Warning:
Please grab a napkin and prepare for drool. Don’t lick the screen, don’t do it!!! I wish computer screens tasted delicious, but I am afraid they do not. Been there, done that.
Fully warned? Then scroll at your own risk.
I warned you fair and square!
Introducing 6 Ingredient Pulled Jackfruit. Yes, this is vegan. Yes, this is a fruit. And yes, this recipe takes just 6 ingredients. Gah! Excitement. Joy. Love. Drool. Ah, wipe away drool… desire to lick screen… fighting desire… fight it… must… resist… ~lick~
If you have explored my blog you might have seen my original post for jackfruit sandwiches, and possibly even made it. While it’s for sure a completely delicious recipe, I felt the need to repost. Why repost you ask? (Well, you probably didn’t but I am going to answer anyway). My original recipe required almost 20 ingredients and took over 1.5 hours to cook! This does not jive with me.
I have learned a thing or two since my early days of blogging. The easier and quicker the recipe, the more I (and you) seem to like it. So when I took this 20 ingredient, 1.5 hour recipe and rehashed it to a 6 ingredients, 45 minute recipe, I was pre-tay damn pleased with myself. ~pats self on back~
If you are new to jackfruit, it is indeed a fruit. You can often find it covered in sticky syrup in cans, but in this recipe the key is to use young green jackfruit that is in brine or water (not syrup). When the jackfruit is young (and not fully ripe), it’s much starchier and not sweet… It actually doesn’t taste like much to be honest. The cool thing about it is that once cooked, it has this pulled, shredded texture that is totally fun. Toss it with some BBQ sauce, and you are on your way to one of the best vegan sandwiches I have ever encountered.
I’m lucky enough that I can find jackfruit in my local discount grocery store in the Asian section. If you can’t find it in your grocery store, check out Indian or Asian grocery stores, or order it online.
I had a look at what a few other bloggers did with their jackfruit, and was horrified to see that many had written in the instructions to chop off and discard the core and seeds. DON’T DO THIS! You’re just wasting precious delicious jackfruit. Why oh why would you do that!?
To prepare your jackfruit, drain and rinse it, then cut the jackfruit into smaller pieces. For optimal texture, cut the slices from core to the outer edge as seen in the picture above, which breaks up the tougher core as much as possible, and makes for the best “pulled” texture.
Sauté onions and garlic in a bit of oil, and once tender add in the chopped jackfruit. Add in the vegetable broth and cover and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes until the jackfruit is tender enough to mash.
Once it’s mashable, take a potato masher and mash it all up until desired amount of mashedness is reached. How many times can you put “mash” in a sentence?
Spread in an even layer on a lightly greased baking sheet and pop it in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour over 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce, and stir so that the jackfruit is evenly coated. Pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes to make it all sticky and delicious. Stir in 1/4 cup more BBQ sauce before serving, if desired.
Use the jackfruit how you like! I put mine on a bun with a simple coleslaw of shredded cabbage and carrots tossed with my Coleslaw Dressing. Yum! This would also be super satisfyingly scrumptious in tacos, on pizza, or nachos as just a few ideas! Don’t be surprised if you see these recipe ideas coming up in the future.
A healthy and incredibly tasty vegetarian and vegan alternative to pulled pork or chicken. Quick and easy to make. Even carnivores love it!
- 2 20oz cans young green jackfruit, in brine or water (not in syrup!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
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Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Lightly grease a baking pan.
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Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Cut the jackfruit into smaller pieces by cutting it from core to the edge for the most pulled texture (see photos).
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Add the olive oil to a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and when hot add the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add in the chopped jackfruit and vegetable broth. Cover and continue to cook another 8 to 10 minutes, until the jackfruit is soft enough that it can be mashed. Mash the jackfruit with potato masher, until it breaks apart and looks pulled or shredded.
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To finish the jackfruit spread in an even layer across the baking pan and then pop it in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pour over 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Toss it back in the oven for about 10 minutes, until it looks delicious and golden and even a few strands get a bit burnt. Remove from the oven and if desired stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce to make it even saucier.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken.
Bon Appetegan!
Sam.
This recipe is great! I tried the original recipe as well as a different approach. I didn’t have bbq sauce so I used taco seasoning and made tacos instead. It was delicious as well.
I tried this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! My husband said he couldn’t tell the difference between it and how he remembered shredded bbq pork or chicken. I love how quickly it came together. Can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Sam, I feel like I comment just about every week about the recipes from Fuss Free Vegan and your website. A
Anytime and every time someone asked me how to cook good vegetarian and vegan food I tell them go to you! My only experience I ever had with jackfruit was a disappointment so trying it again was a challenge I wasn’t sure I was up to. But lo and behold you nailed it again I am going to be serving this up at my barbecue on Sunday. I love freaking everybody out with this awesome food.
Thanks so much Sam for helping me show others there’s nothing more beautiful than a plant-based diet.
