The Best Vegan Jackfruit "Pulled Pork" Taco "Meat"
This is the BEST vegan jackfruit meat--perfect for tacos!
Ingredients
- 1/2 white onion sliced thinly
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans green/unripe jackfruit in brine, not in syrup, cut into slices [see notes]
- 1/4 cup diced tomatoes (or salsa)
- 1.5 tbsp oil I prefer grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seed
- 1 tbsp Smoked paprika sweet or spicy is fine, whatever you prefer
- 1 tbsp Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano powder
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
- Chili powder optional: to taste
- Jalapeno optional: minced, to taste
- 1 tsp agave may substitute with honey
- 1 tbsp vegetarian/vegan bouillon mixed with 1/4 cup water or veg stock
- 1 small handful Cilantro minced finely
- Lime to taste
- Salt to taste, I prefer kosher salt
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse and drain jackfruit. The pieces come in chunks or triangle shapes. Slice the chunks thinly and try to get some of the core (the tougher center section) in each cut--we don’t want a piece that is ONLY core. Rinse the jackfruit once more in a colander, drain, and thoroughly dry.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to sizzle add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chilies if using. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions are golden brown and softened.
- Add jackfruit, salt, paprika, cumin, oregano, black pepper and agave (starting with 1 tsp and tasting for the right balance), and water/bouillon mixture. Stir to coat and reduce heat to low - medium. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the jackfruit has been properly simmered--it will begin to naturally fall apart/shred (very similar to meat!), taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more paprika or cumin for smokiness, chili powder for heat, agave for sweetness, salt for depth of flavor, or lime for acidity.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 2-3 more minutes to get a little extra color/texture. Then remove from heat and spread thinly on an airfryer basket. Place in a 425 degree F airfryer and cook for 10 minutes (or until browned), stirring halfway through. Alternatively, if you don't have an airfryer, spread thinly on a baking sheet lined in foil. Place in a 500 degree F oven (or under the broiler) for 2-3 minutes to crisp up. Watch the oven closely so the jackfruit does not burn.
- Serve on torillas and garnish with raw onion, avocado slices, cilantro, quick pickles and sauces of your choice [salsa verde is great!]
Notes
Storage
The jackfruit can be eaten as soon as it’s made or can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The jackfruit will actually begin to taste better the longer it’s able to sit in the spices, so this recipe tastes even better a day or two after making.Spices/Special Ingredient List [and where to buy]
Shopping for spices and special ingredients can feel a bit intimidating and can also get expensive-especially if you don’t use them often. I recommend buying spices in bulk from an Indian/Asian grocer as these will be fresher than what’s offered at the grocery store and also significantly less expensive. If you are not ready to commit to a large quantity, shopping the bulk bins at the co-op is an excellent choice. You can buy exactly what you need for the recipe. No wastage, and nothing to store! Spices you will need for this recipe:- Cumin Seed available at any grocery store/Indian market. It’s great for so many different cuisines but if you don’t use it often, buy what you need from the bulk bins.
- Smoked Paprika If you can’t find smoked paprika, any sort of adobo sauce or dried, smoked chile (I like chili Morita but a lot of people prefer chipotles) will work fine. Add the dried chili to the pan when you are sauteing the onion. It’ll release a little flavor and a little heat, but not too much. Remove before serving.
- Agave- agave is a natural sweetener and can be found in nearly any grocery store.
- Jackfruit- you can buy jackfruit whole at any of the local Asian markets or Fresh Thyme. I prefer to use the canned Green/unripe jackfruit as it’s just easier to manage. For this recipe, it is very important to use unripe jackfruit in water or brine and not jackfruit in syrup! I buy my canned jackfruit from Trader Joe’s or my local Asian/Indian market.