Franky Johnny’s Pork Belly Sandwich Recipe

Have you ever tried Franky Johnny’s sandwiches? Well-established since 2018 in the Saint-Sauveur neighborhood, this must-visit sandwich shop has just opened a second location in Limoilou, making its decadent sandwiches even more accessible.

Franky Johnny is the collaboration of François Borderons (co-owner of Borderons et fils bakery) and Jonathan Marcoux, the man behind the sandwiches. Their mission: to offer nothing less than the best sandwiches in Quebec, along with excellent coffee from Cantook Micro Torréfaction!

Among the dozen choices on the menu, one stands out, and has since the very beginning: the pork belly bánh mì-style sandwich. Everything is homemade, from the delicious focaccia bread to the braised pork belly, along with the sauces and pickled vegetables. No wonder customers keep coming back for more!

We asked Jonathan if he would be willing to share his recipe with us, because as much as we love visiting the Capital, unfortunately, we can’t always make the Montréal-Québec trip every time we crave one of his sandwiches (which is quite often!). To our great surprise, he said yes!

Grab your napkins and put on your best aprons, here we go!

Enjoy!

Franky Johnny’s Pork Belly Sandwich

Ingredients

• Focaccia-style bread or baguette
• Two thick slices of pork belly (see recipe below)
• Pickled vegetables (see recipe below)
• Homemade mayonnaise (see recipe below)
• BBQ sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• Fresh cilantro

Assembly

• Slice the bread in half horizontally, then place the pork belly slices inside.
• Generously spread mayonnaise and BBQ sauce over the meat, then quickly broil in the oven.
• Add the pickled vegetables and fresh cilantro.
• Enjoy!

Marinated Pork Belly

Ingredients

• A piece of pork belly, about 3 kg
• 2 cups coarse salt
• 2 cups brown sugar

Preparation

• In a large container or Pyrex-style dish, completely cover the pork belly with an equal mix of coarse salt and brown sugar, fat side down. Let it sit for 12 hours.
• Thoroughly clean off the dry brine, then wrap the pork belly tightly in plastic wrap. Bake at a low temperature (250℉) for about 10-13 hours, depending on the size of the meat.
• Once the meat is cooked, pierce the plastic wrap and place a weight on the pork belly to allow the fat to drain. Let it cool.

Pickled Vegetables (makes about 1 liter)

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot, cut into thin julienne strips
• ½ daikon radish, cut into thicker sticks (about 1 cm thick)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup sugar

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, and sugar, and bring to a boil.
2. Place the vegetables in a 1-liter airtight container (like a Mason jar) and pour the liquid over them.
3. Seal the container tightly and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 250 ml oil (olive or canola, your choice)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• A large pinch of salt
• Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Place the egg, mustard, salt, and pepper in a tall container.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend while slowly drizzling in the oil until you achieve the desired consistency.
3. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Photography by Mikael Lebleu