Maria
Could Jackfruit be used to make fake fish, do you think? In one of the pictures it looks like flaky cod.
What Bbq sauce did u use?
loved making this – so easy and so yummy, and so fast. added smoked chipotle for heat and smoky flavor. didn’t tell hubby what was in sandwich – he just assumed it was pulled pork. hah!
we are mostly plant-based and eat animal foods about 3 x a week [he craves it]. people think vegan is bleh – they haven’t even tried it yet their opinions are strong. excellent recipe – thanks for sharing. definitely in my *delish* file! and i agree – why people throw out the core and seeds
is nuts. it’s in the can cause it’s edible [i grew up eating ripe jackfruit – oh so yum! – we boil and eat the seeds too]
Glad you enjoy!!
I’m 46 and planned, cooked or ate meals based on meat as the main dish and I tried this recipe last night and let me tell you….I was AMAZING!!!! My husband and I couldn’t believe it really wasn’t pork. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Since my Mom’s recent heart issues started I’ve been trying a plant based diet and trying to find things easy to cook and something that taste so good we wouldn’t miss the meat and this was a home run!
Haha! That’s so wonderful, Jo Ellen 🙂
I’ve been a meat eater my entire life and I’m 50 now. The only reason I’ve eaten meat is because I thought my body really needed it. I recently watched a video that made me reconsider my health. I’m a guy that always reaches out to new ideas. So I’m now trying to go the vegetarian diet and see how I feel. This recipe is very close to a pulled pork sandwich. I could tell the difference, but barely. I used Native Forest brand organic young jack fruit and some Woodstock Brand organic hickory Bar-B-Q sauce which was outstanding. Looking forward to trying some more of your recipes.
Stover
Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Stover! Yes, we do not need meat to be healthy, in fact, animal protein is actually harmful to our bodies. I’m not sure which documentary you watched but I recommend watching Game Changers, Forks Over Knives, and What the Health (all of which are available on Netflix). If you ever have any nutrition questions check out the website nutritionfacts.org and the book How Not to Die. Enjoy!
Thanks, ya I watched the Game Changer.
Do you have any tips about adding protein to this meal? Jackfruit is excellent at mimicking meat, but it is not a protein source. I look forward to trying the recipe!
Hi Mandy! All whole foods have protein. Jackfruit doesn’t contain a huge amount (about 5%), but as long as you eat a range of whole plant foods you will get more than enough protein. Adding a whole grain bun and a side of broccoli will add plenty. Or you could even stir beans into the prepared jackfruit. If you’re worried about protein intake on a vegan or vegetarian diet, I recommend watching this video. Enjoy!
red lentils might work well in with the sauce, i’m sure you wouldn’t notice
Okay, Sam. 🙂 This is delicious. I am a picky eater, and I was afraid I wouldn’t like it, so I halved the recipe. I ate the entire thing in one day. Planning on making a full batch this weekend. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!
Haha! Awesome! Thrilled you loved it so much, Michelle 🙂
Hi Sam! I tried this recipe today for the first time. I’ve had canned jackfruit in my cupboard for many months, and for some reason was avoiding it! Today I’m sorry I waited so long because this recipe is AMAZING!
And so, so, so easy to make! I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Award-Winning BBQ Sauce but was near the bottom of the bottle, so didn’t use as much as recommended. I ate the jackfruit on a pretzel bun, with pickled banana pepper slices. Yummo! Will have this again tomorrow with my daughter, and will probably make the coleslaw (with your dressing) as an optional topping. We both love banana peppers, so that might be our go-to! Thanks so much for doing what you do, because your recipes are THE BEST!
Haha! Wonderful! So flattered you think it’s the best, Ruth 🙂
This pulled jackfruit was delicious! I actually added the jackfruit to nachos and made bbq nachos with red onion and jalapenos, it was delicious! Thank you
Oh that sounds epic!! So happy you enjoyed, Jessica!
Amazingly delicious! Is the fiberous part that surrounds the pods/bulbs edible? Any recipe ideas? Thanks!
I have no idea, I have only ever had canned jackfruit. Sorry I can’t be more help!
It is edible! The entire fruit is edible and when you open a brined canned container you will find the fibrous and nutty part included in the can. The texture is very different in a can than the real fruit however, I am not sure how to use the fibrous part without having it brined. I have found only it is only usable in a pulled pork recipe if already brined. I have tried roasting the nuts from a fresh fruit, and didn’t care for it, but others have said they like them roasted. There are recipes for the other parts of the fruit that can be found too. I have used both canned and fresh fruit for this recipe. To note I hear that if using a fresh fruit- a ripe fruit will taste great raw, but an unriped fruit will have a more meatier texture and be less sweet that many prefer for pulled pork recipes.
yes everything in the can is edible including the seeds and the middle section. i grew up in the tropics and my grandpa grew jackfruit, too. i miss the seasonal fruits we had every month, fresh from the trees – grapefruit, oranges, pomegranates, avocados, starfruit, soursop…
The fibrous part is the part that looks like shredded meat. If you are using fresh jackfruit you need to get it green. If it smells like fruit it will have less of the yummy fibrous part. The fruit is sweet but if you want the meat like textured part you must get it when the Jackfruit is very young. The sticky core has a latex like substance that is hard to get off of your hands and any other thing it touches. Oil will help to remove it. So Sam, you do not want to eat the core. It is not included in canned Jackfruit.
