This open face jackfruit BBQ sandwich was SO delicious!!
What is Jackfruit?
It’s a fruit. Seriously, look it up. When it’s fully ripe it’s sweet, and I’ve heard it somewhat resembles pineapple. When it’s young, or not yet fully ripe, it’s not as sweet, has a mild flavor, and great texture that makes it a really good substitute for beans, lentils, tofu, and even meat in many dishes. It works perfectly in this BBQ recipe, and also works well in chili, burritos, tacos, and other dishes.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit
Nutrition data: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1930/2
You can find canned jackfruit in most Asian supermarkets, and on-line from Amazon and I’m sure other places. I’ve seen it packed in syrup, brine, and water. I actually got tricked up by the one packed in water. I assumed that packed in brine would contain salt, and packed in water would not, but I was wrong. I ordered some packed in water, and it was actually packed in water and salt, which to me sounds like brine… Anyway, avoid Jackfruit packed in syrup, and get it packed in brine or water, and rinse it really well before using it to wash off a lot of the salt. You can also find it whole in some stores. We found one in Whole Foods, and it was 7 pounds. I wasn’t quite ready to learn how to choose, cut, separate, and clean it, but I will soon. I just need to learn a little more about it first.
| BBQ Pulled Jackfruit | Print |
- 1 13-ounce jar of Westbrae unsweetened ketchup or canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons date syrup*
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 20-ounce cans young jackfruit in brine or water, not syrup
- BBQ Sauce: Combine unsweetened ketchup (or tomato sauce), date syrup, vinegar, braggs, paprika, chili powder, and oregano in a bowl and whisk together throughly.
- Jackfruit: Drain and rinse Jackfruit. Break up pieces with your hands or pulse very lightly in a food processor, removing seeds as you go. It is fine if a few seeds stay in, but the texture is better without them.
- In a large pot, combine the BBQ sauce and jackfruit and heat on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Serve wrapped in crunchy lettuce leaves, on sprouted grain buns or toast, a whole wheat pita, or over a bed of greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, whatever!).
*You can make your own, or buy date syrup in a health food store. The only ingredient is dates. It’s simple very well puréed whole dates.
When it’s all said and done Jackfruit BBQ is DELICIOUS!!! Cathy, myself, and the boys all LOVED it. It tastes good, is easy to prepare, and is fun to eat in different ways. It also inspired Cathy to make some really good cabbage and carrot slaw (vegan oil free, recipe coming soon), and we now have another crowd pleaser that’s easy to make, healthy, tastes great, and we can share with friends and family confidently.
Enjoy!!
