Everything You Need To Know About Jackfruit

Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world. It’s a relative of the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family and is indigenous to India. Although, you can now find them growing in various parts of Asia, such as Malaysia.

Most of us are accustomed to seeing pre-prepared jackfruit in cans or fridge-sections of the supermarket. But if you venture out to a specialist market, you will see it in its purest and most impressive form: as a giant, spiky, green fruit! Understandably, its large size can make people feel intimidated and put them off preparing it, hence why it’s most commonly found ready-made in the shops.

When eaten raw, jackfruit has a sweet and tropical taste. What makes this fruit so popular, however, is its ability to taste savoury when prepared in a certain way. In recent years, jackfruit has caught on in the western world as a healthy and versatile meat substitute. It is the perfect solution for those who do not particularly like processed meat replacements such as seitan.

Vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians alike have adopted this magical ingredient to take centre stage in a wide variety of meat-free dishes, from pulled ‘pork’ to hoisin ‘duck’. Its subtle flavour makes it quite simple to adapt to whatever you want it to taste like - similar to tofu - and the fact it’s easily shredded means that it’s already halfway there with the meaty texture too!

Not only does it make a delicious and versatile meat substitute, but it’s also environmentally-friendly. Did you know that one jackfruit tree can grow up to 200 fruits annually?

You will most likely come across jackfruit in canned form (be sure to purchase it in brine), so it’s important to drain and rinse it before beginning the magical transformation into a meat substitute. Once rinsed, dab the jackfruit dry with a towel to get rid of excess water. For beginners, I would suggest trying a barbecue pulled pork recipe as this is one of the most popular dishes to make with jackfruit. As long as you marinate the fruit in one of your favourite, savoury (with just a hint of sweet) sauces and cook it well, you can’t go wrong. I like to lay the jackfruit out flat on a roasting tray and pop it in the oven to make it extra meaty and flavoursome. 

Remember, although jackfruit is a great meat substitute it isn’t a particularly good source of protein, so make sure to get some legumes in your meals, too!