Would you be able to make this ahead of time and heat it up. I have a couple vegetarian and a vegan coming to my wedding and we are doing pulled pork.
Absolutely! Enjoy 🙂
Love this recipe! It’s delicious, quick and easy. My favourite kind of meal!! Even my omnivore boyfriend loves it!!
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed!
Made this tonight! Soooo good I seasoned the jackfruit and added a couple dashes of liquid smoke. Your recipes are always so BOMB! The similarities to the real thing is so close to spot on
Aww that’s wonderful, so thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much, Valencia 🙂
BBQ sauce is not 1 ingrediënt. Acutally the BBQ sauce takes up
most of the time. What was your other recipe with 20 ingrediënt like? Despite this I like the way you prep the jack fruit. I smoked it before use too which was great!
Hi Lex! Not sure where you’re from but here in Canada, BBQ is easily available premade in any grocery store. You can, of course, make your own if you prefer. My recipe for homemade BBQ sauce is in my cookbook. Enjoy!
Made it…LOVED IT!
Even my meat eating husband loved it!
Thank you so much for the recipe.
Haha! Brilliant! So thrilled you both enjoyed it, Molly 🙂
I’ve been vegan for 9 months and had yet to try jackfruit. I tried a recipe a few weeks ago that made it like a pot roast and the jackfruit tasted terrible. I came across your recipe yesterday and decided to give it a try because every recipe I’ve made of yours always turns out great. I was so surprised by how good this was! My husband really liked it as well. This was even better than I remember BBQ sandwiches being. Keep up the great recipe work! I look forward to trying even more recipes.
Wow that’s amazing!! So very happy you have been enjoying all my recipes so much, Jana 🙂
Awesome recipe. I made it as it was written with a homemade BBQ sauce. We devoured it. Thanks Sam.
Yay!! So happy you loved it so much, Darlene.
I LOVE this recipe! I use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce. It’s so easy! I made it a day ahead and then warmed it in a crock pot for an office Nacho party. People who tried it loved it so much they asked me to make it when we had another Nacho party this year. I didn’t label it this time and some meat eating snobs actually tried it and told me that they could not believe it wasn’t meat. It was a HUGE hit. I make it all the time for myself because it freezes so well. I use the green jackfruit in water.
That’s awesome!! So very happy you love the recipe so much 🙂
I made this the second week of December and it was so good .Especially when you toast those buns! I added a bit of smoked paprika because I amobsessed with it lately. I will make again. I can’t wait for summer so that we can have BBQ too!
Oh that’s so awesome, Tiffany! So happy you loved the recipe so much 🙂
Where can I find the original 1.5 hour recipe?
It has been deleted as this updated version of the recipe is MUCH better. 🙂
I get 2.2g of protein per serving if your using 4 servings. What bbq sauce are you using that is getting your protein that low? …we have a strict diet for my sons medical condition so all recipes are analyzed in our app so curious why my amount is double the protein. I used sweet baby ray bbq sauce.
Hi,
I’m looking for a good vegetable broth and a good mayo to buy. What brands do you recommend? It’s all I can do to put your recipes together, (cooking is not in my genes), so having the condiments ahead of time is a help.
I have your book and enjoy the emails,
Kathryn
I have a veggie broth recipe here, and a mayo recipe in my cookbook but if you want storebought Vegenaise or Helmann’s vegan are both good mayos. And any brand of veggie broth should work just fine. Enjoy!
Hi Sam,
Stumbled upon your page randomly and made the vegan dressings. Tried the thousand island already and they are good! Will try one dressing weekly and will try this next week. I’m just curious how long does this pulled jack fruit keep in the fridge? Since I meal prep most of my meals so I wont have a hard time prepping since I have minimal cooking skills. Again, Thank you so much for making vegan recipes easy and yummy making someone like me (with no cooking experience) a chance to enjoy vegan food!
Also where can I get your cook book with the barbecue sauce?
And you can get my cookbook on Amazon or almost any major book retailer. Here’s a list. 🙂
So happy you are enjoying my recipes, Robert! I would say this should last about 4-7 days in the fridge. Enjoy!
I tried it, and it came out a bit sweet, and… not so good. (the can says “Young green jackfruit in brine”, just to make sure 😛 ) I felt that the sweetness comes from the fruit itself.
