Grilled Beef Banh Mi

I know, I know, its been a nano-second since I posted the Chicken Banh Mi, but its beefy sister, this Grilled Beef Banh Mi, is a must share. 

It’s actually the one my boys prefer, and if I’m lucky by the time I’m done cooking the beef there’s enough for sandwiches. This is one of those recipes that my boys hover over just so they can steal some of the beef skewers before I can even finish assembling their sandwiches. 

Most often times, I just let them. I could force the issue, but it gets me no where except a plate that in the end looks like a crazy bird picked through it. The pickled veggies are scattered and the bread is filled with little teeth marks where they just ripped out the soft, bread-y flesh. 

Gah! 

The bread is one of the best parts of the sandwich. It can literally make or break the whole thing.  I’m hoping it’ll be one of those things that they will embrace as their age grows in numbers. You know – like how cheese makes your nose wrinkle as kid but makes you blow your grocery budget as an adult. 

Here are few notes to before you get started on this recipe:

• Don’t skip pickling the daikon and carrots. It’s a key component. You can buy it pre-made in most Asian markets or make it yourself (recipe below).

• Use a good, high quality bread like La Brea’s Demi-Baguettes. It’s worth mentioning you definitely want to avoid breads, that are pillow-soft like a hot dog bun or anything of that textural class.  This is a sandwich after all,  so getting the bread right makes or breaks this recipe.

• To easily slice the beef, freeze the meat for about  15  minutes  to  firm  it  up  before cutting.

Grilled Beef Banh Mi

Yield: Serves 4

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Ingredients

• Beef
• 1 lb. well-marbled tri-tip, sliced against the grain to  1/4-inch thickness
• 2 large garlic gloves
• 1 shallot
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon Mirin
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon canola oil
• Sandwich
• 4 La Brea Reserve Sourdough Demi-Baguette
• 1/4 cup Sriracha mayonnaise (**recipe follows)
• 1 cup pickled Vietnamese slaw (**recipe follows)
• 6 to 8 cilantro sprigs
• 4 jalapeños, sliced

Instructions

To make the beef: In a mortar and pestle crush the garlic and and shallots to a paste. Transfer to medium size bowl and add in brown sugar, fish sauce, Mirin, soy sauce and canola oil. Whisk to combine. Add the beef and make sure each slice is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least an hour or overnight.

Thread beef on a pre-soaked skewer for easy grilling. Grill beef over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes or until beef is slightly charred, make sure to turn skewers frequently.

To assemble sandwich: Split bread length-wise. Spread about 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) of Sriracha mayonnaise on one side. Fill sandwich with beef, pickled slaw, cilantro and jalapeños. Serve immediately.

**To make the Sriracha mayonnaise. In a bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon (or more according to taste) Sriracha.

**To make the pickled slaw: In a large a medium sauce pan, over high heat, bring 1/4 cup distilled vinegar, 1/4 sweet rice vinegar, 1/4 sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Transfer to a large shallow bowl and add in 1/2 cup julienned match-like strips of carrots and daikon with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to blend. Set aside for 30 minutes then drain.