Today I managed to wrangle my very first Jackfruit, which was perfect for these Vegan Jackfruit Sliders.
Ok, so there wasn't much of a struggle, considering the good folks over at Family Foods International sent me a couple of cans to try as free samples. Thanks guys!
But it WAS my first time using fresh Jackfruit and I gotta tell you, I was kind of impressed.
Ok so first of all - what in the heck IS this jackfruit you keep talking about?
Jackfruit
The Jackfruit Tree is native to India and a close cousin to the fig or mulberry. It also bears these ginormous - Jurassic Park looking spiny fruits which just happen to be not only nutritious - but very delicious too.
In fact, its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit and can reach as much as 80 lb in weight.
What's taking the Vegan world by storm is the fact that when eaten green, or unripe, it's delicate flesh bears an uncanny resemblance to the texture of pulled pork, which is exactly why I decided to make these Vegan Jackfruit Sliders.
Nutritionally, Jackfruit is practically a superfood. Here are just a few facts I managed to gather for you:
- low calorie: 100 g provides just 95 calories.
- it's rich in dietary fiber
- good source of vitamin-C & A
- It is one of the rare fruits that is rich in a B-complex group of vitamins: B-6, niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid.
- Also a good source of potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron.
- With all this good stuff, you know there has to be a "but".
- So.... if you have a Latex Allergy - please read this article.
Where to Buy Jackfruit
Ok, so I've piqued your interest. Suppose you'd like to buy some to try this recipe.... Where in the heck do you even buy Jackfruit anyway?
First of all, know that you can buy it in any of the following ways:
- Fresh
- In Water
- In Brine
- In Syrup
I'd recommend you stick to the cans packed in water or brine. Jackfruit in syrup is the ripe jackfruit, is sweet, and lends itself to more dessert dishes than meat substitutes.
And if you buy one raw - I want to see the YouTube Video of YOU trying to wrangle one of these things!
Now, I've been told you can buy cans of Young, Green, Jackfruit in the following places
- Trader Joes
- Whole Foods
- Possibly WalMart
- Asian Supermarkets
- And of course, Amazon
So now that we know what Jackfruit IS, where to buy it, and have a recipe to follow.....
Let's go make some Sliders!
Vegan Jackfruit Sliders
I started by making a Coleslaw topping first, so let's start with the dressing.
In a blender combine a 15oz can of drained and rinsed White (or Cannellini) Beans, and all the remaining dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water if necessary to thin.
Combine the dressing with a 16oz package of Cole Slaw Mix, usually found next to the bagged salads.
Stir to combine and refrigerate for now.
The Sauce
Next, let's make the BBQ Sauce. This is an adaption of my Texas Style Vegan BBQ Recipe, tweaked to copy one of my favorite BBQ Joints in Albuquerque.... Rudy's Smokehouse.
Slightly sweet, slightly tangy, just the right amount of heat.... man I loved their sauce when I used to eat there. And this homemade sauce is a pretty close copy.
In a medium-sized saucepan we are going to mix some Tomato Sauce (no salt added is best), Ketchup (your favorite variety but I stay away from the High Fructose Corn Syrup ), Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Garlic Powder, Vegan Worcestershire, Liquid Smoke, Cumin, Black Pepper, and just a hint of Cayenne.
This gets whisked up real good and then brought to a slow simmer until it slightly thickens.
This recipe makes about 2 cups of BBQ Sauce.
The Jackfruit
Now the jackfruit. Since mine was packed in brine, be sure and drain it and give it a good rinse.
Now you're going to see they are in triangular shapes. The point of that triangle is the core and is pretty tough. But the outside edges will flake right off with a fork. This is the part you want. Shred this with a fork and add to a medium bowl.
You will see little round seeds that you can discard. Also, the seeds are surrounded by a tough pod like material, again I discarded this.
You might think we're tossing a lot of material here, and we are. A single 20 oz can of Young, Green Jackfruit will hardly give you 2 servings worth.
One more thing about unripened, fresh jackfruit....
IT STINKS
Yep, the smell is NOT too pleasant. BUT, it tastes amazing when it's cooked in our homemade BBQ sauce, so that's next.
Add the shredded jackfruit to a pan and add about 1 ½ cups of the BBQ Sauce and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
And that's it! You'll have a little leftover BBQ Sauce to pour on top or whatever you wish.
Start with some whole wheat rolls (oil-free if you can find them - or make your own), add a pile of coleslaw, followed by another pile of our BBQ jackfruit, and top it off with the condiments of your choice!
YUM!
That's if for this week.....as always LOVE LOVE LOVE those comments.
Don't forget to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
And be sure to share your creations on my Instagram Page using the hashtag: #brandnewvegan
Enjoy the sliders and I'll see you next week!
Vegan Jackfruit Sliders
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: BBQ, Oil-Free, Vegan
Description
Texas BBQ at its best, and I wonder if even the most tried & true BBQ Connoisseur will be able to tell that there is NO MEAT in this recipe! The secret's in the Jackfruit.
