Have you ever tried jackfruit as a meat alternative? Tearing apart young green jackfruit (which you can find canned in many grocery stores) and cooking it up in your favorite barbecue sauce gives it a remarkably meaty texture and flavor that is crazy similar to that of pulled pork. But it’s oh so much better for you. Our smoky, tangy jackfruit is deee-licious in our Jackfruit “Pulled Pork” Sandwich (page 88), in tacos, over our Mac ’n’ Cheese (page 63), over chips with Nacho Cheese Sauce (page 137), and anywhere else you’d use barbecued pulled pork.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes
2 (20-ounce) cans young green jackfruit, drained
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
½ small red onion, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup vegan barbecue sauce (store-bought or from the recipe on page 237)
1. Using your fingers, pull apart the jackfruit pieces into shreds and remove all the tough pieces. Place the shreds and the oil in a medium pan.
2. Place the pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Add the paprika and cook for 3 more minutes.
3. Pour in the barbecue sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Serve hot.
Love Your Leftovers: The barbecue jackfruit can be refrigerated and reheats nicely, so you can double this recipe for easy meal planning or simply to enjoy more leftovers. We promise, it’s so good you’re going to want more tomorrow.
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