Jackfruit of all Trades

We all have loved ones who are either vegetarian and vegan and during these festive summer months barbecue feasting we relegate them to flavorless faux hotdogs, roasted vegetables or giant mushroom caps disguised as “hamburgers.”

Enter the noble Jackfruit. In the country of my birth, we know it as a cousin of the much more popular breadfruit.  But in its young unripened form, it can transform into the kind of delicious meal that will bring your vegan friends out from the fringes of the barbecue.

Introducing the Barbecue Jackfruit Taco.

1. 2 20 oz cans of young green Jackfruit in water (sold by Amazon if you can’t find locally)
2. 1/2 cup bbq sauce
3. 1/4 cup agave nectar
4. 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
5. 1/4 cup ketchup
6. 1 large onion (diced)
7. 5 garlic cloves (also diced)
8. Salt and Pepper
9. flour tortillas
10. fresh coleslaw
11. water (if needed)

Drain the jackfruit chunks, slice off any hard inner core that might remain attached and slice the rest into strips.

In a large pan over medium-high heat soften the diced onion and garlic in a little olive oil before adding the drained Jackfruit strips.

Add a few pinches of salt and pepper, stir to mix and lower the fire to low so we can start working on the sauce.

Combine the bbq sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire and agave nectar then add it to the pot.

Give it a quick stir, put the lid on and WALK AWAY. Come back in twenty minutes or so to check up on the tenderness of the Jackfruit. If it still doesn’t resemble pulled pork then add a bit of water and walk away again.

Once it resembles something akin to this, pull it off the fire and let’s start shoveling out this barbecue deliciousness.

Soft flour tortillas, fresh coleslaw and (optional) few chunks of pineapple will result in a dish that though fully vegan has the taste and texture of something so much more.

So much of the culture of food is more than simply the dish itself, it’s about the ability of food to bring us together as a community.  When you are able to provide for the different dietary needs of your loved ones then you’re giving them a signal that they are part of a greater community.  With each and every bite you’re making a better world

Until next time, stay grumpy…