Grilled Pork Banh Mi / Banh Mi Thit Nuong

This Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng, or Grilled Pork Banh Mi, was my absolute favorite Vietnamese sandwich growing up. After Sunday school as a kid, my dad would often stop by Saigon Deli and grab me this sandwich as a quick little pick me up. Now, every time I bite into this sandwich, I’m reminded of our car rides home and spending just that little bit of time together. My dad is a man of few words, but he always showed me love and affection by driving me everywhere and making sure that I had some food! This banh mi thit nuong is slathered with our homemade Vietnamese butter, filled full of succulent grilled lemongrass pork, and stuffed with all your favorite banh mi toppings like cucumbers, jalapenos, pickled veggies, and cilantro!

Making the Vietnamese Butter/Mayo

No banh mi is complete without “Bơ” or Vietnamese butter, and it is effortless to make at home!

Ingredients:

Egg Yolks: Separate the yolks from the egg whites and add them to a mixing bowl or container. Using an electric or hand whisk, whisk the yolks until they’re smooth.

Oil: Slowly drizzle in a good-quality neutral oil, like olive oil, and continue to whisk until the egg yolks and oil become completely emulsified. When the butter/mayo comes together, season with a pinch of salt!

Making Pickled Veggies (Do Chua) at home

These pickled carrots and daikon are among the most important side dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. They often accompany dishes like broken rice plates (com tam), vermicelli bowls (bun), Vietnamese savory crepes (banh xeo), and, of course, banh mis. (Full recipe here)

Ingredients:

Carrots and Daikon: Peel your veggies and cut them into matchstick pieces. Alternatively, you can use a box grater and shred the veggies instead. Add the veggies to a mixing bowl, heavily salt, and give it a good mix. The salt will draw out moisture from the carrots and daikon, making our pickled veggies extra crunchy. Let the salt and veggies sit for 10-15 minutes, then thoroughly rinse with cold water and drain. Add the veggies to a container.

Pickling Liquid: The golden ratio for the recipe is 1:1:1. Equal parts sugar, white vinegar, and water. Combine the ingredients in a small sauce pot and heat on low until the sugar is fully dissolved and combined. Let the pickling liquid cool down before pouring over the veggies!

Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers

Ingredients:

Pork: Use a fatty cut of pork, like the shoulder, and thinly slice. Freeze the pork for a few hours before slicing to firm up the meat and make it easier to cut thin. (Full recipe here)

Marinade:

• Lemongrass – I like mincing my lemongrass in a food processor to make it easier
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Oyster Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Fish Sauce
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Oil
• Sesame Seeds

Combine thinly sliced pork with marinade, and let that vibe out in the fridge overnight for the best effect. If you’re short on time, a minimum of an hour is also adequate.

Cooking options:

The traditional method is to put the marinated pork on wooden skewers and grill the pork. You’ll want to grill the skewers on each side for 7-8 minutes until the pork is cooked and reaches the desired doneness. For pork shoulder, I typically like the internal temperature to reach 175-180F.

Alternatively, you could bake or air fry the skewers. Bake at 400F for about 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway in between. Air fry at 375F for 20-25 minutes.

You could also skip out on skewering the pork and sauté the pork until it’s cooked through.

Assemble your banh mi thit nuong

Slather a generous amount of our homemade bo on the banh mi, stuff it with our grilled pork, then add pickled veggies, and any other toppings of your choosing. Finish the banh mi by adding a few dashes of Maggi seasoning and fresh ground black pepper.