Where did I go wrong? 😛
If the sweetness comes from the fruit then it’s likely the jackfruit was canned too ripe. Young green jackfruit tastes almost sour if anything. Hope that helps!
How did this recipe do as leftovers? I’m sure popping it back in the oven would help, but have you tried it reheated in the mircrowave the next day? Wondering so I can decide how big of a batch to make!
I have served it as leftovers and reheated it in a pot on the stove and it was great!
Hi! Love this recipe but the link to your origInal is no longer posted and I liked to use t as a reference for making bbq sauce … can you fix the link so both are available?
Thanks so much! The original has been deleted, but I do have a BBQ sauce recipe in my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan. 🙂
This is the second time I made this recipe after watching you make it. I didn’t make it sooner because prior to listening to your instructions, I was chopping off the tough part of the jackfruit and removing the seeds. It was a time consuming, messy process, resulting in a much smaller amount of jackfruit. So, in addition to being a GREAT recipe, it is so much easier and faster,
This will be my new favorite tailgating recipe, BTW, I use a barbecue recipe from the amazing vegan Candle Cafe in NYC. So good! If you are ever in NYC, check out one of their three restaurants.
Sounds delish!! So happy you are no longer wasting the precious jackfruit!! 🙂
Just wondering if I can freeze leftovers. I bought a young jackfruit and want to do a big batch at once.
I haven’t tried it myself but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work well. Enjoy!
One question. Jackfruit doesn’t have protein right? How can we vary this recipe to add protein to this dish?
Otherwise, like I just said…..terrific recipe.
Actually, all plants have protein. The whole “need more protein” thing is a huge myth. Unless you are calorie deficient (aka starving) it’s actually impossible to be deficient in protein. There is no protein deficiency wing of the hospital! Haha. The average vegan gets about 70% more protein than they even need in a day. I highly recommend checking out this video and this video to learn more. 🙂
Wow, I love your comment and the videos you shared to explain this myth. Thank you 🙂
I made this for Memorial Day and my husband was in heaven. This recipe is a winner. Topped it with spicy coleslaw on home made bread. Love you Sam!
Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much! 😀
I topped mine with pickled red onions and served with a side of vegan potato salad. My tummy is very happy! And hubby went back for seconds and asked for a repeat performance. Win win win!! Thank you!!!
Wonderful!! So happy you both enjoyed 🙂
How about that cal slaw recipe?
You can find it in my cookbook 🙂 http://bit.ly/FussFreeVegan
Love this recipe! Making it for a second time in a week. Thanks!
Wonderful! Thrilled you are enjoying it so much, Mary 🙂
Thank you so much! This was delicious.. Easy to find jackfruit at trader jos. I baked it for 35 minutes total. Great texture and taste!
So happy you loved it, Alejandra!
Do you think this can be done in a slow cooker instead of the oven…at least for the second time?
I actually don’t own a slow cooker, so I am not that knowledgeable about them. Seems like it would work tho. Enjoy!
I’m not convinced… I think it needs the oven heat to caramelise the BBQ sauce and to just “catch” the jackfruit around the edges (as per description) to get the right texture. I reckon it would be a bit soggy from a slow cooker.
How hot is the oven? I know the revipe says 15 minutes…but no where does it say temperature?
It’s.right at the rop, Emilie:
“1. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Lightly grease a baking pan.”
Wow, this turned out great! It had great flavor and texture, and the only thing I would do different is to follow the last suggestion of adding more barbecue sauce after baking the jack fruit because it was a little dry. But even without that it was yummy and I will make again!
So happy you loved it, Marion 🙂
I looove this recipe! Made it with a BBQ sauce from Norway and it was delicious Going to make again!
Woohoo! Thrilled you love it so much, Iselin 🙂
Hi I’m nervous to try this because last time I tried Jackfruit it was super slimy even in the sauce and tasted bitter. Is that normal? Does this recipe make it not taste like that?
Nope, that’s not normal!
try the prepared barbecued jackfruit sold in the vegetable section of Safeway and Ralphs in California. The texture is spot on.
OMG!! This was AMAZING!! I followed all the instructions and used SWEET BABY RAYS BBQ sauce!!! I posted a photo @myveganbodymytemple
Yay!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Brandi 🙂
Great I did the same as well
This looks amazing! I getting married next year and am cooking all the food myself, well with some help from family, We have a few family members that are vegetarian and I don’t want to serve them a pasta dish when everyone else is having pulled pork, messy for a wedding I know, but its what I want plus it’s easy lol. I wonder if whole foods has canned Jackfruit, I live in a small town and there aren’t any Asian markets and Trader Joe’s is a few hours away.
Sounds perfect! Whole Foods should definetly carry green jackfruit, and if not you could always order it online. Enjoy!
If you have any Oriental or Vietnamese stores most of them carry fresh and canned jackfruit.
Amazon is where I ordered a case of Kackfeuit from-I live in a small remote town as well with limited options. Congradulations btw!
