For more basic information on how to clean and prepare it, check out our jackfruit 101. If you’re buying a fresh jackfruit, look for one that is green. The best part about jackfruit’s that everything is edible. It is available in many Asian markets and specialty stores. However, the texture changes somewhat once it’s thawed. When still green, jackfruit has a more neutral flavor, similar to a potato, and will absorb the flavor of other foods it's cooked with. If you cook them longer, they get a potato-like, dry texture and taste like chestnuts. They range from small 2-pound fruits to the largest 40- to 80-pound cultivars. They are full of extra nutrients, including starch, protein, antioxidants, and the B vitamins thiamine and riboflavin. These sandwiches are great topped with shredded cabbage, pineapple chunks, and sliced avocado. Jackfruit flesh is safe raw. That’s because what you’ll usually find in the can is already mostly broken down, which is typically the hardest part of getting jackfruit ready to eat. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. No matter what, it's sure to be enjoyable. "I prepare jackfruit by sautéing finely minced garlic with diced celery, carrots, and onions in extra-virgin olive oil until softened, then I add white wine to deglaze. Jackfruit seeds look a lot like extra-large white beans. After pouring out the jackfruit water, sautée the jackfruit in butter or vegetable oil. It is a vegetarian replacement for meat. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bake on the same shelf as the sweet potatoes for 40 minutes. Get daily tips and expert advice to help you take your cooking skills to the next level. I prepare … The fruit grows in tropical Asian regions and is most common in Asian cuisines. It's sweet but not saccharine, and tastes like pineapple, cantaloupe, banana, papaya, and cucumber had a baby. I’ve made jackfruit like this and compared it to jackfruit … By using our site, you agree to our. You can eat ripe jackfruit fresh or bake it into a dessert. Give jackfruit a try if you’re … Always be careful when cooking things on the stove. One common misconception is that jackfruit seeds are toxic. Next, I add smoked cherry or Roma tomatoes into the sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and then shred [jackfruit] into the sauce. Use oven mitts to move skillets and other hot pans. Due to the fruit's size, many stores offer precut jackfruit as well. It has a texture very similar to chicken or pulled pork, which makes it an excellent "vegetarian meat" for curries, salads, and noodles. Last Updated: August 15, 2020 How do I prepare a jackfruit? The seed pods can be eaten, as well as the stringy fleshy sections between the pods and skin. References. Purchase a can of jackfruit packed in water, and use a fork to pull the flesh of the fruit apart. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Native to Southeast Asia, jackfruit is prized for its wonderful flavour and multiple health benefits.It is the largest tree-born fruit and can weigh up to 80lbs (36kg). If you don’t have it, substitute the same amount of sriracha. Jackfruit is canned in brine, which makes it very salty. Fresh and tinned jackfruit is now widely available in British supermarkets. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. How to Eat Jackfruit: Sometimes used as a meat substitute, the distinctively sweet and fruity aroma is a nod to the flavor inside. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. If you’d like to learn more about jackfruit health benefits, read this nutrition breakdown. Read our, The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our, Top 10 Tropical Fruits and How to Prepare Them, Jackfruit Curry With Bell Peppers, Cashews, and Lime Leaf. Drain the tins of young jackfruit then pour the fruit meat into a deep baking tray. Most have a firm texture, though some can be rather soft. Additionally, durian is generally reserved for sweets and doesn't have the savory dish potential of green jackfruit. There are many varieties of jackfruit. 1 Jackfruit is one of those auspicious trees that people like to grow in their homes. In the spring and summer, it’s great cooked with your favorite sauce or seasoning, and works well when added to salads, grain bowls or used as a … Ripe jackfruit that hasn’t been cut yet looks like a large dinosaur egg with bumps and small spikes all over it. ; Add the chopped/pulled jackfruit… Ripe jackfruit can be eaten fresh or added to desserts such as ice cream. It's the unripe, green jackfruit that's the most interesting and useful. The apple juice adds a subtle sweetness to the dish that plays well with the spiciness of the chile-garlic sauce. Cut, ripened jackfruit can be stored in plastic in the refrigerator for about one week or the freezer for up to one month. Jackfruit also has a substantial amount (about 3 grams each) of fiber and protein per cup. A common way to prepare jackfruit is by boiling or using a pressure cooker. Jackfruit is a seasonal fruit. For most people, it is perfectly safe to eat cooked jackfruit seeds. Ripe jackfruit has a tropical fruit sweetness often likened to mango or pineapple. Or add it to stir-fries, salads, or any recipe in which chicken or pork would be used. Raw jackfruit contains protein and lots of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and iron. The canned variety has less than the fresh, which is always the case with any vegetable or fruit. US Department of Agriculture.  