We think this is the very best way to cook jackfruit! And you don’t have to buy those pre-made packages of BBQ jackfruit when you can make your own at home. It’s so much better and less expensive! Jackfruit is high in vitamins, fiber, and protein. The fresh fruit is huge, and expensive, and a pain to prep, but for this recipe canned jackfruit does just fine. You can buy cans of jackfruit at Asian shops and specialty stores, or purchase them from Amazon for $3-$4 per can.

It’s the BBQ sauce, however, that really makes this recipe shine. This lets us add extra smoke, tang and spice to satisfy our taste buds, but you can always use your favorite store-bought instead.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cans jackfruit
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

• 1-6 oz can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 2 Tbs molasses
• 2 Tbp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 tsp smoke paprika
• ½ tsp ground cayenne (adjust as desired)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp, fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

For the BBQ sauce, mix tomato paste with the brown sugar in a bowl. Add the molasses, vinegar, Liquid Smoke, and mix again. Add the paprika, half the cayenne, salt, pepper and garlic. If the garlic is too chunky, purée with and immersion blender. Taste and add more cayenne pepper until it reaches your desired heat. If the sauce seems too thick, add more vinegar 1 tsp at a time and mix. Put aside until time to mix with your prepared jackfruit.

Drain canned jackfruit and rinse well. Remove any hard pointy triangles (save for another use, like stir fry) and shred the remainder with your fingers. Place a layer of shredded jackfruit on a kitchen towel and roll up, squeezing out excess moisture. When jackfruit is dry, mix with sliced onions, a dash of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit for 15-30 mins to marinate.

Preheat your grill to medium high. Place jackfruit and onion mixture on an oiled grill pan and grill for about 30 minutes, turning frequently. If you’re using a campfire, prepare a nice hot bed of coals in advance and make sure your grill pan is 2-3 inched above the heat. Loosely cover the jackfruit mixture with some aluminum foil to keep the heat in. Turn frequently. You want everything to be golden brown and smoky, with a few burned bits of onions and jackfruit.

When it’s done, place the mixture in a saucepan and add BBQ sauce. Simmer gently until hot and bubbly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve on Texas toast or slider-style rolls with your favorite sides.