Pork and Pate Vietnamese Sandwich (Banh Mi)
- 10 cups water, divided (simmering)
- 12 cup kosher salt
- 12 cup sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 serrano chilies, crushed
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked
- 3 lbs pork butt, boneless
- 12 cup white vinegar
- 12 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 12 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
- 2 French baguettes (Vietnamese or French, not sourdough)
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 10 ounces pork pate (optional but oh so fine)
- 1 large English cucumber, halved crosswise and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
- 12 cup cilantro leaf, packed
- 14 cup Thai basil, packed
- 4 jalapenos, sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
- 4 teaspoons light soy sauce
- Pork:.
- Pour 2 cups of the simmering water into a 6-quart heatproof container with a tightfitting lid, then remove water from heat.
- Add salt and sugar to the heatproof container and stir until dissolved.
- Add garlic, chiles, peppercorns, and pork.
- Top with remaining 8 cups of tepid water to fully cover meat.
- Submerge meat if necessary by filling a resealable bag with water and placing it on top.
- Cover and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.
- When pork is ready, remove from liquid, rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and place fat side up in a roasting pan.
- Allow to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400F and arrange the rack in the middle.
- Roast pork until internal temperature reads 165F, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature, or at least 45 minutes, then slice thinly, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Pickled carrots:.
- Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat, add carrots, and stir to coat in pickling mixture.
- Let stand until carrots have softened, at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Drain well and set aside.
- Assembly:.
- Slice off top 1/3 of baguettes lengthwise and set aside.
- Remove enough of bottom interiors so that filling can fit easily.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise on each upper 1/3 of baguette and 2 tablespoons on each bottom.
- Crumble 1/2 of the pate (if using - use it!)
- on each bottom section, then top with sliced pork (there may be some left over), cucumber, cilantro leaves, basil leaves, pickled carrots, and jalapenos.
- Sprinkle each sandwich with soy sauce and close with upper parts of baguettes.
- Place 10 toothpicks approximately 1 inch apart to secure the sandwiches, and slice into about 10 (1-1/2-inch) pieces.
- Serve.
water, kosher salt, sugar, garlic, serrano chilies, black peppercorns, pork butt, white vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, carrots, mayonnaise, pork pate, cucumber, cilantro leaf, basil, jalapenos, soy sauce
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/pork-and-p-t-vietnamese-sandwich-banh-mi-361664 (may not work)