Smoke Signals

Howie Drummond is more than an Alice 105.9 jabber mouth. He’s a trained cook, a former contestant on the Food Network Star, and the host of Grill vs. Grill on Altitude. The Colorado-based reality show (which just wrapped its second season) champions at-home grill masters from around the state. “It’s all about having a passion for the grill and inspiring others to cook and try new things,” says Drummond. Contestant Matt Williams—the winner of Season Two—did just that. He won with an on-trend pork banh mi (recipe below). Bonus: Find all of the recipes from each of the episodes at grillvsgrill.com.

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Banh Mi Sandwich (Serves 6)

This Vietnamese-inspired sandwich is composed of a fresh baguette, chile mayonnaise, chopped green onions, cilantro, sliced cucumbers, pickled carrots, and thinly sliced barbecue pork.

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup ketchup

¹/2 cup lite soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

¹/3 cup sweet chile sauce (Mae Ploy brand)

¹/2 cup hoisin sauce

¹/2 cup Memphis-style barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated on a microplane

¹/2 stick of butter

Combine in a medium saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. (Sauce can be made days in advance.)

Pork Shoulder

3 ¹/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of fat cap

1 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 orange, quartered

1 cup any fruit juice

Place first four ingredients into a zip-top bag and refrigerate overnight.

With the burners on high, sear the pork for five minutes on each side. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, turning the meat every 5 to 7 minutes. The meat should have a nice brown color to the outside before finishing in the oven.

Place pork in a baking dish; add the orange and the juice. Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 250° for 2 to 2 ¹/2 hours or until a thermometer registers 145°. Do not overcook. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Slice roast across the grain, and discard any fatty or gristly pieces.

Cover grill with heavy-duty foil, place pork on the foil and slather on the barbecue sauce. Warm meat until the sauce caramelizes on the edges. Remove from heat and serve in the sandwich.

Pickled Carrots

1 ¹/2 cups distilled white vinegar

2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt

2 heaping tablespoons sugar

1 large carrot, sliced on a mandoline into ¹/8-inch matchsticks

Place all three ingredients in a glass container for a minimum of 24 hours.

Chile Mayonnaise

¹/2 cup mayo

1 tablespoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon chile sauce
(Mae Ploy brand)

Miscellaneous

1 cucumber, sliced on a mandoline into ¹/8-inch slices

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, destemmed and leaves hand torn

2 French baguettes

Assembly

Slice baguette open and slather with chile mayonnaise. Layer on pickled carrots and sliced cucumbers. Top with pork and additional barbecue sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro.