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Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends Banh Mì Recipe

Charlie
This bahn mi sandwich is stuffed with pork belly burnt ends and homemade pickled vegetables. It will be one of the best sandwiches you ever try.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 6 hours
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dinner, lunch, main, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Barbecue, bbq, dinner, grill, lunch
Servings 4 servings
Calories 436 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Smoker

Ingredients
  

For the Pickled Daikon and Carrots

  • 2 whole medium carrots peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 whole medium daikon radish peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt

For the Pork Belly

  • 1/3 cup Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic about 6 medium cloves
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lb skinless pork belly cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1-2 chunks of light smoking wood such as apple or cherry

For the Glaze

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water

For the Sandwiches

  • 4 whole Vietnamese-style baguettes or 2 French baguettes cut into 10-inch portions
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 whole seedless cucumber cut into 1/8-inch slices
  • 2 whole medium jalapeños sliced
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
 

To make the pickled daikon and carrots:

  • Place daikon and carrot slices into a large glass jar. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
  • Whisk together water, vinegar, sugar, and salt until solids are completely dissolved.
  • Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
  • Pour liquid into a jar with vegetables until they are completely submerged in liquid, cover jar, and let cool to room temperature.
  • Place in refrigerator and store until ready to use.

To make the pork belly:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, sugar, water, garlic and black pepper.
  • Place pork belly in a large Ziploc bag, pour in marinade, seal bag, and toss to evenly coat pork.
  • Place in refrigerator and marinate for 4 hours up to 24.
  • Fire up smoker or grill to 225°F, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature.
  • When the wood is ignited and producing smoke, place pork belly pieces in the smoker or grill, cover, and smoke for 3 hours.

To make the glaze:

  • While the pork is smoking, in a small saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together sugar, honey, fish sauce, and water.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Transfer pork belly pieces to an medium square pan or foil tray, pour in glaze, and toss to coat.
  • Cover pan with foil and place in smoker for 45 minutes. Remove foil cover from pan and continue to smoke for 15 minutes more.
  • Remove pork from smoker.

To make the sandwiches:

  • Speak mayonnaise on each half of baguettes.
  • Line bottom halves of baguettes with cucumber slices and top with pork belly burnt ends followed by jalapeño slices, cilantro, and pickled daikons and carrots to taste.
  • Serve sandwiches immediately.
Keyword smoked pork belly