sfprankster's (mis)adventures with Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Banh Mi(Vietnamese Sammies)

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sfprankster

Master of the Pit
Original poster
May 6, 2015
1,574
292
This (mis)adventure began last Tuesday, in my commercial kitchen, with the making of a maple bourbon brine for a couple of 2 lb pork belly sections.

  

Making the brine...

A little dry toasted mustard seed, fresh cracked black pepper, kosher salt, some bourbon for the bine, some bourbon for me, maple syrup and combine together. Place the pork belly(skin removed) into a sealable bag and pour the brine mixture over them and give a gentle massage. Repeat the massage at least once a day for 5-7 days. 

  
  
  

Remove from the bags and wipe off the excess brine. Place the pork bellies onto a preheated, 200 smoker, until an internal temperature 150 is reached.

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For the banh mi, I reverse seared the pork belly over high heat, after resting for 30 minutes to give a nice, charred finish for presentation.

 
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 Cook's treat... 

  

Constructing the banh mi:

Thinly sliced pork belly

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Quick pickling of the julienned carrots and daikon


Piling the pork belly onto a brioche roll,adding the pickled daikon and carrots, and a few fresh sprigs of cilantro on the top.

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This where you add a couple of thin slices of your favorite chili(jalapeno, serrano, anaheim, new mexico, etc), Since this banh mi is intended for my gf, and she is not a fan of chilies, I left them off... 
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Served with grilled fresh corn on the cob and a homemade strawberry agua fresca. . 

  
Stay tuned for my next (mis)adventure with my WSM... 
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I LOVE bahn mi's..... got a great place not too far from where I live (I may or may not have had one and some pho today for lunch). I like sliced pork glazed with hoisin (tuong den).... pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, light on the onions and on a Italian roll. its perfection in sandwich form. hot/salty/sweet/savory in harmony.....

yum.
 
Not too far from me, San Jose has a huge asian population. There's so many places to eat and find ingredients, it gets confusing. I have my favorites, but there's also so many I haven't tried. Santa Cruz on the other hand, it's much harder to find authentic asian food, where red sweet and sour pork is considered good.
 
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Looks really good to me! I make my own Pho and even do a Pork or Chicken Liver Paté for the Bahn Mi. I recently made Pho with a combination of Chicken Bones and Skin, Pork Bones, Skin and Rib Cartilage, Beef Bones, Tendons and Beef Shank and a Smoked Ham Bone. I usually add a whole bunch of Shrimp Shells but my Daughter's Boyfriend has a shellfish allergy. I simmered the Pho for a full 24 Hours. The soup was so rich and gelatin laden that your lips nearly stuck together after each bite. Chilled it was so stiff that you could pick it up and break it into chunks. Best I have ever made or eaten!...JJ
 
Tasty looking Sandwee! Had Bahn Mi for lunch today. Too Pho King hot for Pho!
Thanx!!

Pho is another fun one to cook that takes even more time than smoking meats Pho is one I tackle in my commercial kitchen. where I have the space and stoves to be able to render the bones and spices all day.
 
it was only a bit warm today. hit 79, but at lunch time it was struggling to warm up. Pho is always good with me, clears my sinuses with enough sriracha.
 
Looks really good to me! I make my own Pho and even do a Pork or Chicken Liver Paté for the Bahn Mi. I recently made Pho with a combination of Chicken Bones and Skin, Pork Bones, Skin and Rib Cartilage, Beef Bones, Tendons and Beef Shank and a Smoked Ham Bone. I usually add a whole bunch of Shrimp Shells but my Daughter's Boyfriend has a shellfish allergy. I simmered the Pho for a full 24 Hours. The soup was so rich and gelatin laden that your lips nearly stuck together after each bite. Chilled it was so stiff that you could pick it up and break it into chunks. Best I have ever made or eaten!...JJ
Been a while since I've made a pot of pho. Too hot here today for it. I've been planning on smoking the pork bellies all week. Tomorrow night, we're steaming sticky rice stuffed with shiitakes, 

lap cheong, green onions, smoked chicken and peanuts wrapped in banana leaves. 

We eat well here in the mountains. 
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...we're steaming sticky rice stuffed with shiitakes, lap cheong, green onions, smoked chicken and peanuts wrapped in banana leaves. 
Couple of images of the jung we made last night at work.

Steaming them at home for a late night night treat:.. 
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Once opened, you find the delectable prizes inside ... 


If you haven't tried jung, I highly recommend it!!!
 
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