Pork Belly Banh Mi

5 from 4 votes

Author: Nicole

Servings: servings

Calories: 736kcal

In this Pork Belly Banh Mi recipe, tender pork belly, crispy crackling and fresh toppings are packed into a crusty baguette, for an incredible meal that is easier to make at home than you think!

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 45

Total Time3

Ingredients

PORK BELLY

1 kg pork belly, skin NOT scored (see note 1)
3 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil

STOCK MIXTURE

375 ml chicken stock
1 tsp freshly minced garlic
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp tamari or regular soy sauce

PICKLED CARROT

1 large carrot, julienned
60 ml white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
60 ml water
1 tbsp white sugar

TO SERVE

4 long white crusty rolls, sliced in half but not all the way through (so they are “hinged”), warmed
125 g whole-egg mayonnaise
1 Lebanese (short/Persian) cucumber, sliced into thin batons
60 ml hoisin sauce
15 g coriander (cilantro) leaves
1 finely sliced red chilli

Instructions

Dry the pork skin overnight (see note 2) – Remove the pork belly from its packaging. Place it on a plate or chopping board, skin-side up, and thoroughly pat dry using a paper towel.
Place the pork, uncovered, in the fridge overnight to dry out (or even for as little as an hour). Alternatively, skip this step completely and proceed with the recipe (see note 2).
Pork rub – Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) (140°C/275°F fan-forced).
If you air-dried the pork, remove the pork from the fridge and pat dry using a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Place the pork skin-side down in a baking dish. Sprinkle the flesh of the pork with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the Chinese five spice. Use your hands to coat the flesh of the pork (including its sides, but just not the skin).
Turn the pork over so it’s facing skin-side up. Drizzle the pork skin with the olive oil. Use your hands to coat the skin evenly.
Sprinkle the skin with the remaining salt as evenly as possible so that the entire surface of the skin is covered (use more salt if you need to, as this is the key to crispy crackling).
Prepare the stock mixture and roast the pork – In a large jug, whisk together the chicken stock, garlic, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and tamari or soy sauce.
Pour half of the stock mixture into the baking dish around the pork, taking care to not pour any on the skin. The stock in the base of the dish stops the delicate flesh from drying out during the slow-cooking process.
Carefully transfer the baking dish into the middle rack of your oven (the chicken stock will swish, so do this carefully to avoid the stock splattering onto the skin!).
Roast the pork belly, uncovered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the remaining stock mixture to the base of the tray (again taking care to not splash the skin) and roast for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the pork is soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork (test by pushing the fork through the side of the pork belly, not through the skin).
Crisp up the skin – Remove the pork from the oven.
Turn the oven up to 240°C (475°F) (all oven types).
Place the pork on a wire rack set over a shallow roasting pan or baking tray lined with foil (less clean-up). The rack isn’t essential but helps the air circulate and get everything crispy.
Return the pork to the oven for 15 minutes or until the crackling is puffed up and crispy all over. Rotate the pan as needed and use small pieces of foil to cover any bits of crackling that are browning too quickly and keep an eye on it! Depending on your oven strength, this part can happen quickly.
Remove the pork from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing it into 1.5 cm (½ inch) slices, then again into small chunks, using a serrated knife.
Make the pickled carrots – Combine the carrot, vinegar, water and sugar in a small bowl, toss to combine, then allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Assemble the banh mi and serve – Open out the rolls and spread some mayonnaise on one side. Add the cucumber and pickled carrot, followed by the pork belly, a drizzle of hoisin sauce and a sprinkle of coriander and chilli slices (if using).

Notes

Note 1 – Often it’s recommended to try and purchase pork belly from the butcher to produce the crispiest, most delicious crackling. The “drier” the pork, the better the crackling. While I do recommend sourcing your pork from a butcher if possible, it’s absolutely fine to use packaged pork from the supermarket (it is what I have used in these photos!). And although this recipe calls for pork that is not scored, if you can only find scored pork (the pork I used had three score lines in it), it is still fine to use, just do not score it further and bear in mind it’s best to use a piece that isn’t scored.

Note 2 – This step is recommended for the most ultra crispy pork, but it is not essential. I desperately wanted this to be a recipe that could be made without any “drying”, “salting” or waiting required. You can skip this step and still be guaranteed deliciously crispy crackling, but it will be PERFECT with less risk of soft spots if left to air-dry in the fridge first, even if it is only for an hour (but ideally overnight).

Make Ahead

This is the perfect recipe to make ahead of time, ready for when you need it. See the leftover instructions below.

Leftovers

Pork belly – Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store the pork belly and crackling separately (as it’s easier to reheat). My preference is to reheat the pork belly meat in the microwave and reheat the crackling separately in the oven or an air fryer so that it stays crisp. Place the crackling in the air fryer or on a baking tray if using the oven (on the top rack), and bake for 2–3 minutes at 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) or until heated through. Keep an eye on it as it happens quickly and cooking it too long can cause the crackling to soften.

Pickled carrots – Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe source

Thank you Nagi at RecipeTin Eats for your amazing tip of not having to score the pork belly – life changing! You can view Nagi’s pork belly recipe here.

Nutrition Facts

Pork Belly Banh Mi

Amount per Serving

Calories

736

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

2322

101

Potassium

754

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Calcium

248

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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