For Sriracha mayo
¼ cup mayonnaise Sriracha sauce to taste 4 burger buns To prepare barbecue sauce, heat sesame oil over low heat in medium saucepan. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Add fresh ginger, tomato paste, soy sauce, ground ginger, tamarind, and brown sugar; stir until smooth.
Slowly pour in water and apple cider vinegar, stirring constantly. Simmer until brown sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble.
Add jackfruit and cook for 5 more minutes. Add lime juice. Remove from heat and shred with two forks into pulled pork-like strands.
For Sriracha mayo, mix mayonnaise and preferred amount of Sriracha in a small bowl.
Toast burger buns, and spread a thin layer of Sriracha mayo on both sides. Then add a scoop of barbecue jackfruit.
Serve with coleslaw, fries, chips and/or a side salad
Serves 4.
Curious about jackfruit but rather let someone else do the cutting and cooking? Several Pittsburgh restaurants have “young” jackfruit on the menu. Here’s a taste:
Bahama Breeze (6100 Robinson Center Dr., Robinson): The Caribbean-inspired chain restaurant features Jackfruit Tacos ($9.79). Flour tortillas are filled with guava barbecue sauce-marinated jackfruit, jicamamango slaw, corn and black bean salsa, and is finished with tortilla strips and Sriracha aioli ($9.79).
Onion Maiden (639 East Warrington Ave., Allentown): This vegan pop-upturned punk-themed Asianfusion restaurant features Coffins ($11) on its menu, which is a scallion pancake taco filled with five-spice jackfruit and enoki mushroom, and topped with jalapenos, red cabbage and cucumber.
Penn Brewery (800 Vinial St., North Side): You can order Memphis-style barbecue jackfruit at this restaurant and brewery either in sliders with pickles and house slaw ($9 for 3) or on a flatbread with garlic-parmesan butter, cheddar/jack cheese and red onion ($9).
Harris Grill (747 Ellsworth Ave. Shadyside; 245 Fourth Ave., Downtown); 123 Shiloh St., Mount Washington: The meaty jackfruit tacos are done sofrito style, in a sauce made with garlic, onion and peppers. Served in flour tortillas, they’re topped with pickled red onion and chipotle aoili. Available in lunch (2 tacos, $9.63) and dinner (3 tacos, $14.97) portions.
Pirata (274 Forbes Ave., Downtown): Island flavors rule at this Caribbean restaurant off Market Square. Its gourmet jackfruit tacos ($13) are made with smoked jackfruit tucked inside a beet-corn tortilla and topped with pea shoots, pickled strawberries and salsa borracha, a “drunken” salsa made with orange juice and tequila.
Condado Tacos (971 Liberty Ave., Downtown): Barbecue-pulled jackfruit is listed among the 10 protein options for the Columbus, Ohio,-based chain’s “build your own” tacos ($3), and also is the star of the vegetarian Mantis that combines jackfruit with onions, tomato, Chihuahua cheese and mango habanero sauce ($4).
Mindful Brewing Co. (3759 Library Road, Castle Shannon): Jackfruit is one of three optional toppings for the brewery’s Nachos Grande ($7), which pairs fresh corn tortilla chips topped with queso blanco with tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, sour cream and salsa,
Square Cafe (1137 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square): The “Jerky Jack Jerk” sandwich is among the many veg, vegan and gluten-free options here. It’s crafted with jackfruit, lettuce and pickles on grilled ciabatta ($10).