For over nearly a year I’ve heard about jackfruit bbq concepts. On the other hand, even in New York City I can honestly say that I only saw people selling jackfruit perhaps a handful of times. Being that New York City is the epicenter of everything, especially food, that speaks volumes as to just how hard it is to find fresh jackfruit.
Needless to say, I didn’t see the point in creating a recipe featuring an ingredient that was so elusive as jackfruit lol.
Fast forward to today, I decided to take the plunge and order some. With my fingers crossed I hoped for the best and gave it a go. All I can say is, I’m so glad that I did!
While perhaps on the pricier side, you can get 3 cans for $14 via Amazon and its not a terrible deal. The quality was good, I’m sure not quite as good as fresh, but nothing ever is. At any rate, I was really impressed!
What I love about this concept is that its easy, the sauce is spicy yet sweet, can be made in bulk, used for a variety of dishes, has the perf texture comparable to that of bbq, its smokey, slightly sweet, great aesthetic appeal, a crunch from the cabbage, a hint of fire with the jalapeño, and a tang with the lime juice!
If you’re looking to break into the world of jackfruit, you have to try this effortless recipe for vegan Smokey Mango Jackfruit Bbq Sandwiches!
Don’t believe how easy this recipe is?! Watch this clip!
In a medium sized sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients an whisk together. Once bubbling, stir in the water, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes (the longer the better) stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and cool before transferring to a glass jar. Store in the fridge.
Drain the Jackfruit and add to a saucepan with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, shred with a fork and throw in a pan with bbq sauce for 5-7 minutes on medium to high heat. The jackfruit should take on a slightly darker color. I liked to put it on high while continuously stirring so some pieces were charred and gave off more the appearance of bbq and had more flavor.
To make the slaw, throw the cabbages in a bowl with lime juice, salt, and pepper. To assemble the sandwiches top with the jackfruit, jalapeño slaw, and a bun!
Notes
This bbq sauce recipe will produce roughly 1 1/2 to 2 cups of sauce leaving you with some leftovers
