How to Make a Banh Mi Sandwich

Set a 2-3 lb pork belly skin-side up on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Salt both sides generously with kosher salt and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. The cold air pulls the moisture out of the skin so it can crackle later instead of going leathery in the oven.

This step is the single biggest factor in whether the skin puffs up or stays tough. Skip it and the belly bakes up chewy. A full 12-24 hours uncovered in the fridge is the move.

Pull the dried pork from the fridge. In a small high-speed blender or spice grinder, combine 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, and 1 tbsp white peppercorns. Blend into a fine, even powder.

Three peppers do three different things. Black brings the heat you expect, Sichuan adds the tingly numbing edge, and white pepper has a deep musky undertone. Mix the blend with salt to taste, then rub it firmly into the meaty underside of the belly. Leave the skin alone - it gets a separate treatment.

Tear a piece of heavy-duty foil large enough to hold the belly. Set the pork in the middle and pull the foil up around the sides, snug against the meat but leaving the skin fully exposed across the top with a clear foil border.

Rub a thin layer of vegetable oil over the skin and massage it in. Then shower the skin with kosher salt (flaky sea salt if you have it). The oil and salt together help dehydrate the skin in the oven so it puffs into shards instead of staying soft.

Roast the belly at 300F for 2.5 hours. Halfway through, peek and tighten the foil dam if the meat has shrunk and pulled away from the sides. This long, gentle roast renders the fat and cooks the meat through without scorching the skin.

When the timer goes off, crank the oven to 500F (or 475F if that's your max). Roast another 25-30 minutes until the skin puffs up, blisters, and turns crackly. You'll hear the difference when you tap it - it should sound almost like glass.

While the pork roasts, julienne 3 carrots and half a small daikon into thin matchsticks. Pack them into separate jars or pint containers - keeping them apart means you can use the carrots in other dishes later without the daikon flavor bleeding through.

In a small pot, bring 1 cup rice vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, and 2 strips of lime zest to a boil. As soon as it boils, pull it off the heat and strain the hot brine over the vegetables so they're fully submerged. Let them cool to room temperature on the counter, then chill.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup sambal oelek, and 2 tbsp fish sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let it reduce for 5 minutes. The sauce thickens slightly and the sambal mellows out.

Whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch with a small splash of water to make a slurry, then stir it in. Drop the heat to low and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Cut the heat and stir in 8 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 2 bruised kaffir lime leaves. Let it steep while you finish the sandwich.

Pull the pork from the oven and let it rest, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Resting lets the juices redistribute so they don't run out the second you cut in.

Use a serrated knife - the same one you'd use for bread - and slice the belly into pieces about half an inch thick. A straight chef's knife shatters the crackle as it pushes through. The serrated edge saws cleanly so the skin stays intact on each slice.

Cut each baguette into 12-inch segments - two baguettes feed four people. Wrap the segments in foil and pop them in the warm oven for 5 to 10 minutes so the crust is hot and the inside stays soft.

While the bread warms, slice fresh cucumber into thin coins. Then slice 3 to 5 red Fresno chilies (or jalapeños) into thin rings. Pinch the cilantro leaves off the stems and have everything within arm's reach for assembly.

Pull a warm baguette from the oven. Use a serrated knife to split it lengthwise without cutting all the way through - keep the back hinge intact so it folds like a book. Spread mayonnaise generously across both inside faces.

Layer slices of crispy pork belly down the bottom. Shingle cucumber coins on top of the pork, then stack a generous pinch of pickled carrot and daikon over the cucumber. Top with sliced chilies, a drizzle of sweet chili sauce, and a small handful of fresh cilantro. Press the top of the loaf closed and cut it crosswise if you want a pretty serve, or pick it up and eat it right away while the bread is still warm.