Jackfruit is suddenly everywhere. I recently found a can of jackfruit in my pantry. It was the first I’d ever heard of it and now I see it everywhere. It turned up as a meat replacement in the cooler and dry food sections of my supermarket, on lunch menus in trendy cafes and in restaurant entrees. Here is a bit about Jackfruit and 4 ways I have experienced it.
SUCH A STRANGE FRUIT
Jackfruit is a giant tree fruit native to Southeast Asia. I am not exaggerating when I say giant, the green spiky fruits can grow up to 100 pounds making it the world’s largest fruit. Jackfruits trees are related to fig and mulberry trees and can produce hundreds of fruit a year.
People report the flavor of ripe jackfruit to be similar to pineapple or mango and it is often served in dessert dishes. The texture of the unripe fruit resembles pulled pork and it has the ability to take on the flavors of the sauces it’s cooked in so Jackfruit has emerged as a meat replacement in restaurants and grocery stores.
Since I am putting a lot of time into learning plant-based cooking I am so curious about this peculiar fruit. Here are my adventures with unripe Jackfruit served ‘meat style’.
FIRST TIME
Curious about the strange fruit I had never heard of, I emptied the mystery can of teriyaki flavoured Jackfruit into a pan to warm it up. I took a few bites of it cold to check it out. Without a recipe or plan I really didn’t know what to do with it. I found the texture to be a lot like artichoke heart, smooth and tender. While I liked the teriyaki flavour and didn’t mind the texture, I didn’t feel it was something I would ever sit and nibble or even serve up as a side dish. I didn’t finish all of it and felt that it was something to consume in small amounts perhaps as tapas or garnish. I could enjoy a few pieces on a cracker versus a whole bowl of it.
GOOD OLD SANDWICH
Dr. Smood changed my opinion about jackfruit. Dr. Smood cafe is ‘probably the healthiest cafe in New York’. No really, that’s actually Dr. Smood’s tag line. The super innovative cafe in Manhattan is one of my favorites.
This was the second time I’d come across Jackfruit. I ordered Dr. Smood’s Jackfruit and mushroom sandwich where the jackfruit was prepared chicken salad style with the jackfruit in place of chicken and mixed with a tasty plant-based mayo served on low glycemic flatbread.
It was delicious, I went back three times for the jackfruit sandwich during that stay in NY. It pairs nicely with tomato soup and that’s what I had every time. (Sorry, I think it was a seasonal menu item)
FIESTA STYLE
Inspired by Dr. Smood I picked up a pack of Chili lime Jackfruit in the cooler section at Sprouts market for our family’s Taco Tuesday dinner. Made by Upton Naturals, the fresh and citrus marinated Jackfruit made for a yummy plant-based fajita. I couldn’t believe how much rich flavor the Jackfruit soaked up giving the classic Mexican dish a burst of heartiness and flavor.
INSTANT ASIAN FUSION
For my fourth experience with Jackfruit I bought a package of Teriyaki Jackfruit in the dried goods section at Sprouts Market. Made by The Jackfruit Company, this asian inspired meal-to-go just needed to be heated.
The teriyaki marinade was deliciously tangy and full of umami and the Jackfruit fully took on the flavor. Served with rice I think this would be a delicious lunchbox meal or dinner side dish.
The appearance of the marinated Jackfruit in the pan looked like a hearty beefy meal was about to served however Jackfruit’s texture definitely will not fool a meat lover. The savory and filling meal was very satisfying
MORE JACKFRUIT PLEASE
If you are looking for flavorful plant-based meals as alternatives to your favorite classic meat dishes, try out jackfruit. If you are trying to lower your fat intake as part of your healthy living strategy, using jackfruit in place of meat will eliminate a lot of fat from your diet. Do you eat a solely plant based diet? Jack fruit will add some novelty to your meals.
I am excited to get to know jackfruit better and look forward to trying out a few recipes from scratch.
Have you tried Jackfruit?
What is your favorite way to eat Jackfruit?
I started pumping iron and drinking green smoothies in my teens. Now a 40+ mama with 25 years of experience working in the fitness industry, I do things differently. What I discovered during my personal healing journey made me pivot in my approach as a personal fitness and wellness coach. Now I teach people how to sweat, nourish and glow from an entirely new perspective.