Amazon is where I ordered a case of Jackfruit from-I live in a small remote town as well with limited options. Congradulations btw!
Can you tell me what kind of BBQ sauce you used for this recipe? I am hoping to make it this weekend 🙂
I’m not sure which one I used that day, but it was likely “My Favourite BBQ Sauce” which the recipe is in my cookbook. You could use any vegan BBQ sauce tho and it will be great. Enjoy!
I used “sweet baby rays!” You can get it anywhere and it vegan!
Our local supermarket di not have canned Jackfruit in water. So I ventured to a local oriental market and they also did have Jackfruit canned in water. They did however have frozen Jackfruit meat. Will this work the same? The colour of the Jackfruit is yellow/orange like a motorcycle…different than the pictures shown here.
It sounds like that is ripe jackfruit, and not the younger greener jackfruit so it would be too sweet for this recipe. You can order jackfruit online if that helps?
Amazing! I added probably like two or three teaspoons of garlic powder after doing the last round of baking to get a flavor I like, but this recipe is awesome. Instead of the recommended pairing, I’ll be serving it with Follow Your Heart Gouda slices on hamburger buns with Just Mayo. Now I’m just waiting for my boyfriend to get home so we can devour it!
Haha! Awesome! So happy you like it, Emii. Enjoy!
Haha auto correct… this should say like the colour of a mango
Haha wrong comment thread, Stef!
I was literally afraid of using jackfruit, I know that seems silly but I was. I’d take out the cans & look at them then put them back in the cupboard. I read online & researched but I just couldn’t do it until today. Your 6 ingredient BBQ recipe’s easy step by step took all the fear away & turned out quite well. Thanks Sam, another winning recipe!
Haha! I hope you aren’t afraid anymore! You’re most welcome, Wendy. So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Wendy, I felt the same way! I saw this recipe a while ago and bought some jackfruit, but it sat in the cupboard for a while. I finally got the courage to try it in Sam’s Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos (side note: AWESOME!), and it was not as scary as I thought it would be.
Sam, our company has started Healthy Potluck lunches, so I can’t wait to make this following the recipe and bring it in a slow cooker to warm it up and WOW the many meat-eaters in my office! 🙂
Aww that’s wonderful, Karen 🙂
I just made this and it is so amazing! I love that the texture is not mush. I had pulled jackfruit in a restaurant before and did not like it. It was just a complete mush. This is tender, but still hold some of its texture. I think the baking did the trick. Thank you so much!
You’re most welcome, Anastasia! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
How well does this freeze?
I’ve never tried, but I imagine it would work.
Did you try freezing this? Does it come out good?
It freezes great! I made this for about 30 people a few days before. Froze it and thawed it the day before. We just threw it into a saute pan to warm and then added the BBQ sauce. Worked great! Thanks for the recipe.
I just went vegan last week and recipes like this make me SO EXCITED! Thank you!
Yay!!! Welcome, Claire. So happy you are excited! Let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Is there a good slaw recipe to go with this?
I have a recipe for coleslaw dressing here, and a a recipe for a super delish coleslaw in my cookbook. 🙂
Okay…this was heavenly!!! I had to force myself to stop eating. 😉 Seriously! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Haha, love it! You’re most welcome, Tashina!
Another winning recipe! We made this and the coleslaw recipe. Loved every bite!
Woohoo! Love it 🙂
OMG….I JUST made this and shared the link to this recipe with all my friends, it is amazing! I cooked mine in my oressure cooker with a few cloves of minced garlic, some sautéed red onion and one “chicken” and one “beef” bouillon cube, I use Massels :)….Then I followed the rest of your recipe, its in the oven waiting for hubby to come home with some GF buns to grill, I can’t wait!
Woohoo!! So thrilled you loved it so much, Deb 🙂
howdy. I’m going to try this tomorrow. (and I realize you might not read the comments until much later) I’ve ready the comments back through January and don’t see the answer to my question (or missed it) But — I won’t be able to use it all. Does it keep its texture/flavor if I store in the fridge and reheat?
Hi Jane, I do try to answer comments within 48 hours, so hopefully I caught you in time! Yes, it’s great leftover as well. Enjoy 🙂
Thank you! And right on time 😉
Hi there. My jackfruit is cooking in the oven. The seeds have finished simmering and I’m wondering what to do with them now? (You did say keep them right!?) They actually taste ok warm, but wonder if you have any other ideas please?
Just cook the seeds right along with everything else, no need to separate them. Enjoy!
Thanks for your recipes…I’m a bit of a freak and don’t mind the longer recipes especially when they call for liquid smoke etc. If i were to merge the two jackfruit recipes, would I use the ingredients from one and the timing from the other, or just keep them separate?
Hi Natalie, just use one recipe or the other, merging isn’t a good idea. Or you could always just add a dash of liquid smoke to the BBQ sauce in this recipe. Enjoy!
