The BBQ Jackfruit Recipe

I did it!!!

It being: finally created THE jackfruit recipe that I will use again and again (and already have)!

The first time I tried jackfruit, I was a brand new vegan. I had heard about this vegetarian restaurant in Fort Collins, Colorado called Tasty Harmony. By the way, this was 2012, and although that's only a few short years ago, the world was a completely different place when it came to eating plant-based. Actually, I don't even think the term "plant-based" had become a thing (or maybe just breaking out thanks to Forks Over Knives documentary). Tasty Harmony was so ahead of their time.

Anyway, I looked them up online and found this YouTube video (which still only has 91 views haha) and saw this pile of nachos topped with something called jackfruit. I was so intrigued.

When I tried it for the first time, I was absolutely hooked. As you know from my Vegan Pulled Pork Showdown, this was one of my all-time favorite foods, veganized!

Since then, I've been making jackfruit for the past several years. I even won my best friend Amber by inviting her over and making BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.

Jackfruit has been my go-to for years now, making it for lake day with The Fresh Press, family gatherings, cooking lessons, bachelorette party catering, wellness fairs, and of course at home.

I slap it on a bun with some cole slaw for a traditional BBQ experience, tuck it into some tacos, pile it on nachos like Tasty Harmony did, put it on a crust for the ultimate BBQ pizza, top a salad with it, and roll it up in lettuce wraps.

And I have FINALLY pinpointed a recipe that doesn't:
1) take forever
2) take too much unnecessary effort
3) use too many uncommon ingredients
4) disappoint

In this recipe, we are essentially making our own BBQ sauce and cooking the jackfruit in it. I love this because it eliminates the need for store-bought BBQ sauce which is loaded with sugar. However, feel free to add more homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce for serving.​

Image from the Vegan Pulled Pork Showdown

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​THE Jackfruit Recipe

2 cans jackfruit (young/green, in water)*, drained and rinsed
​2 TBSP coconut or avocado oil
1 medium red onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste), optional
2 tsp liquid smoke
2 TBSP tomato paste
4 TBSP tamari or liquid aminos (soy sauce alternatives)
3 TBSP pure maple syrup
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

In an Instant Pot or on the stove, start by sauteing the onion with the oil. Once it begins to soften and turn translucent, add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and the drained and rinsed jackfruit. No need to chop it up before cooking. 
After mixing these ingredients together, add the remaining ingredients: optional chili paste, liquid smoke, tomato paste, tamari, maple, and apple cider vinegar. Toss to completely combine.

• Instant Pot: Secure the lid, and set manual pressure cook timer for 5 minutes. When the timer is up, let the pressure naturally release.
• ​Stove top: Turn heat to a simmer, cover, and stir occasionally. Cook until the jackfruit softens and begins to fall apart (I think about 20-25 minutes but will depend so use the texture as your guide)

Preheat your oven to 425 F.

Now that the jackfruit is cooked, you should be able to use your utensil to break the pieces apart. The jackfruit will begin to resemble shredded pork. The seeds (they look like of like garlic cloves) can remain intact or you can break those up too - your choice. You might think it looks and tastes good now, but there is one more very important step to the perfect BBQ jackfruit.

Put it in the oven: On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (trust me you will want to line the pan, and can thank me later), evenly spread the jackfruit mixture across the pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, then by lifting the edges of the parchment paper, or using a utensil, toss the jackfruit around again. Let it bake for another 5-15 minutes, or until the texture of the jackfruit is to your liking. This last step should dry out the jackfruit and give it a charred look and feel. Amazing!

Serve immediately, and pile high on a bun, tortilla, nachos, pizza, or wherever you'd like!  

PLEASE share your food photos with me, I love to see you enjoying my recipes and I know you will go crazy for this one!


Recipe Notes:
*Canned jackfruit can always be found in Asian grocery stores, and in some supermarkets. Be sure to get the green/young jackfruit and not ripe, as that will be fruity and packed in syrup.
*I like to double or triple this recipe, because it's that good.
*If you are bringing/serving the jackfruit at another time (like a party), save the last step (the oven) for just before serving. 
*For another idea for plant-based pulled pork, check out the Vegan Pulled Pork Showdown where we also used mushrooms!
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