meatless essentials: amazing jackfruit bbq

How To Make meatless essentials: amazing jackfruit bbq

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  PREP/PREPARE
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  You will need a large saucepan to make this recipe, or a sous vide cooker, or a slow cooker/instant pot.
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  The Amazing Jack Fruit Ah, jackfruit… You may have heard of it before… The jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. It grows between southern India and the rainforests of Malaysia, where it relishes the warm, wet climate. Its fruit is the largest of all fruit-bearing trees and can weigh in up 120 pounds (55kg). A single tree can produce from 200 – 500 fruits a year, depending on its age. The jackfruit is a multiple fruit composed of hundreds-to-thousands of individual flowers. The immature fruit (which is what we are working with) has a mild taste, with a meat-like texture, and is used in many vegetarian and vegan recipes. In contrast, the ripe fruit can be much sweeter (depending on variety) and is more often used for dessert dishes.
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  What are we Working With? You can purchase jackfruit whole, or cut up at many Asian markets, or you can purchase it in cans. The recipe uses canned jackfruit for three reasons: 1. It is easier than cutting up a hole fruit. 2. It is much easier to find. 3. In my tests you cannot tell the difference between whole and canned.
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  To make this recipe work, you will need: Young jackfruit, not mature. Mature jackfruit tastes sweet, and that will not work, when you are attempting a meat-substitute recipe. Canned jackfruit comes packed in brine, water, and/or syrup. The kind I use is Organic Young Jackfruit, packed in water with a pinch of sea salt, and a few drops of organic lime juice.
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  This is the brand I use, and have never been disappointed: Native Forest Organic Young Jackfruit Packed in water, with a bit of lime and sea salt 14 ounces per BPA-free can
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  Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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  Add the beef stock to a saucepan, and boil until you have about 3/4 of a cup.
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  Remove from the heat and dissolve a pinch to two of salt into the hot broth, then allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
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  Remove the jackfruit from the can, rinse off, and let sit in the warm beef broth for about an hour.
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  After an hour, remove the jackfruit, drain on paper towels, and toss with the dry spices.
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  Reserve the beef broth. In case you need it to thin down the sauce.
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  At this point you can cook the jackfruit three ways: sous vide, stovetop, or slow cooker/instant pot. If you are using a sous vide cooker, then go to the next step. If you are using the stovetop, then go down to the section on Stovetop, and if you are using a slow cooker, to go the section on Slow Cooker. Since I am using a sous vide cooker, I do not have any photos for the stovetop, or slow cooker methods; however, the instructions are very clear. So, choose your method, and go for it.
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  THE SOUS VIDE COOKER
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  Place the sous vide cooker into a water bath, and set the temperature to 185f (85c)
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  Add 2 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce to the spiced jackfruit, mix to combine, add to a vacuum bag, and seal.
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  Water Displacement Method If you are not using a vacuum-sealing machine (Food Saver, etc.), then you, most likely, are employing standard plastic food bags (Ziploc, etc.). To get as much of the air out of the bag, as possible, fill it with food and slowly sink the open bag into a pan of water, while keeping the open end just above the waterline. The pressure of the water will push against the bag and force out most of the air. Then, seal the bag and you are ready to sous vide. If I am using Ziploc-type bags, I always clip the bag to the side of the container with the zip-seal portion above the water line. One more thing, do not use the “regular” Ziploc bags; use the ones designed to go into the freezer. They are much stronger and less prone to leaks.
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  Cook for 90 minutes.
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  Open the bag, pour into a bowl, and break up the jackfruit with a fork. It will look like pulled pork.
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  Place in a small saucepan, add the remainder of the BBQ sauce, and keep over low heat, until ready to serve.
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  THE STOVETOP
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  Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer (that means it is hot), add the jackfruit. Sauté until it begins to develop some color, about 2 – 3 minutes. Add the BBQ sauce, and if too thick, add some of the reserved beef stock to thin it down. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. CT: Use your spatula to break up the jackfruit, and make it look more like shredded pork. To finish, turn the heat up to medium high and cook, stirring constantly until the color deepens, about 2 – 3 minutes. Do not let it burn.
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  THE SLOW COOKER
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  Add the seasoned jack fruit and two tablespoons of the BBQ sauce to the bowl of your slow cooker/instant pot, and mix to combine. Set to low and cook for 4 hours. Remove from cooker, place in a bowl. Add the remainder of the BBQ sauce and break up with a fork, until it resembles pulled pork.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Serve on buns, over a pile of coleslaw, or any old way you please. Enjoy.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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