I got canned jackfruit in brine and now don’t know if I should use it because of the sodium content if I rinse it really well would that take away most of sodium?
The jackfruit I normally buy is also in brine as seen in the pictures above. Just give it a rinse and you’re good to go!
HI this looks do good! I’m excited to bring this to a bbq tomorrow. What’s the best way to reheat the pulled jackfruit? Thank you!
Hi Danielle! I think you could toss it in a pot and reheat it with a bit of water over low heat. Enjoy!
I’m having trouble finding canned jackfruit, but could grab fresh at the farmer’s market tomorrow. Would that be okay? What would change in terms of preparation? Thank you!
Lucky you! I’ve never actually worked with fresh jackfruit before so I’m not too sure. The jackfruit I call for in this recipe is young or green and is not fully ripe. When it’s not ripe yet, it’s more on the starchy savoury side, but when it ripens it gets quite sweet. So make sure to grab a young jackfruit. Here’s a good article on working with jackfruit that may help.
I absolutely fell deliciously in love with this recipe!! I love it!! Thank you so much for sharing :)))
I only have one question, how can I put protein in this dish, so we can feel full afterwards?
Thank youuuu
So happy you like the recipe! You could serve some beans with it. Enjoy!
I’ve been wanting to make this since you first posted the recipe (so almost a year now). I have been on the hunt in my small city this past year for the young jackfruit in water. No body has it (not even the big Chinese grocery stores that have popped up). Anyway, my neighbour’s vegetarian boyfriend found it… and gave me two cans!!!!!! So, the point is… these were freakin’ AWESOME!!!!! Super easy to make and super tasty to devour… that’s it, no need to say anything more other than “make this recipe!” I would have given 10 stars, (Yes, I did ask where he got the jackfruit; a small Caribbean variety store in my city. I’ll be going there soon for more!)
YAY!! So happy you were able to find jackfruit and finally enjoy this recipe! Thrilled you love it so much, especially after the long wait 😀
This was just as good as when I cooked it for hours in a crock pot. If you get the canned jackfruit from Trader Joe’s, it is already cut up for you.
Perfect! So happy you enjoyed it, Marc 🙂
I’m a meat eater. I make BBQ for a living and love nothing more than succulent meats and the sides that accompany them. But, for anyone who may think that this recipe isn’t going to be good, it is. I made it and fooled several of my friends. They just thought it was a new pulled pork recipe I was trying out. It’s delicious and I’ll be using jackfruit as a veggie option from now on.
Haha, wow! So happy you love it so much, James! Glad you are providing veggie options 🙂
Made this for the first time last night. I thought it was fine. Family wasn’t so thrilled, lol. Maybe I did it wrong? Can I bake it, covered, for a couple of hours? What about crockpot or pressure cooker? I think it had a slightly tart taste that they couldn’t get over (omnis). I think it would have gone over better had I added sliced pineapple to it.
Hi Steph,
The tart taste may be your BBQ sauce as jackfruit doesn’t have a ton of flavour and instead just takes on the sauce you use. Cooking it longer would just make it soggy, but you could for sure add pineapple. Hope that helps!
This is the bomb. I have been vegetarian for 26 years and this is the best faux meat pulled pork sandwich I have ever eaten. I love it, as does my husband, and it will be a regular staple. Thank you so much for sharing….
Wow! So flattered to hear that, Lorri. So happy you and your husband love it so much!! Thank you for the lovely comment 🙂
This was so freaking amazing! Like I can’t get over it. I FINALLY got around to trying it tonight, and was totally skeptical. Served this to my kids (9 years and 1), my husband and my mom. Everyone loved it! My mom eats meat and would totally complain if she didn’t like it but she ate it and said it tasted like pork and was delicious. Major compliment. You are a genius!!
Awww shucks, Thanks so very much, Nora! So happy it was a hit with everyone 😀
I made a jackfruit pulled pork attempt 3 years ago and never made it again because it was like bleh. But this recipe changed everything for me and my hubby! OMG! Popping it in the oven makes so much difference. Thanks for sharing Sam!
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed it, Marvie 🙂
Just made this for tacos! Instead of bbq sauce I used tomatillo sauce (the green enchilada sauce in the can) and it turned out so good! For added spice I also added in some crushed red pepper. Just heat up some corn tortillas add in the jackfruit, onion, garlic mixture top with a little pico de gallo and squeeze a lime! so bomb, I didn’t even tell my boyfriend that it was jackfruit and not pork until after dinner, he was so shocked!
Hahaha!! That’s so awesome!! Great idea too 🙂
Not sure where you are sourcing your information, everything I have read says jackfruit seeds are totally safe to eat and actually have a lot of benefits.
This article doesn’t source any scientific studies, so personally, I wouldn’t trust it. On top of that I found nothing but positive reviews of the health benefits of jackfruit. The jackfruit has been consumed for centuries, and the seeds are often served roasted or in stews like a bean. If you did want to take that article seriously, however, it suggests the fruit is also a problem, so stay away from jackfruit all together. It’s up to you! Personally, I will continue to dig in!
