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If you’ve never tried pulled jackfruit then you are missing out… You need this recipe in your life right now! These BBQ pulled jackfruit sandwiches are completely vegetarian – and as they are made from roasted fruit it’s a lot healthier its pulled pork counterpart! It’s so tasty that you could actually give it to a devout meat-lover and they wouldn’t complain!
What is jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a large, prickly looking fruit that is native in certain countries across Southern Asia, such as Malaysia. It’s prepared by slicing open the thick shell where you’ll find a number of ‘pods’ inside. Each pod contains a seed (which you remove) and it’s these pods which form the edible part of the fruit. Jackfruit has a fairly mild taste. The taste is quite fruity and almost ‘custardy’.
You may be thinking that jackfruit sounds a little like durian. You’d be correct appearance-wise. They have a similar colour and size, and both have a unique spiky outer shell. Thankfully though, the flavour of jackfruit is a lot more palatable than durian (which has a very acquired taste and is unliked by many).
Ripe vs unripe jackfruit
There are typically two types of jackfruit you can buy. ‘Young’ or ‘ripe’ (a lot of people refer to young as unripe, but it’s actually not completely unripe, it’s more ‘underripe’). Young jackfruit is firmer and stringier which makes it ideal for ‘faux-meat’ recipes such as this pulled jackfruit. The colour of young jackfruit will also be green as opposed to yellow when it’s ripe. The taste will also be less sweet the younger it is.
Most pulled jackfruit recipes use young fruit but I did actually make it with fresh ripe fruit as that was what I’ve been able to get the last few months. It is softer and sweeter but it’s still a tasty combination. Most likely you’ll find it easier to find canned young jackfruit than fresh anyway. Just don’t buy the canned stuff in syrup as that is extra sweet!
How do you make pulled jackfruit?
This recipe is super easy to make. You simply need to simmer the jackfruit in a pan with some Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, stock, cumin and paprika until soft. Then remove from the pan and shred with two forks.
Mix the fruit with some BBQ sauce and then spread over a baking tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes to caramelise. I served this batch on a seeded bun with some healthy kale coleslaw.
Can you freeze it?
You can freeze cooked, pulled jackfruit for up to 3 months. Once cooled place it in a freezer-safe bag and squeeze out the air before sealing. Defrost when you are ready to eat and then place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes to warm through before serving.
It will also keep for up to 3 days when sealed well and stored in the fridge.
Are you looking for more great vegetarian recipes? Try these vegetarian fajitas or this red pepper and goats cheese risotto.
Products that work well for this recipe
Food Hugger Set
Wusthof Nine Piece Knife Block Set
Nest Measuring Cup/Spoon Set
BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
These BBQ pulled jackfruit sandwiches are so delicious, you’ll never believe they don’t contain meat! Served with healthy kale coleslaw.
The default recipe serves 1
Ingredients
- 4 fresh jackfruit ‘pods’, seeds removed and cut in half (around 100 g)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 100ml vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp BBQ sauce
- 1 sandwich or burger bun
For the kale coleslaw:
- 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 small handful kale, leaves stripped and finely chopped
- 1 small chunk of red cabbage (around 20g), very finely sliced
- 1 tbsp extra low-fat mayo
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F
2. In a pan (large enough to spread the jackfruit out so they aren’t overlapping too much) add everything but the bbq sauce. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat a little and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
3. Tip the contents of the pan onto a foil-lined baking tray or into a wide baking dish. Using two forks, ‘shred’ the jackfruit so it’s in strips. Stir in the BBQ sauce and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. While it’s cooking make the coleslaw by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl. Get the buns ready to toast as soon as the jackfruit is ready.
5. Serve on a toasted bun with the kale coleslaw piled on the top.
Notes
- While I used fresh ripe jackfruit, you can also use tinned ‘young’ fruit. This will actually give a less sweet and less soft result.
- If you are looking for a vegan option then you can dress the slaw with vinaigrette dressing or a vegan-friendly dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Hob / Oven
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 360
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Protein: 11g
Keywords: sandwich, fruit, vegetarian, healthy, coleslaw, bbq