FoodData Central. Most recipes with jackfruit don’t call for additional salt because of the brine used in the canning process. These include aspirin, antiplatelet medications, blood thinners, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Step 1 – Prepare. Canned Jackfruit Recipes: My pulled jackfruit is a classic take on bbq pulled pork and makes a great vegan alternative; time to jump on the jackfruit pulled pork band wagon! Fresh jackfruit flesh can be stored in an airtight container, lined with a piece of paper towel, up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Updated April 1, 2019. % of people told us that this article helped them. Jackfruit is a large, prickly fruit that grows on a tropical tree that can reach a height of 80 feet. With a variety of jackfruit-preparation options, you never have to eat it the same way twice. You can try it out for yourself, whether you decide to cut and prepare the jackfruit from scratch or go straight for the can. Now that you’ve learned how to prepare jackfruit, feel free to incorporate into as many dishes as you’d like. But the outcome is just delicious. Even if you prepare the jackfruit in a skillet, just roasting it in the oven for ten or fifteen minutes afterwards will give it a chewier and meatier texture. To roast the seeds, layer them on a sheet pan and bake them in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 °F (204 °C). It's best to lay down newspaper over a wide working surface, then slice the jackfruit into two halves. This helps to remove any tinned or metallic taste that canned jackfruit (and other canned goods) can typically have. It is oblong, green, and looks somewhat like durian, though jackfruit can be even larger. There are 22 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Jackfruit seeds' bad reputation likely comes from the fact that they do contain tannins and trypsin inhibitors. They can be added as a salad topping or smoothie ingredient, pureed into hummus, ground into flour, or eaten as a snack. The longer you soak it for, the less salty it will be. Prepare jackfruit as a fish substitute in a “tuna salad” sandwich. If you have a pressure cooker, 10 minutes is usually enough. How to prepare jackfruit. If you intend to enjoy it while green, process and freeze it as soon as possible. She cooks the fruit in a heaping of spices, soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste, then piles it into a warmed pita with red onion slices, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, lettuce, potato fries, and homemade tzatziki. Roasting, much like roasted pumpkin seeds, is a popular way to finish cooking the seeds. It's best to lay down newspaper over a wide working surface, then slice the jackfruit into two halves. The canned variety will be packed in brine (preferred for curry and other savory dishes) or syrup, which is ripe and sweet and not as universally useful. The raw seeds pose a potential risk to people who take certain medications, including common over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription blood thinners. Always be careful when using a sharp knife. A common way to prepare jackfruit is by boiling or using a pressure cooker. Read on to find out more about this mysterious fruit, including how to prepare it and what to cook with it. Add half of the Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce and stir, then seal tightly with tin foil. Green, unripe jackfruit is often used as a pulled-pork substitute, but it takes a lot less time to prepare, meaning you can have dinner on the table within 30 minutes. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Fill your bowl with rice, shredded carrot, and wilted spinach, and top the dish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha for some heat. Watch H-E-B Chef Scott cut and prepare Jackfruit, an exotic summer fruit that's a sweet treat and a good source of fiber. It's often used in curries, especially in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries where it's plentiful in the markets. Though you need to be patient to cook this recipe. It's typically sold by the pound, with the average market jackfruit weighing between 10 and 25 pounds. We prepare this Jackfruit Curry with raw Jackfruit. In fact, the jackfruit is the largest fruit that comes from a tree, sometimes reaching 80 pounds and 36 inches long. Jackfruit isn't easy to peel because of its sticky sap. What Does Jackfruit Look Like? The flesh can vary slightly as well, from yellow to deep orange, with more or less sweetness. Making pulled jackfruit, or jackfruit pulled pork is really easy and a fantastic alternative to meat and is pretty quick to do! Many people choose to discard jackfruit seeds but they are edible as long as they're cooked. The extras can be frozen for future use, just like you would with extra fresh meat. Jackfruit contains natural latex, so if you have a latex allergy, wear gloves. When the jackfruit is cooked, peel off the skin to reveal the seeds and pods surrounding the seeds. Preparing jackfruit, especially if your’s is from a can, is super easy. When cut open, you'll see large, pale yellow pods (or bulbs) that contain seeds and are connected to the fruit's core. Jackfruit is the key to “meaty” vegan meals. Continued How to Prepare It. If you are buying raw jackfruit that is ripe then the advice is always to cut it up and take out the seeds outdoors – if you do this indoors you will have to contend with the smell. While waiting prepare the toppings. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Jackfruit is becoming increasingly popular as a vegan substitute for pulled meat. Whether raw or ripe, make sure to avoid fruit with black or dark spots. When seasoned and cooked, it makes a nice substitute for meat. If working bare-handed, slather oil over your hands and a sharp serrated knife so they don't get too sticky. Take extra caution when doing so and work carefully so the knife doesn't slip. When hot, add the diced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened and translucent. