Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Marinate the Pork
- Cut the pork shoulder into slabs approximately 3cm thick. Slabs rather than a whole piece expose more surface area to the marinade and produce more of the caramelized crust that defines xá xíu.
- Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, garlic, five spice powder, and white pepper in a bowl. Add the pork and turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight produces a better result. The longer the pork marinates the deeper the flavor penetrates.
Roast the Pork
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Cold pork straight from the refrigerator extends cooking time and produces uneven results.
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a roasting pan with foil and place a rack inside. Place the pork slabs on the rack. Reserve the marinade for glazing. It will be applied during roasting and cooked to a safe temperature.
- Roast for 20 minutes. The exterior should begin to color and caramelize.
- Brush the pork generously with the reserved marinade. Return to the oven and roast for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the exterior is deeply caramelized and lacquered. Watch it closely in the final minutes. The honey in the marinade burns fast.
- Remove from the oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Resting allows the juices to redistribute. Pork sliced immediately loses moisture on the cutting board.
- Slice the pork thinly against the grain, approximately 3mm thick. Each slice should show a visible dark caramelized exterior and a moist, pale interior.
Assemble
- Split each baguette lengthwise, cutting three-quarters of the way through. Do not cut completely. The hinge holds the sandwich together.
- Spread the pâté across the bottom half of each baguette. Cover the full surface. The pâté provides the savory, fatty base that balances the sweetness of the xá xíu above it.
- Spread the Vietnamese mayonnaise across the top half of each baguette.
- Layer the xá xíu slices across the pâté. They should cover the full length of the bread without stacking too thick.
- Add the đồ chua directly on top of the pork. Drain it thoroughly. The xá xíu is sweet and rich. The acidity of the pickles is essential to balance it.
- Add cucumber strips along the length of the sandwich.
- Add a small bundle of cilantro. Do not chop it. Whole sprigs only.
- Lay jalapeño slices across the top. Three drops of Maggi Seasoning Sauce along the length. No more. Close the sandwich, press down firmly with your palm, and serve immediately.
Notes
On the pork cut: Pork shoulder is the correct cut for xá xíu. The fat content keeps the meat moist during the high heat roasting and produces a better result than leaner cuts. Pork loin can be used but requires careful monitoring to prevent drying out. Pork belly is a richer alternative that works well.
On the marinade: Hoisin sauce is the flavor anchor of xá xíu. Do not substitute it. Oyster sauce or plum sauce produce a different flavor profile that loses the defining character of xá xíu. The combination of hoisin, five spice, and honey produces the characteristic sweet, aromatic profile that distinguishes xá xíu from every other pork preparation on this site.
On the food coloring: Traditional xá xíu uses red food coloring to produce the characteristic deep red exterior. It is purely cosmetic and has no effect on flavor. Leave it out if preferred. The pork will taste identical.
On Shaoxing wine: Shaoxing wine is available at most Asian grocery stores. Dry sherry is the correct substitute. Cooking wine contains added salt which affects the seasoning balance. If using it, reduce the soy sauce by half.
On the glaze: Brush the pork with reserved marinade only once, in the final stage of roasting. Brushing too early burns the sugar in the marinade before the pork is cooked through.
On make-ahead: Xá xíu keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Slice cold for the cleanest cuts, then bring to room temperature before assembling. The pork can also be served warm straight from the oven.