If we had to pick our favorite sandwich, I think the bánh mì is number one in our house. We love it so much, I knew I had to develop a recipe for it for those moments where the craving hits! As I sit to write this, I’m trying to figure out how soon I can make these bánh mì sandwiches again… Because now, I really want one!
Bánh mì sandwiches are a pretty common Vietnamese street food, and the word “bánh mì” translates to bread. During French colonialism in Vietnam, French bread was one of the things introduced into Vietnamese culture that remained. At that time, a bánh mì would have looked like a bread, butter, cheese, and cold cut sandwich. Over time, the Vietnamese started making the bread using rice flour, and swapped out the meat for paté. I wouldn’t say that bánh mì fillings have to follow any hard-and-fast rules, but if you do ever order it in a restaurant, it is most often made with pork like my recipe is.
This article from Vietname is Awesome is pretty interesting to read; Banh Mi Types: A Complete Guide to the Vietnamese Sandwich
Things to know about this recipe:
I use the Instant Pot to cook the pork, but you can certainly use a slow-cooker. We will cook a pork shoulder, which has a lot of connective fat throughout the meat. It takes some time for it to all break down to fall-apart tender! For the instant pot, I pressure cook it for about 1 hour. For a slow cooker, it can take 4 hours on high OR 8 hours on low heat. So, either in the morning, set it and forget it. Or get it in the instant pot just couple hours before dinner time. It’s honestly that simple.
This specific recipe is focused around making a pork sandwich, but I love taking these leftovers and serving it on top of rice. I put all the toppings on the side, and it makes for a delicious in-a-bowl option!
Recipe details:
Bánh Mì-style Pork Sandwiches
Bánh mìs are one of our favorite sandwiches out there, so we needed a go-to recipe whenever the craving hits. This is a slow-cooked pork shoulder, with aromatics and common Vietnamese ingredients like fish sauce and soy sauce. The meat just falls apart at the end, which is perfect for piling onto a loaf of French bread with mayonnaise, pickled carrots and cucumbers and cilantro.
Ingredients:
For the toppings:
Instructions:
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To make the pork:
Combine all ingredients into an instant pot or a crock pot.
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If using Instant Pot: Pressure cook for 1 hour, and let the pressure naturally release when complete
If slow cooker: slow cook the pork shoulder for 8 hours on low heat, or 4 hours on high heat. Rotate a few times throughout cooking.
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When the pork is finished cooking, remove and shred. Reduce some of the liquid leftover from cooking, and return the pork back to the liquid.
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Prepare the sandwiches.
Slice open a loaf of French bread, and toast. Combine 2 parts mayo to 1 part soy sauce to 1 part Sriracha. Spread on both sides of the bread. Pile on shredded meat, cilantro, and pickled vegetables.
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Serve leftovers as a rice bowl.
Serve the pork over rice, with all the other classic toppings for a bánh mì bowl!
Note
With the remaining cooking liquid, I will use some to store the leftover cooked pork to ensure it stays moist. If there is a lot leftover, feel free to discard.
Check out my other recipes:
- Kitchen Renovation of 2022: Design Planning
- Shrimpy Beans and Olives Recipe
- The Kitchen Renovation Saga of 2022
- Claire’s Table Green Herb Chimichurri Recipe
- Roasted Beet Salad, with Honey Dijon Dressing Recipe
- Bánh Mì-style Pork Sandwich Recipe
[…] I wrote this recipe for a Snack Series, featured on my Instagram page, in preparation for the 2021 NFL Super Bowl!…