Looking to shake up the BBQ this Veganuary? Jackfruit is a great meat alternative and goes great on the BBQ. With a unique and delicious super sweet taste, we explore why jackfruit makes a great addition to the BBQ this Veganuary!
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit native to South India. It is part of the Moraceae plant family, which also includes figs. It is sweet when ripe and makes an excellent plant-based meat substitute!
It is an unusually large fruit. It is shaped like a watermelon and is the largest tree fruit in the world and can reach up to 80 pounds (35 kg) in weight! It is a very versatile fruit and can be eaten raw or cooked, in both sweet and savoury dishes!
It has an impressive nutrition profile; jackfruit contains some of almost every vitamin and mineral that you need. Compared to any other fruits, it is high in protein, providing more than 3 grams of protein per 165g. Much higher compared to 0–1 grams of protein in other similar types of tropical fruit such as mangoes or apples.
Fresh jackfruit is easiest to find when it’s in season during the summer months. However, you can find canned jackfruit in most grocery stores all year-round.
To prepare it, you will first want to slice it in half and remove the yellow fruit pods and seeds from the skin and core. You can do this with a knife or your hands. The white, fibrous part inside of jackfruit is incredibly sticky, so it may be helpful to wear gloves while handling it.
Jackfruit is a great meat substitute as not only has it got rich nutritional value, but it has a texture that’s very similar to shredded meat such as pulled pork. A green or an unripened jackfruit is best to use on the BBQ as it is highly absorbent and absorbs all those delicious flavours that you cook it with. We recommend some jackfruit tacos or sliders by cooking it and then combining it with vegetables and BBQ seasonings.
Keep your eyes peeled for any of our new vegan recipes! Share with us any of your BBQ Jackfruit recipes and pics!
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