Jackfruit pulled pork, the best vegan alternative to pulled pork, that will fool any carnivore. It's so easy, tender, and extremely delicious!
If you haven't tried jackfruit, I don't know what are you waiting for. I tried it for the first time when I made my jackfruit tacos recipe, I fell in love with this amazing tropical fruit. It has the same texture as shredded meat, so it's perfect to make pulled pork, well, in this case, jackfruit pulled pork.
I already made a vegan pulled pork sandwich recipe using oyster mushrooms, but this new one is the bomb! Jackfruit is so easy to cook, and as it's canned, you can have it in your pantry for a last-minute delicious, and quick meal!
Craving burgers or sandwiches? Discover a world of flavor with my Vegan Chickpea Burgers, Vegan Sloppy Joes, and Vegan Burger recipes.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Jackfruit: use jackfruit in brine or water, but not in syrup or your pulled pork will taste too sweet. It can be found at practically any Asian market, some grocery stores, or even online.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil is okay. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier.
- Garlic powder: you could use the same amount of onion garlic instead.
- Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do.
- Ground black pepper: fresh ground black pepper tastes amazing. However, I find store-bought more convenient and also easier to measure with a teaspoon.
- Store-bought or Homemade Chili Powder: this recipe calls for traditional American chili powder, not cayenne. Cayenne and international chili powders are usually incredibly spicy. So if you live outside of the United States, please keep that in mind. If you can only find cayenne, add it to taste until the sauce is okay for you, but not too spicy.
- BBQ sauce: store-bought or homemade.
- Water.
Dietary variations
- Make it oil-free: you could cook the jackfruit with some water or oil-free vegetable stock.
How to make jackfruit pulled pork
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop off the center core portion of the fruit and discard.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, then add the jackfruit and cook until golden brown.
- Add the spices and stir. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Add the BBQ sauce and the water, and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid, and use two forks to shred the jackfruit directly in the pan.
- Then cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
How to store
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
- Freezer: store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: ​​it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add some vegetable stock or water if needed.
What to serve with it
The best way to use jackfruit pulled pork is served on hamburger buns with vegan coleslaw. Add some extra vegan BBQ sauce on top when serving.
Other serving suggestions are vegan cornbread, French fries, vegan baked beans, or vegan potato salad.
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📖 Recipe
Jackfruit Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 2 20-ounce can jackfruit in brine or water, not in syrup
- 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop off the center core portion of the fruit and discard (see photos in post above).
- Â Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, then add the jackfruit and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices (garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder) and stir. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the BBQ sauce and the water, and simmer covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid, and use two forks to shred the jackfruit directly in the pan.Â
- Then cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.Â
- Serve immediately on buns with vegan coleslaw or any fresh or cooked veggies, and extra BBQ sauce. I served mine with vegan mayo, cooked red cabbage, and fresh parsley.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Use jackfruit in brine or water, but not in syrup or your pulled pork will taste too sweet. It can be found at practically any Asian market, some grocery stores, and online.
- Use any type of oil and salt you want.
- This recipe calls for traditional American chili powder, not cayenne. Cayenne and international chili powders are usually incredibly spicy. So if you live outside of the United States, please keep that in mind. If you can only find cayenne, add it to taste until the sauce is okay for you, but not too spicy.
- Nutritional info doesn't include the buns, or any other side dishes or sauces.
Nutrition
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Casey says
Thanks for the recipe, so easy and delicious.
Adriana @ Simple Vegan Blog says
Hi Casey! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Gillian Wertheimer says
I made this but all I could get from Asian store was Green jack fruit is this what you used?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Yes, green jack fruit is fine for this recipe 🙂