Ingredients
Coleslaw
- 1 pck Coleslaw Mix ((16oz))
Dressing
- 1 can White Beans (or Cannelloni) ((15oz))
- 3 Tbs Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 Tbs Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbs Dill Pickle Juice
- 1 tsp Celery Seed
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
Jackfruit
- 2 cans Young, Green Jackfruit in Brine ((20oz))
BBQ Sauce
- 1 can Tomato Sauce (no salt added) ((8 oz))
- 1 cup Ketchup ((8 oz))
- ¼ cup Molasses
- 2 ½ Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce ((vegan))
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Liquid Smoke
- ¼ tsp Ground Cumin
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
Coleslaw
- Drain the can of White Beans and then blend all coleslaw dressing ingredients together until smooth.
- Add a 16oz package of Coleslaw Mix to a large bowl and pour in the dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for now.
BBQ Sauce
- Whisk all BBQ Sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer and heat until bubbly and slightly thickened.
Jackfruit
- Drain jackfruit and rinse thoroughly.
- Remove the triangular core, the seeds, and the tougher seed pods, and shred the soft, fleshy outsides of the fruit into a medium bowl.
- Add the shredded jackfruit to a medium saucepan and add 1 ½ cups of BBQ sauce. Simmer over med-low heat for 20 minutes.
Notes
To assemble sandwiches: Add 1-2 Tbs of Coleslaw to a soft Dinner Roll followed by 1-2 Tbs of BBQ Jackfruit. Top with mustard, pickles, or pickled jalapenos.
Tips Are Always Welcome!
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Linda
Hi Chuck,
I love your recipes.
Here's a youtube video that is amazing at cutting a fresh jackfruit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7AbxVSEnFI I saw a fresh jackfruit at my local asian grocers a few months ago. There was a big sign above them that stated "We cannot guarantee that these jackfruit are overripe" meaning, rotten. They were over $50 each. I got canned ones.
Kyla
Husband demands I make these all the time.
Aurora
Great recipe. This was my first experience with jackfruit and it was terrific. I was concerned about the coleslaw dressing after reading some of the comments but it came out great! My husband loved the BBQ sauce and the pulled "pork" as well.
Amy
I made this tonight and it was delicious! We are 3 1/2 weeks into the vegan way of eating and my husband could not stop raving about this -- it doesn't feel like we gave anything up to eat a healthy, plant-based diet. I'm fascinated by the texture of the canned jackfruit -- pulls apart just like meat! Will definitely make it again and again.
Ed
Great post! I have made jackfruit sliders before and I am excited about trying your recipe. If you are fortunate enough to have one, you can get fresh and canned jackfruit at your located Asian market.
Lisa Smith
Don't you think a nice coleslaw resipe would be better than paying for pre-packaged coleslaw? Just sayin'.
Chuck Underwood
Some people like the convenience of pre-packaged.
Suzy
This is the first one of your recipes that has missed the mark for me. I agree with the commenter who said the dressing on the slaw had a "weird texture." I had tried another of your salad recipes using the cannelini beans and it was fine when eaten immediately, but after a day in the fridge it turned gloppy and didn't taste nearly as good. I tasted the slaw after preparing it and ended up adding a lot more stuff to zing it up. I wasn't really a fan of the BBQ sauce, but I've done jack fruit before with my own sauce and I like the way it transforms into pulled "pork." If you buy it packed in water (or frozen) it doesn't smell so bad coming out of the can. I like the idea of shredding the harder pieces in the food processor and cooking longer! No waste is always a good thing!
Jenny Thielemann
This was GREAT! I didn't eat pork, even before WFPB, so I can't speak to whether BBQ jackfruit could fool meat eaters like some say, but it was definitely very good in its own right. It was actually even better a day or two later after the flavors melded. (How nice is it that we don't have the spoilage concerns associated with meat products?) The cannelini bean slaw dressing seemed to have a weird texture, but that might just be my subconscous expectation of the mayo-based type. At any rate, it really enhanced the meal to eat them together: It had a reallygood flavor profile. Overall, I will definitely use this recipe again. Thanks for posting it.
Lillian
Hi Chuck thanks for the great recipe! I don't like pickle juice. Can you tell me what else I can use or substitute?
Chuck Underwood
Just try it without
Joy
I also use all the tough pieces of the jackfruit. I shred them in the food processor. If you cook them long enough, they will get tender. The whole thing is yummy. I’ve read a lot of conflicting things online about what part to eat, and what part to discard, but you can really eat it all! (Except I never tried the outer skin). You can even eat the seeds, they taste kind of like nuts. Boil the seeds first if they are raw.
Shirley
Hi Chuck. I shred the jack fruit with my hands after I drain and rinse. I also use the seeds in the mix, and since I'm using my fingers to shred the fruit, if the core shreds easily, I use it as well. I will use a dry bbq rub mixed in, then bake at 350 for about 30 minutes to give it some crunchy bits. Then mix with a bbq sauce and heat on the stovetop. Or just throw the shredded fruit into a crockpot with homemade or favorite bbq sauce and cook on high for a few hours then turn down low until ready to serve. In a crockpot, people don't know the difference. But I will give your recipe a try.
Cathy
Hi Chuck
Why discard seeds? They crush and are edible
Maryanne J Hoburg
I think you are so wonderful and uplifting. I adore your heart, site and insight.
Thank you!