Banh Mi with Crispy Baguette
RECIPE
PORK BELLY
▪3lbs/1.5kg pork belly, skin removed Cut pork belly in half.
Sprinkle generously on both sides with salt.
Roast on wire rack in 300F/150C oven for 3 hours.
Allow to cool then slice against the grain into about ¾”/2cm slabs.
NOTE: If you can’t find pork belly, you can make a pork shoulder as shown in my cuban video https://youtu.be/zi5zmZn6y9Y only just season with salt.
BAGUETTE
▪380g or 1.5c warm water
▪12g or 4tsp instant yeast
▪22g or 1 3/4Tbsp sugar
▪525g or 4 1/4c bread flour
▪12g or 2tsp salt
Add ingredients to a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix on high for 6-8 minutes until dough has formed a ball and clears sides of the bowl. Alternatively you can knead by hand until dough looks similar.
Transfer to a bowl and round it into a ball by rotating it and tucking it as shown @2:10.
Cover and allow to ferment at room temp for 60 min. The dough should have risen a lot.
Punch it down to release some gas, then do a strength building fold as shown @2:34. Next tuck and round into a ball as you did before. Cover, and let ferment on at room temp for another 60 minutes. The dough should have risen a lot again.
Flour dough and work surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces (about 150g each). Preshape each piece into a ball as shown @3:13.
Once preshaped into balls, cover with a damp towel to relax for 15-20 minutes.
Shape baguettes as shown @3:56 and place into a baguette pan. If you don’t have a baguette pan, check out my beginner baguette video https://youtu.be/5FR__Gt0CSo to see how to bake these using a sheet tray.
Cover shaped baguettes with damp towel and proof for 45 min.
Preheat oven to 400 with baking stone/steel on top rack and cast iron skillet on bottom rack. When baguettes are proofed and ready to bake, they should indent when you poke them, then slowly bounce back.
Score diagonally across the top of each, see video @6:33. Spray top of loaves liberally with water then load into preheated oven on top of baking stone/steel. Pour boiling water into cast iron skillet on bottom rack and close oven door quickly to bake for 30-35mins.
Loaves are done when toasty and golden brown. Brush with melted butter
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
▪Sliced, seared pork belly (recipe above)
▪Mayonnaise
▪Mint leaves
▪Cilantro
▪Cucumber, cut into long thin strips
▪Fresh jalapenos, thinly sliced
▪Sandwich juice Combine equal parts (about 2Tbsp each) lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, sambal chili paste
▪Pickled carrots & daikon slaw
-150g or about 1 3/4c shredded diakon
-150g or about 1 3/4c shredded carrot
-200g or 3/4c water
-100g or 1/2c rice vinegar
-100g or 1/2c white vinegar
-40g or 1/2c sugar
-4g or 3/4tsp salt
Bring water, vinegars, sugar, & salt to a boil. Pour over a mix of shredded carrot and daikon.
To prep the pork belly, sear 3/4in/2cm slabs in a saute pan over medium/med-high until just browned and crisp on both sides and warmed through, about 1min per side.
Slice baguette open on one side, creating a sandwich pocket.
Shingle in 3-4pcs of pork belly then place in 425F/220C oven to refresh and crisp bread for 2-3min.
Spread on mayo then add cucumber, jalapenos, a good amount of the carrot-daikon pickle, fresh herbs, and a generous spoonful or 3 of the sandwich juice.
