavors, the crusty French break cracking under the pressure of gnashing teeth, the creamy butter running across your tongue and down the back of your throat. They are by far my favorite when it comes to a good sandwich. Although this recipe does not include daikon, simply because I had forgotten to grab some from the market, you can absolutely add it to this recipe and include it with the carrots when marinating.

Char Siu Marinade:

5-1/2″ thick pork tenderloin steaks

5 c ketchup

1/4 c hoisin

1 tbs rice wine

1 tbs vegetable oil

2/3 tsp Chinese 5 spice

1/2 tsp teriyaki marinade

1 tsp hot chili oil

1 tsp red food coloring

The Rest:

1 1/2 c matchstick carrots

1 1/2 c thinly sliced cucumber

1/2 c sweet cooking wine (mirin)

1/2 c thinly sliced jalapenos

2 c fresh cilantro sprigs

Sriracha

2 French baguettes

1/2 c butter, softened

Start off marinating the meat by adding everything to a large zip seal bag. Mix well, making sure marinade coats the meat well. Press all of the air out of the bag and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours up to 2 days.

1 hour before you start assembling the sandwiches, marinade the veggies by placing the carrots in one bowl and the cucumbers in another. Add 1/4 c mirin to each bowl, make sure everything is submerged. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

You can heat up the baguettes by wrapping them up in Parchment and baking at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. This should cook any mild staleness out of it. Remove from oven and slice each baguette in half. Slice each half open down the center lengthwise. Divide the butter evenly between the baguettes and slather it all over the inside. Heat up your grill or flattop to high heat. Put the baguettes on the grill butter side down until toasted. Remove from heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the pork loin steaks on the grill and pour remaining marinade over the top. Cook until charred a bit on one side then,, turn and char the other side. Remove from heat and allow to rest while assembling the sandwiches. Make one layer of cucumbers across the bottom of the baguettes. Add the carrots and jalapenos. Dice up the pork and divide it equally among the sandwiches. Top with cilantro and Sriracha. Voila!