Juicy, sweet, and savory skirt steak is served with fresh cilantro, tangy pickles, crisp cucumbers, and spicy basil mayo in this Vietnamese-style sandwich. If you can’t find banh mi, using a soft demi-baguette or submarine bun will work in a pinch. Leftover pickled carrots and daikon can be stored for up to a month in the refrigerator.
PICKLED CARROTS AND DAIKON
- 1 (226 g / ½ lb.) carrot, julienned
- ½ (226 g / ½ lb.) daikon radish, julienned
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup hot water
- ¼ cup white sugar
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound skirt steak, patted dry with a paper towel
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like rice bran, canola, or grapeseed
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or sriracha
- ½ teaspoon 5-spice powder
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons chili crisp or chili paste
- Thai basil from 1 sprig, finely chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
- 4 (8 to 10 inch long) banh mi, soft baguettes or sub buns, sliced in half lengthwise
- 8 sprigs cilantro, thick stems removed
- ½ English cucumber, sliced on a bias
DIRECTIONS
- In a ½ L mason jar, combine ingredients for pickled carrots and daikon, making sure the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to assemble sandwiches.
- Marinate skirt steak with ingredients from garlic to 5-spice powder. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients from mayonnaise to Thai basil until uniform consistency. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil grids with Broil King’s basting brush.
- Grill marinated steaks for 2-3 minutes per side. Since these steaks are thin, the interior should be medium to medium-rare once browned on both sides.
- Transfer steaks onto a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Rest for at least 5 minutes and slice into thin strips.
- Open sliced buns and grill flat-side down until just toasted. Wrap in aluminum foil and rest on the counter until ready to serve.
- Assemble sandwiches. Spread a layer of chili basil mayo on each side. Top with sliced skirt steak, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro sprigs, and sliced cucumbers, and serve immediately.
Recipe Styling & Development by Jannell Lo
Photography by Jessica Kalman