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The smell of a whole jackfruit will usually indicate its ripeness: The stronger the smell, the riper the fruit. Before you begin cutting, arranage all of your supplies to make the process easier and quicker. Cook with the "flesh" or bag and freeze it. Raw or cooked, the jackfruit experience is definitely worth having. There are two kinds of jackfruit commonly available: green or unripe jackfruit, which has a relatively mild flavor and is best when used in savory recipes; and yellow or ripe jackfruit, which is sticky and sweet and preferred for desserts. The fun part is that many people believe that the best part is the jackfruit … Green, unripe jackfruit is often used as a pulled-pork substitute, but it takes a lot less time to prepare, meaning you can have dinner on the table within 30 minutes. In some rare cases, a jackfruit can weigh up to 100 lbs. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. But if you roast them less, they will be more moist and creamy, so they are also perfect to make jackfruit soup.Therefore, how much you roast depends on the type of texture you want from your jackfruit seeds.You can also learn how to make jackfruit seed flour too! Worldwide, jackfruit is increasingly being used as a vegetarian substitute for meat in some surprising recipes, including American-style barbecue and sandwiches. Reply Jackfruit … Not just the fruit inside, but the seeds as well. These directions apply to both ripe and unripe fruit. Canned jackfruit recipes are a great thing to master; you can source canned jackfruit online (I buy mine from Amazon – here) from a few different vendors and it lasts for ages making it a great store cupboard item. Fresh jackfruit can be purchased at Asian food markets and specialty stores. This is a quick tutorial on what is jackfruit and how to eat it! Jackfruit is not the easiest fruit to prepare. Jackfruit, raw. The seeds are similar to chestnuts after boiling or roasting. Cutting onions (or any vegetable) into same-sized pieces makes them cook through evenly. Unripe jackfruit can be used as a substitute for meat to create healthy plant-based meals such as tacos, pulled chicken sandwiches, and much more. With its shredded-pork-like texture and ability to absorb the flavor of whatever sauce it’s cooked in, it’s no surprise! Jackfruit can be an excellent meat substitute in Greek gyros if you prep it right like Lazy Cat Kitchen. Have you heard about jackfruit? Prepeare the jackfruit according to the post above (“pulled” texture) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Hope you all enjoy this, please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you! The biggest difference is that durian has an intense flavor and smell, which is noticeable even while the fruit is still whole. How to Cook and Prepare Jackfruit - Key Points: Jackfruit is a versatile ingredient, suitable for use in sweet and savoury dishes. Preparing a green jackfruit takes a little doing, but it yields a lot of food. Give jackfruit a try if you’re looking for a new meatless culinary experience. The raw fruit is easily available in the spring season. Bring the water and jackfruit to a boil, then cook for 45 minutes. It’s the world’s largest fruit, it grows on trees, and can weigh between 10 and 60 lbs. Learn how to prepare it so that you can make my delicious pulled jackfruit! Green, unripe jackfruit doesn’t have much of a flavor, making it an excellent vessel for all kinds of sauces and flavors. how to cook with canned jackfruit. Boil the jackfruit chunks for 45 minutes or until the inner flesh is soft and a bit stringy, like chicken. Ripe jackfruit flesh—the arils of the fruit—is delicious. Use your jackfruit to make vegetarian curry; it can be a substitute for ingredients like tofu or chickpeas. These nachos are great with an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce, sour cream, cilantro, and lime. Unripe jackfruit won’t give you the same odour problems, but it will … This article has been viewed 2,824 times. Jackfruit can also be purchased frozen, dried, or canned. Jackfruit can grow up to 35 inches in length and reach a 21-inch diameter. Don’t be afraid to top your sandwich with more sauce from the skillet. For extra spice, add a drizzle of sriracha over your sandwich. We’ve added it to fried rice at home, and also folded it into slow cooker chili and stew. Whole jackfruit will ripen as it rests. Find Asian chile-garlic sauce at an Asian supermarket or your local grocery. If the oil isn’t hot enough when the onions hit the pan, they’ll absorb all the oil and produce a greasy, not-very-tasty mess. Jackfruit also makes a nice addition to a quick weeknight curry. Thanks to it’s awesome stringy texture, unripe canned jackfruit is getting a lot of buzz for its use in vegan and vegetarian recipes, such as shredded BBQ tacos, sandwiches, and curries. The seeds may increase bleeding in people who take certain medications. Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine. Once they start to turn brown, they’ll be much sweeter and won’t work as well in savory dishes. Dig all of this out, separating the seeds. Roasted jackfruit seeds serve as great snacks. Now that you have your jackfruit, it is time to open it up an enjoy! Jackfruit looks like an oversized durian, though durian is spiky where jackfruit has a more pebblelike skin. In the UK, cutting up a fresh jackfruit is a problem you’re unlikely to encounter - it’s hard to find whole, unless you’ve got a specialist grocer in your area. To keep it from gumming up your knife and hands, rub them with cooking oil before you slice open your fruit. Keep slicing until you have large chunks of fruit (leaving the skin on). Jackfruit Taste: It has a flavor combo of apple, mango and banana. If you have a favorite taco or fajita recipe, substitute the meat for jackfruit and prepare the dish the same way. Making Sweet and Spicy Jackfruit Sandwiches, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Eat-Jackfruit-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Eat-Jackfruit-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Eat-Jackfruit-Step-2.jpg\/aid12105143-v4-728px-Eat-Jackfruit-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"