Pork Bánh Mì Royale
Vietnam’s iconic sandwich - a culinary fusion born from French colonial influence and local ingenuity. This version captures that spirit, blending savory marinated pork with quick-pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, and a hint of chili heat.
Ingredients
Pickled Vegetables
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 cups daikon sliced thin with a mandoline
- 1 cup carrots sliced thin with a mandoline
- 1/2 cup English cucumber partially peeled, sliced thin with a mandoline
Spicy Mayonnaise
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce Sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Pork
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger root fresh
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground pork Duroc if you can get it
Sandwich
- 6 whole hoagie rolls or long crusty breads cut up
- 1 cup fresh cilantro or fresh shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup peanuts salted, roasted, chopped
Instructions
For the pickled vegetables
- Heat the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pot until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the daikon, carrots and cucumbers. Let steep for at least an hour. Longer is better.
For the spicy mayonnaise
- Mix the mayonnaise, Sriracha (one teaspoon at a time until desired heat) and sesame oil together.
For the pork
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add wine and stir until wine cooks off.
- Add 1/2 cup of the pickling liquid from the pickled vegetables and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, hoisin sauce and black pepper and stir to combine.
- Simmer until reduced slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
- Add the ground pork, breaking up the meat a wooden spoon or spatula, and cook until the pork is cooked through and mixture is thick, another 8-10 minutes.
For the sandwich
- If desired, in a large skillet, add two tablespoons butter over high heat until bubbly and pan is hot. Slice two hoagies lengthwise and place cut-side down, into butter in pan. Swirl hoagies in pan to make sure bottoms of bread are coated with butter. If pan is hot, hoagies bottoms should crisp up in just a minute or two. Check to see when the bottoms are perfectly brown and crispy and remove from pan. Repeat the exact same process for the other four hoagies. Set aside.
- Spread desired amount of spicy mayo on the bottom roll. Place some pork on top of that, top with some pickled vegetables, cilantro leaves (or shredded lettuce), and finish with the chopped peanuts.
- Grab with two hands, eat whole and close your eyes - this is a real treat!
Notes
Using a hoagie roll instead of the traditional Vietnamese baguette makes it approachable for home cooks while preserving the vibrant flavor profile.