BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork”

BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork is the ultimate vegan meal. It’s perfect enjoyed as a sandwich or salad, by yourself or with friends!

BBQ sandwiches with jackfruit?? I know it sounds weird, and if you aren’t familiar with jackfruit, it might be completely unheard of.

Well, jackfruit is a fruit native to Asia that is enormous, has the texture of meat, and takes on any flavor given to it. Basically, it’s a vegetarian’s dream! Learn more about the benefits of jackfruit here.

Ingredients for BBQ Jackfruit

These jackfruit sliders require pretty staple BBQ ingredients, except we swap out meat for jackfruit. Not only does this make these vegan bbq, but it saves time because you don’t have to cook meat (while still having insane flavor)!

• Young Green Jackfruit: It’s best to use young jackfruit in water or brine (NOT syrup), because young fruits have a tougher texture that better resembles meat.
• Brown sugar: All barbecue needs a little sweetness!
• Spices: I use a combination of smoked paprika (crucial for good barbecue), garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili pepper because you can never have enough spice!
• Oil: Any type of oil can be used, avocado oil, olive oil, or other. This will help the jackfruit pulled “pork” crispy up!
• BBQ Sauce: Any barbecue sauce you like can be used. I like to use ones with a little heat, like a chipotle or habanero BBQ sauce.
• Sliders: To make the sliders I recommend using your favorite buns, coleslaw, and a bit of ranch dressing. This makes one yummy sandwich!

How to make BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

These may sound intimidating, but BBQ jackfruit pulled pork sliders are so simple and so quick to make! They are ready in 30 minutes making them perfect for quick weeknight meals.

Step 1: Dry
Drain the jackfruit then rinse it well under running water. Drain well, then transfer to a clean dishcloth. Roll it up and wring tightly to squeeze as much moisture out of the jackfruit as possible.

Step 2: Flavor
In a large bowl stir together jackfruit, brown sugar, and spices.

Step 3: Cook
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the jackfruit mixture, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are crispy and brown, about 20 minutes. Add a dash of water to the pan, as needed, to prevent it from burning.

Step 4: BBQ
Stir in BBQ sauce then let cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes to create some crispy pieces.

Step 5: Serve
Serve warm on sliders topped with ranch and slaw.

Recipe tips

Using fresh jackfruit? If you are using fresh jackfruit, aim to find one that is underripe and not sweet. You should be able to tell this by how pungent the smell is. The less it smells the more underripe it is. Cutting this beast isn’t for the faint of heart – here’s how to cut jackfruit.

Using jackfruit in brine? Be sure to thoroughly rinse the jackfruit to remove any of the flavors from the brine.

Storage: If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, this pulled jackfruit will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Pairings and Ways to Enjoy

This pulled jackfruit can be used in many ways. Here are a few ways I love to use it and a few ideas of what to serve with it.

• Vegan Nachos use delicious BBQ Mushrooms, but these nachos are SO good with BBQ jackfruit too!
• Tacos taste good always and these include crispy and creamy avocado that pairs wonderfully with bbq jackfruit!
• Zucchini Corn Salad is packed with summer ingredients making it a perfect base for this pulled jackfruit or to serve alongside!
• Creamy Cucumber Salad is kind of like the creamy potato salad that is at every summer gathering. Except, this tastes way better and would be awesome with pulled jackfruit!