Whether you're looking to change up your usual pulled pork, or want to make your own banh mi, this Vietnamese banh mi pork is the perfect base. Easy to prepare in the slow cooker, it's tender, flavorful, and perfect for meal prep with lots of tasty possibilities!
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What's a Vietnamese banh mi?
Banh mi (technically spelt bánh mì) is a delicious sandwich from Vietnam that's probably one of the country's best known culinary exports. They're a common street food, prepared to order, and really reflect the county's culinary history.
The base is a small baguette, popular following the time as a French colony, often with paté, then using more local ingredients like cilantro and pickled vegetables.
Banh mi come with a range of toppings, but typically it's one or more meats, vegetables and condiments. Pork, Vietnamese sausage and pate are common, accompanied by cucumber, cilantro, pickled vegetables and chili sauce or mayo.
I've made a banh mi-style soft shell crab sandwich before, but never the more typical pork version. And I hate to say it, but I'm still not sharing a full sandwich right now (at least just yet!).
This, instead, is just the tender, delicious pork that is based on some of the pork options you might get to put inside. But it's well worth getting to know!
How can you use this pork?
As well as in banh mi sandwiches, this pork is also perfect for many other meals, such as the delicious Vietnamese-inspired rice bowls I've used it in the pictures here (along similar lines to my Vietnamese-style pork and rice bowl).
You could also try it with noodles or other grains as a hearty salad. Alternatively how about using it in some Asian-inspired tacos or as a filling for steamed bao buns.
How to make slow cooked banh mi pork
This pork could hardly be easier to make as all you do is:
- Mix together all of the cooking sauce ingredients
- Add the pork and toss so it is covered then leave it to cook low and slow in the slow cooker.
This Vietnamese banh mi pork is so easy to prepare and such a useful base for many dishes. Not only is it great to 'set it and forget it' the day you make it, but it works perfectly for meal prep since you can add it to a range of dishes. The only question is, how will you try it first?
Try these other Vietnamese favorites:
- Bo kho - Vietnamese beef stew
- Vietnamese chicken salad
- Vietnamese lemongrass pork
- Plus get many more ideas from the region in the Southeast Asian recipes archives.
Vietnamese banh mi pork
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar (¼ cup is 4 tbsp)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ½ tablespoon lemongrass minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger minced/grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced/grated
- ¼ cup water
- 2 lb pork shoulder approx
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and water in the bottom of a slow cooker (ideally a similar width to the piece of pork). Stir together to mix and to help the sugar dissolve.
- Add the pork and turn so a bit of the cooking sauce sticks to the top of the pork, then cook on low for 6-8 hour until the pork is fall apart tender.
Notes
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
Try these other meal prep meals:
- Ham and Broccoli Meal Prep Bowls by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Make Ahead 7-Layer Salads in a Jar by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Make Ahead Bagel Sandwiches by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Marinated Chicken & Vegetables Sheet Pan (Low Carb) by My Life Cookbook
- Meatballs for Three Different Dinners by Positively Stacey
- One Easy Roast Chicken: Four Meals by Hardly A Goddess
- Slice and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies by Palatable Pastime
Remember to pin for later!
Beverly D says
I love Banh Mi, it's one of those dishes that requires the freshest bread and ingredients, cilantro and a homemade sweet chili sauce is a must for me, I love toasting the bread quickly with some butter and mayonnaise on a hot skillet to get it crispy. Pulled pork is always my go to with this recipe so I made this last night. Although the stacked sandwich with the pork was beyond delicious, having said that I think that the sauce was overly strong, equal parts vinegar, soy and fish sauce seemed overkill. My slow cooker was a bit to large for my pork shoulder and I had to end up adding more liquid, in my case our house chicken/veg stock. Thankfully I did this because reducing the liquid after cooking resulted in an extremely pungent sauce. This sauce is best super diluted I feel but of course this is just my experience.
Caroline's Cooking says
I'm glad you enjoyed the pork, I agree the flavors are delicious. I wouldn't actually typically use the cooking liquid as a sauce, or at least only a very small amount to keep the meat moist, so if you were reducing it down after then yes, I can imagine it would become very strong.
Megan says
Is there a way to use an instant pot to lessen the cooking time but to get the same results?
Caroline's Cooking says
I imagine you could, but I'm not an instant pot user myself to guide exactly how long etc.
Marsha says
If they taste as good as they look, they will make a great meal. I love pork in the slow cooker!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, I agree as long as the cut is not too lean, pork can become so tasty and tender in the slow cooker (as this is too!)
Barrie Mooney says
I love this idea- the flavors for the pork in the crock pot are such a welcome change from how I always do it in there! I am definitely trying this- two of my loves: pork + crockpot= a win!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Barrie, I agree pork in the crockpot is so often a great base for a meal, and this is a lovely change in flavors.
Stacey says
I love the flavors of banh mi, but I have never tried to make it myself. Now I have no reason not to.
Christie says
There is so much you can do with all that meat! These bowls, sandwiches, tacos, nachos! Oooooo! Banh mi nachos. I must try that.
Caroline's Cooking says
So true, and yes nachos would be good I think!
Cindy says
These flavors lend to so many ideas! I'll try a rice bowl first!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, I agree - lots of options!
Denise says
I have never had this but it looks so flavorful. I hope I can find some lemongrass tomorrow because I'm having company and I think they will love this!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, I tend to use the pre-prepared lemongrass as I just find it a lot easier for things like this. Hope you enjoy!
Liz says
I love a bahn mi, but I think your rice bowl sounds even better! LOVE that yummy shredded pork!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, the rice bowl was great and the pork is so tender and tasty.