Jackfruit
warmer months. In Arizona, you can find it at gourmet food markets like AJ’s Fine Foods, mainstream grocers like Fry’s Food Stores and natural food markets.
The price is reasonable
$1.49 per pound.
One store I visited, however, charges $4.99 per pound if they cut it open for you, while other stores butcher it at no additional charge and sell it in large circular cross-sections.
You’ll need to decide how much jackfruit you can eat, freeze or give away before it expires. I purchased a whole, 20pound jackfruit for $30 and it yielded nearly 8 pounds of ready-to-eat arils — the fruity pods that you can eat as is — plus tendrils, fibers for simmering into
Jackfruit Barbecue
at around vegan “pulled pork.”
Edible seeds can be roasted or boiled and the result is reminiscent of chestnuts. I felt very accomplished after an hour of breaking down the jackfruit — like a vegan butcher!
So why all of a sudden the U.S. interest in jackfruit?
“Vegan demand, media demand, an overall curiosity in eating vegan ‘pulled pork’ from the fruit, and restaurant chefs using it on their menus seem to be the forces driving the popularity of jackfruit,” said Robert Schueller, director of public relations for California-based Melissa’s Produce.
How to slice it
Jackfruit arils appear to be the color and texture of a mango, but upon biting into, you’ll find that it has a meatier texture. It is super sweet and moist, but not juicy like a watermelon, so cutting into one doesn’t leave a liquidy mess. However, the sap is sticky and the fruit is huge, so I recommend tearing open a large paper bag, laying it flat, and using that as your canvas to dissect the fruity beast.
While breaking apart the jackfruit, I couldn’t stop eating it. It’s the perfect antidote to a food rut. But I discovered that not everyone feels this way. If you’re an adventurous eater who enjoys tropical fruits, I think you’ll find it pleasing.
If you buy the whole jackfruit, consider watching a couple of online videos first to get the overall gist. I used a sharp chef knife and donned latex gloves.
The edible parts
After you slice it or quarter it like I did, you will find there are three major edible parts to the jackfruit:
❚ The arils (the sweet, raw fruit you
Jackfruit Smoothie
Sip the true essence of jackfruit in this refreshing smoothie. Almond butter adds creaminess and staying power with protein. Jackfruit is naturally sweet enough that you don’t even need to add sugar or honey. 5 jackfruit arils, seeds removed cup milk, your choice (I prefer to use cashew milk) 1 tablespoon almond butter Juice of 1 (8-ounce) smoothie. lime 4 ice cubes
5 minutes. None. all ingredients until smooth.
Nutrition facts (per serving): 252 calories, 14 g total fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 trans fat), 83 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 43 g total carbohydrate (4 g fiber), 7 g protein.
From Michelle Dudash can eat as is).
❚ The finger-like projections attached to the skin that transform into vegan “pulled pork” when cooked.
❚ The large seeds within each aril. But cut out and discard the inner stem that runs down the middle first. Take out all of the arils, then cut out the stringy parts.
Nutritionally, jackfruit stacks up similarly to other tropical fruits, with 98 calories and 3 grams of fiber per serving. It’s a good source of vitamin C.
If you’re looking for something fun to try indoors during the summer heat, get yourself to the market and cut open a jackfruit.