Best Braunschweiger Banh Mi Recipes

BRAUNSCHWEIGER BANH MI

Steps:

• For the caraway pickled cauliflower: Cut the florets into 1/4-inch-thick slices. It's alright if the pieces break apart. Combine the vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, 1/3 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the cauliflower and carrot and stir. Allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For the garlic fish sauce: Whisk together the fish sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, garlic, jalapeno and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• For the fried pork cutlets: Lightly sprinkle the cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, dusting off any excess. Then dip in the egg and, finally, coat with the breadcrumbs. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, fry two cutlets until browned, crispy and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• For the sandwiches: Trim and discard the bread heels from the baguettes. Halve each so you have a total of four 6-inch pieces. Split each piece lengthwise about 3/4 of the way and press it open like a book. Generously spread the top halves with mayonnaise and the bottom halves with mustard and liverwurst. Arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and bake until warm, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Top the bottom half of each baguette with a pork cutlet (halve the cutlets for fit, if necessary) and some of the cucumber, onion, caraway-pickled cauliflower, watercress and cilantro. Top each with a drizzle of garlic fish sauce and a squirt of Sriracha and serve.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE SANDWICH: BANH MI

Steps:

• Make the slaw: In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Transfer the vinegar mixture to a bowl and cool. Add the carrot and daikon, mix well, and season with salt. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or store in the refrigerator up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make the seasoned pork: Heat the oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the pork, seasoning, garlic, and pepper and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the heat and set aside covered with foil to keep warm.
• Make the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguettes open lengthwise, and slather the insides with mayonnaise. Arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and bake until hot and crusty about 5 minutes. Remove the baguettes from the oven and immediately fill each with some of the seasoned pork. In each sandwich, arrange 2 slices each of the pork roll and salami, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon cilantro, 1 slice cucumber, ground pepper, and chili oil, if using. Serve immediately with the slaw on the side.

THE NO.1 COLD CUT COMBO BANH MI

Steps:

• For the pâté: On a hot flat top or griddle, add the ground pork and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Sear until golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer to a big bowl. Grease the flat top with a little bit of oil, then add the chicken livers and sprinkle liberally with more salt and pepper. Sear until medium-rare. Add the chicken livers to the bowl with the pork. Add the shallots, garlic and a little bit of oil to the flat top. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent. Transfer to the bowl along with the pork fat, five-spice powder, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, then purée until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup coarsely ground black pepper. Store in a nonreactive container in the refrigerator.
• For the ham hock terrine: In a large pot, add the ham hocks and 3 gallons water. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Transfer the ham to a large bowl and let cool. Strain and reserve the ham stock. Pick and discard the cartilage, bones and tough meat from the hocks. Dice the fat, then julienne the skin and return to the bowl. Set aside.
• Stir the gelatin into 15 grams cold water in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
• In a pot, bring 4 cups reserved ham stock to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Pour the stock over the ham meat, fat and skin. While warm, transfer the meat mixture to a 400-size hotel pan or large roasting pan and press with another pan to weigh down. Refrigerate overnight to set.
• For the pickled vegetables: In a 12-quart clear container, combine the sugar, vinegar and salt. Whisk to combine until the salt and sugar dissolve. In a large, nonreactive container, mix the carrots and daikon until evenly distributed. Distribute the vegetable mixture into three 12-quart, clear plastic containers. Evenly pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Toss the vegetables and press down so that they are all submerged under the pickling liquid. Pickle, refrigerated, at minimum 30 minutes and at most 1 week.
• To assemble and serve: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toast the baguettes until super crispy on the outside and steamy and warm on the inside, 3 to 4 minutes. Split the baguettes, then slather the entire inside with mayonnaise. Spread the bottom of each sandwich with 1 ounce pâté. Start evenly layering from bottom to top of each sandwich in this order: cucumber, 1 to 2 slices bologna, 1 to 2 slices ham hock terrine, 1/2 cup pickled vegetables, cilantro, jalapeño, 3 dashes soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper. Close the sandwiches, cut in half, and eat right away!

SMOKED BRISKET BANH MI

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker to 225 degrees F. (See Cook's Note)
• Mix together the brown sugar, salt, cumin, granulated garlic, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper and white pepper in a large bowl.
• Trim the brisket so about 1/4-inch of fat remains. Apply the rub generously on all sides of the brisket, massaging it into the meat. Smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches approximately 155 degrees F, 4 to 5 hours depending on size.
• Remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by 1 layer of foil and a final layer of plastic wrap. Place in a roasting pan and continue cooking in an oven or smoker at 190 degrees F until very tender, another 16 to 18 hours. The brisket will be too tender to slice. Let cool, then refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Slice the brisket into 1/2-inch-thick slices, preferably from the lean side, and place in the Lemongrass Marinade for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• To build the sandwiches, spread some sriracha mayonnaise on the inside of the baguettes. Place some jalapenos on the bottom half of the bread and top with some brisket, scallions, pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber and cilantro.
• Mix together the sugar, cola, lemongrass, black pepper, fish sauce, salt, peanut oil, sesame oil, garlic and shallots in a large bowl.
• Mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the carrots and daikon and stir. Refrigerate overnight.