Just finished eating this – superb! I used a spicier BBQ sauce and unfortunately my son had trouble eating it – what a wuss 😉 My hubby and I happily scoffed ours though. Made a broccoli slaw to go with it. Will make this again with a tamer sauce next time for my son. My only complaint, however, this is hardly your doing, is that this barely made enough for the three of us. We all had to skimp on the jackfruit part. I did use a different brand of canned jackfruit though so perhaps that’s the reason. I’ll know for next time. Delicious, easy, and quick meal! Thank you soooooo much 🙂
So happy you enjoyed it, Trish! Feel free to double or even triple the recipe to your liking when you make it again. I hope your son likes it when he gets a chance to try it as well 🙂
I just found this post while looking for a vegetarian option. Planning to make this for a party. Can I make it ahead and keep it warm in a slw cooker?
Thank you
Yes that should be fine. Enjoy!
Made this at the weekend, great recipe thanks. Used fresh Jackfruit, works fine.
Made the slaw too, and potato wedges.
Sounds epic! So glad it was enjoyed 🙂
Going to try this recipe at the weekend when son is home , can I use vegetable stock ?
I hope you enjoy it. Yes, vegetable stock and vegetable broth are the same thing. 🙂
This BBQ jackfruit recipe is really good and family-friendly. Thank you so much for putting this together! I thought it had much better texture than the slow cooker method I found on another site. The flavor was a bit more acidic than I like, so we might try a homemade BBQ sauce next time, leaving out the acid to compensate for the acidity of the jackfruit. I’m also thinking of trying this recipe without onions and using teriyaki sauce for Asian bowl or stir-fry recipes…
Ooo love the teriyaki sauce idea! Might have to be inspired by that one! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
this recipe I love!! made it several times but today is the first day of the new year, so…. I am gonna toss in some black eyed peas for good luck (and extra protein)!! thanks for this and happy healthy new year to all 🙂
Yay!! So happy you love it! Happy healthy new year to you as well suzi 😀
For others who might not be able to find the right kind of jackfruit locally, this brand on amazon is specifically marketed toward vegetarians and vegans to be used in recipes as a meat substitute. No ambiguity about whether you’re getting the right kind!
Thanks so much for posting the revamp of this recipe. My husband and I are both vegetarians, but he really suffers from meat cravings from time to time. This will be a great way to fulfill his cravings!!
Thanks for the tips Heather! Oh yes, this should hit the spot for him for sure! He might also enjoy my Tofu Bolognese, Lentil Shepherd’s Pie, Crispy & Chewy Sesame Shittake, Crispy Breaded Tofu Steaks, Sweet Korean Lentils and Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Tofu which all have a meaty sort of quality to them. 🙂
I love this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. It is so simple and the results are exactly what I wanted!
However, I wonder if you have any tricks for buying the *right* canned jackfruit? I grabbed a couple cans of young jackfruit in brine from Whole Foods, and when I cracked them open the fruit was pink! It also seemed to be much softer than the stuff shown in your pics. It ended up much sweeter than it should have been, although I added enough bbq sauce to mask this flavor. There was no way I could have known beforehand that the fruit was too ripe, plus it said “young” on the can and it had a “best before” date in 2018. If you have tips or tricks for avoiding this issue or dealing with it once it happens, that might be great for future recipes.
Yay!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Hmm… I have never had a problem with the jackfruit I have bought, perhaps the can you bought was just a not great one? You could try a different brand next time if you can find one. This is the one I buy. Hope that helps!
Hi there, going to source out young Green Jackfruit as I bought the wrong one before finding your site, then I can make this receipe.
Any suggestions on what I can do with the sweet version that I have already?
Looking for tons of new things to do/try as my son can’t have dairy, already doesn’t like meat, but is a super picky eater.
Thanks in advance
Meagan
You have a smart son 😉 haha. The sweet jackfruit is VERY sweet kind of like canned peaches. So it might be nice to use to sweeten up oatmeal, a smoothie, or nicecream. I hope you and your son enjoy the savoury version once you get a chance to make it 🙂
First time trying jackfruit and this recipe and omg it’s insane!! Can’t believe I never bothered to try this sooner, and found out we have canned jackfruit in water at the Asian supermarket down the road for so cheap!! Has mine in ciabatta rolls, with coleslaw and pickles. Thanks 🙂
P.s if your in Melbourne south east suburbs Hong Kong supermarket in Clayton is where I got it 🙂
Hahaha! So happy you love it so much Amanda. So yummy right!? 🙂
Hi
Question! What to do with the broth? Do I chuck it away? Wait until the jackfruit is dry? I mean, wait until the broth has all cleared up? Know I just threw the broth away as my jackfruit was very soft to start with. Is that right? Help! Greetings from Holland
The broth is so that jackfruit stays moist and doesn’t stick to the pan. Did you make sure to drain your jackfruit first? If so, and your jackfruit was still very wet, you can just skip the broth next time. Hope that helps!
