Smoked Brisket Banh Mi
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 to 8 sandwiches
- Total: 2 days (includes smoking, chilling and marinating times)
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/2 tablespoon cayenne
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon white pepper
One 8- to 10-pound brisket, untrimmed
Lemongrass Marinade, recipe follows
Sriracha mayonnaise, for spreading
Six to eight 6-inch baguettes, sliced three-quarters of the way lengthwise
Sliced jalapenos, for serving
Scallions, sliced in thin 4-inch long slices, for serving
Pickled Daikon and Carrots, for serving, recipe follows
English cucumber, sliced in 5-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick slices, for serving
Fresh cilantro sprigs, for serving
Lemongrass Marinade:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cola
1/2 cup minced lemongrass
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, minced
Pickled Daikon and Carrots:
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup grated daikon
Directions
- 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.
Lemongrass Marinade:
- Mix together the sugar, cola, lemongrass, black pepper, fish sauce, salt, peanut oil, sesame oil, garlic and shallots in a large bowl.
Pickled Daikon and Carrots:
- Mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the carrots and daikon and stir. Refrigerate overnight.
Cook’s Note
The best wood for the smoker is a blend of two-thirds apple wood to one-third hickory.