Caramelized Pork Banh Mi Food

CARAMELIZED PORK BANH MI

Steps:

• Slice carrots and radishes in fourths or sixths lengthwise, depending on size (you are making a sort of slaw).
• Combine with remaining ingredients; set aside for flavors to meld an hour or up to overnight (will keep for several days, refrigerated).
• Slice tenderloin, against the grain, into 1/2 inch slices; pound to an even 1/4 inch thickness between plastic wrap.
• Make a marinade by combining fish sauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, green onion, and black pepper; make sure all the pork is coated in the marinade and let sit for 10 to 30 minutes.
• Heat your grill, grill pan, or cast iron skillet to high; add vegetable oil to marinated pork and stir to coat.
• Sear pork 1 to 2 minutes per side (it cooks very quickly).
• To assemble sandwiches, slice the baguette and spread with mayonnaise on one side and pate (or liverwurst) on the other (if using); add lettuce, meat, pickled vegetables, sliced jalapeno, and cilantro.

PORK BANH MI

Steps:

• For the pork: Combine the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a bowl and mix well to combine. (Reserve the rest of the bottle of vinegar for the pickles, below.)
• Pound out the pork chops using a meat tenderizer until they are 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Add the pork to the marinade and turn to fully coat. Marinade for 10 minutes, or up to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pork from the marinade. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside to rest.
• For the pickles: Put the salt, sugar, red pepper and the remainder of the bottle of vinegar in a saucepan. Heat until the mixture comes to a low boil, then add the radishes, jalapeños and carrots. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and drain.
• To assemble: Combine the mayo and sriracha in a small bowl to taste. Halve the French bread and spread with the sriracha mayo on both the tops and bottoms. Top with the cucumbers. Slice the pork and lay the slices on the cucumbers. Top with the pickled vegetables and the other half of the French bread.

CARAMELIZED PORK BáNH Mì

Steps:

• Cut tenderloin across the grain of the meat into ½ inch pieces. Flatten each piece to an even ¼ inch between two pieces of saran wrap using a meat pounder, rolling pin, or large bottle.
• Mix ingredients from fish sauce to black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning - it should be sweet and savory so add more soy, salt, or sesame oil as you like. Add marinade to the meat and use your hands or large spoon to make sure all pieces of meat are coated in marinade. Marinate for 10-30 minutes.
• You can cook the pork on the grill outdoors (best) or indoors using a grill pan or cast iron pan, something that you can get very hot. Heat grill or grill pan to high and turn on that vent fan! Add vegetable oil to meat and stir to coat. Sear first side of meat until very dark brown on one side, then flip and sear on the second side. Be careful not to overcook it. The meat is thin so it cooks quickly, one or two minutes on each side.
• To assemble sandwiches, slice baguette and spread mayonnaise on one side, pâté on the other. Add lettuce, meat, pickled vegetables, cilantro and peppers. Dig in!
• Slice carrots and radishes into quarters (or sixths for thicker guys) lengthwise. Mix all ingredients together. Taste for seasoning. Let stand as little as an hour or up to overnight. They keep for several days.