harder to plan a tailgate.
Prep ahead of time to offer Vols banh mi. Arrange to pick up the fresh baked rolls the Friday before. Make the do chua (pickled carrot & daikon) at least two days ahead. Marinate the chicken, pork, and beef and thread them on skewers. Prep the sliced cucumbers, onions, peppers* and cilantro the night before. Place everything in ziplock bags and/or sealed containers, keep refrigerated until loading into coolers with block ice.
*In the USA, most banh mi are made with sliced jalapeno peppers. To crank up the orange without killing taste buds, use julienned habanada peppers or sweet orange bell peppers. Per sandwich, add slivers of de-seeded habanero or scotch bonnet to taste.
Note: Often, banh mi are served with mayo. If you prefer a different spread, prep it ahead of time. A friend of mine once made a Viet-Creole remoulade. The thought of it gave pause, but it tasted great.
Arrive as early as possible, set up the grill. The meat skewers will cook fast. You'll get a rhythm making the sandwiches before you know it. Start to order, then, when you've got people waiting en mass, just crank it out.
Vol banh mi are fast to make and to break down & store when it comes time to enter the stadium. Their different from average tailgate fare, go great with coffee, beer, wine, whiskey, or soda pop, and hit the spot no matter the hour. Trust me, if you've eaten bratwurst with mustard at 9am, you'll love a banh mi at the same hour.