Made your recipe today and it was amazing, quick and easy!! My hubby had two sandwiches…he loved it. We have eaten “pulled pork” sandwiches at a few vegan restaurants here in Toronto and in BC, this was the best by far!!
Thank you 🙂
Yay love it!!! Isn’t it just the best when homemade beats out restaurant food!? Cooking for the win! 😀
I don’t have access to canned jackfruit. Can I use fresh jackfruit?
Sure! But I’ve never worked with fresh jackfruit myself, so I wouldn’t know how to prep it.
Did you use fresh? How did it go? I did not rinse my just threw it in, simmering it now!
I’ve made this version a few times now and it has been a big hit with veg-heads and meat-eaters alike. This is much easier than your earlier version, but just as tasty. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Yay!! So happy you and your friends love it Liz. I knew it was a good idea to simplify that recipe! 🙂
Just made this tonight and it was great! In my opinion, it was even better than the store bought prepared bbq kind. Also LOVED your coleslaw dressing. Yum! Thanks for sharing!
Oh awesome! I have never tried the store-bought prepared kind (don’t think they have that in Canada yet), so I am thrilled it tastes even better homemade! So happy you enjoyed it so much 😀
I see on Amazon that there is young green jackfruit in brine and in water. Have you tried both? Is there a difference? Does the brine raise the sodium level higher than is healthy? Or is it essential to the taste – so maybe worth the occasional health risk?
Hi Deanna,
Both would work just fine. The one I use is in brine, but the jackfruit in water would work too, you may just need to add a pinch of salt to taste. Enjoy!
This looks amazing! I am cooking for only myself, and concerned about leftovers? Can I reheat it the next day? Can I freeze it? Don’t want to waste any food if possible!
You can definitely reheat it the next day, but feel free to also half the recipe. That said, I never have a problem eating it all myself 😉
So exciting! I just received an order of canned jackfruit and intended to use your original recipe (which I’ve made and love) but this looks so much easier and faster. Thank you, thank you!
Yay! You’re so very welcome Liz. I hope you enjoy this new version!
I tried this earlier in the year. My Jon vegan husband and kids said, “It looks like chicken, but we known out don’t eat meat.” They were afraid to try it, and I wouldn’t tell them what it was. More for me. Hahahaha! Thanks for caring to share.
Hahaha! That’s awesome!
I mean Jackfruit…..one word.
Haven’t taken the Jack Fruit plunge yet, but I think this would be it.
I highly recommend it! Plunge away! 🙂
Fantastic!! I printed the recipe with the 20 ingredients to try this week and was trying to figure out when evening I had enough time to do it in. Aaannnd then I seen this repost …..thank you thank you thank you!! I’ll do the quicker recipe tomorrow night!
Haha! Perfect timing!! Love it.
Doesn’t leaving the seeds in make a strange texture? I don’t cut off the core, but I’ve always taken the time to remove the seeds just because they seem like they would ruin the ~*JACKFRUIT EXPERIENCE*~
Nope, they just mash right in and I don’t even notice them. They end up being the same texture as everything else!
Interesting! I can’t believe I’ve been wasting so much prep time (and wasting so much jackfruit…). I’ll have to try it with the seeds still in.
Sounds absolutely delicious. Is that the same as the ones that you served us a couple of weeks ago? I ate every morsel and licked my fingers clean.
Yum !!!
Yes it is!! I sneakily recipe test on all who enter my house! Haha.
This is so timely, I actually made my first batch using a different recipe last night. The flavours were definitely there, but the recipe didn’t have me cut it up first so shredding was a LOT of work. And I wouldn’t have ever thought to use a potato masher, genius! ALSO, putting it in the oven sounds like it would make for some good cruchy bits. I will definitely follow your recipe the next time!!
Thank you for the awesome tricks to streamline the process!! 🙂
You’re so welcome Baily! Yes, the oven takes it from soft and mushy to a bit chewy with some delicious burnt bits. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
This post makes me super happy! I bought canned jackfruit in brine from Amazon recently to make shredded bbq jackfruit. I haven’t found a recipe that I wanted to try yet, mostly because of too many ingredients (as you mentioned) or it just seemed too complicated. This looks awesome! I’m recovering from an appendectomy but will be making this as soon as I can cook actual meals again. Question about the coleslaw dressing- any idea how much cabbage/carrots goes with one full recipe to be creamy coleslaw? Trying to decide if I need to double it for my family.
Haha yay! So happy it makes you happy 🙂
I didn’t measure my coleslaw but the dressing recipe makes a little over 1/2 cup. I would say that it would easily cover 6 cups of coleslaw, but probably more depending on how saucy you like it.