My husband and I are absolutely crazy about Vietnamese Subs! I find the best ones usually come from hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

When we flew to Vancouver last Fall for our house-hunting trip there was a tiny humble joint directly across the street from our hotel that had (what I thought) – was the best Bánh Mì! We ran across the street in the rain almost daily for their delicious 6 dollar sandwich.

Shortly after we actually moved to the city we discovered an even better place in North Vancouver, and on the weekends we often jump in the car to make the 45 minute drive over for them.

But sometimes, it’s nice to have Bánh Mì on your own terms without a major commute! Last summer I made a version of these sandwiches for a picnic with my husband and I absolutely loved them. Now that I’ve learned a little more about how to improve them (just from tasting the delicious sandwiches here) – I have made some tweaks to my recipe.

NOTE: I made some mistakes portioning out my dough, and because of that mine turned out different sizes. I knew as soon as I cut off the first portion, I had measured incorrectly but it was too late to change it at that point. It isn’t a huge deal, but it doesn’t look as pretty. If you miscalculate like I did, make sure to take smaller pieces of bread out of the oven a little bit earlier! They will cook faster, and you don’t want a bánh mì hockey puck.

In my mind, there are 4 things that are critical to an incredible bánh mì : a soft, warm, chewy bun – a great charred taste on tender protein – a creamy homemade mayonnaise, and bright acidic pickled vegetables! Topping this sandwich off with handfuls of fresh earthy cilantro rounds the entire thing off.

This recipe takes a little bit of prep and planning, but really, it is my absolutely favourite thing to take on picnics. It is well worth the work.

The Perfect Grilled Pork Picnic Bánh Mì

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Equipment

• BBQ or Chargrill
• Oven
• Food Processor
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife
• Bamboo Skewers
• Bowls
• Parchment Paper
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

• 1 Pork Tenderloin Sliced As Thin As Possible
• 1/4 Cup Fish Sauce
• 1.5 TBSP Honey
• 1 TBSP Hoisin Sauce
• 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Fresh Peppercorn To Taste

Vietnamese Sub Buns

• 1.5 TSP Yeast
• 3/4 Cup Warm Water
• 1 TSBP Sugar
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 TSP Salt

Homemade Mayonnaise

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 TSP Salt
• 1/2 TSP Dijon Mustard Coarse
• 1 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Cup Canola Oil

Pickled Vegetables

• 3 Carrots Washed, Cut Matchstick
• 1/2 Field Cucumber Washed, Cut Matchstick
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar
• 1 Cup Cold Water

Instructions

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

• Combine all ingredients in a  Ziploc bag. Massage the bag to ensure the pork is properly coated in marinade, then place in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
• After pork has marinated, remove from the bag and carefully slide over PRESOAKED bamboo skewers.
• Preheat BBQ over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 4 minutes per side (BBQ depending). Once your pork is cooked throughout, remove from the skewers and set aside.

Vietnamese Sub Buns

• Mix yeast, warm water, and 1/2 of the flour mixture to a bowl. Stir and cover. Let rest for 2-3 hours.
• Add the rest of the flour and the salt to the mixture. Knead your dough until it forms a smooth ball, then cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for another hour.
• Carefully cut the dough ball into three equal pieces. Press each piece down until approximately 8X4 inch in size, then roll it lengthwise back into a sub shape, pinching the edges to a point. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Cover with a clean towel and let rise again for one more hour, until doubled in size.
• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Carefully score the top of your bread down the center.
• Place a tray of hot water in the bottom of your oven, then spray your dough with hot water as well. Place your dough in the oven for 8 minutes, then spray them again with water. Place back in the oven for another 12-15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set aside.

Pickled Vegetables

• Place matchstick carrots and cucumbers in a bowl. Cover in water, rice vinegar, and sugar. Refrigerate.

Homemade Mayonnaise

• Add all ingredients except for your oil to a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Carefully pulse in a steady stream of oil to produce an emulsification. Do it slowly, in a fine ribbon – pouring your oil should take 2-3 minutes.
• Refrigerate.

Assemble

• Cut your bun, and put mayo on both sides.
• Add your grilled pork
• Add a pickled vegetables
• Finish with a heaping handful of fresh cilantro
• Enjoy!