What is a Jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit commonly found in South-East Asian countries, Africa and Brazil. It resembles a durian and also has a thick, thorny exterior. When you cut through the thick skin, you’ll find the fleshy fruit that can be sweet when it’s ripe, but also pretty flavorless and savory when it’s raw. The fruit has a lot of fiber, and very little fat, making it a great aid for digestion. But perhaps jackfruit’s biggest claim to fame is its ability to mimic barbecue meats. Its stringy texture and neutral flavor make it perfect for recipes that call for pulled/shredded chicken, pork, beef, etc.
What Does Jackfruit Taste Like?
When it comes to flavors, jackfruit can be deliciously sweet and juicy, and tastes like a durian when ripe. Some people love it, some people need time to get used to it, but the fruit—when sweet—makes for an excellent snack as is, or a part of puddings, smoothies and other desserts too. On the other hand, underripe jackfruit is very mild in flavor, is starchy, fibrous and works really well in savory dishes.
How to Cook Jackfruit
It is a bit hard to find whole jackfruits in your local supermarket, and even if you find them, it’s hard to cut through the thick exterior and get the flesh out for culinary use or consumption. But it’s becoming increasingly common to find vacuumed or canned unripe jackfruit in the frozen section of many grocery stores. If you’re making a savory dish like jackfruit grilled cheese, try to find jackfruit that has been canned in brine or vacuumed, rather than in sugar syrup as the fruit will soak up the sugar and make your dishes too sweet. Irrespective of whether you use fresh or packaged jackfruit, make sure to give it a good wash, remove excess ingredients, and make it as flavor neutral as possible. Squeeze out the excess water, and remove the seeds if any. Sometimes jackfruit can also leave residue on your fingers, so make sure to have oil to grease your palms as you work with the fruit. Make sure to marinade your jackfruit for at least 15 minutes to maximize the flavors, and cook as per the recipe instructions.
Best Jackfruit Recipes
If you’re craving meaty flavors and textures without all that meat, you will love the recipes in this roundup of 26 best jackfruit recipes! From a cheesy jackfruit sandwich and jackfruit tacos, to jackfruit burritos and comforting jackfruit stew, you’ve got plenty of inspiration to give jackfruit a try in the near future.
