Jackfruit Barbecue
Ever since I heard that you could use unripe jackfruit as a meat substitute, I've been wanting to try it. I really like trying new things and it seemed like an appropriate experiment in a place where I can actually get fresh jackfruit. But then, all the recipes online called for canned young jackfruit, so how could I make my own? I finally found some websites that described how to cut up a young jackfruit and cook it as the base for other recipes.
Now, I think that the jackfruit I ended up with was not quite young enough. The seeds were already big and hard and even though it wasn't sweet yet, it probably would have been better if it were less old. But the good news is that it did still work. First, I covered a knife and my hands in oil, laid out a bunch of paper, and then cut the skin and inner core out of the jackfruit. I cut out what was in between - the white stringy part (which always reminds me of the inside of intestines for some reason) and the fruit. I took out the seeds too and put them aside. So the white part and the fruit I boiled for about 25 minutes (websites I found said 15 minutes for a young jackfruit, but since mine was less young I gave it a longer time). At this point it tasted really tasteless. Okay, not just tasteless, but also kind of gummy and wrong-feeling.
I was really worried that it was not going to be good and I didn't want to waste our sauces and seasonings on an overripe cooked jackfruit. So I started by making a tiny amount into jackfruit bulgogi. Well, it was in fact, quite good and the texture of pulled pork, amazingly. The only not so good thing was the fruit part, which had turned pretty mushy because of being boiled for maybe too long.
But I went on to make barbecue "pulled pork" with the rest. It's almost creepy how much it looks and feels like pulled pork. We made this into tacos with guacamole. Even Anthony said it was pretty good, which with something as unusual as this, is a lot coming from him. I was impressed that he would eat fruit for a whole meal!
Now, I think that the jackfruit I ended up with was not quite young enough. The seeds were already big and hard and even though it wasn't sweet yet, it probably would have been better if it were less old. But the good news is that it did still work. First, I covered a knife and my hands in oil, laid out a bunch of paper, and then cut the skin and inner core out of the jackfruit. I cut out what was in between - the white stringy part (which always reminds me of the inside of intestines for some reason) and the fruit. I took out the seeds too and put them aside. So the white part and the fruit I boiled for about 25 minutes (websites I found said 15 minutes for a young jackfruit, but since mine was less young I gave it a longer time). At this point it tasted really tasteless. Okay, not just tasteless, but also kind of gummy and wrong-feeling.
I was really worried that it was not going to be good and I didn't want to waste our sauces and seasonings on an overripe cooked jackfruit. So I started by making a tiny amount into jackfruit bulgogi. Well, it was in fact, quite good and the texture of pulled pork, amazingly. The only not so good thing was the fruit part, which had turned pretty mushy because of being boiled for maybe too long.
But I went on to make barbecue "pulled pork" with the rest. It's almost creepy how much it looks and feels like pulled pork. We made this into tacos with guacamole. Even Anthony said it was pretty good, which with something as unusual as this, is a lot coming from him. I was impressed that he would eat fruit for a whole meal!
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