Jackfruit

[fairydustandpixies]

Just tried a 'BBQ Smoked Jackfruit' ready meal which was in the yellow sticker corner of my local supermarket!

Never even heard of Jackfruit before, but hey, feeling adventurous...!

Goodness me, I wanted to taste something new, not feel like I'd chucked a bottle of extra hot BBQ sauce down my throat! I couldn't taste anything else!!

So, what does Jackfruit taste like and is it worth buying 'properly' to cook with? Saying that, I don't think I've ever seen it in the shops before (I'm in the UK). I've done the whole google thing but am still none the wiser!

I'm interested to hear about this too. It's sold in Sainsburys in the vege section, but I haven't been brave enough to try it (I imagine it would take some elaborate cooking - and I tend not to cook much). I think I heard someone say it basically tastes of nothing but will absorb flavour - rather than Quorn (yuk).

Green jackfruit the one used in 'pulled pork' recipes has no taste, it absorbs sauces hence your hot sauce. However, sweet ripe jackfruit is the foods of the gods, it takes like Wrigleys juicy fruit gum. Both are canned be sure to buy the correct one for your recipe though.

As PPs said is it pretty tasteless and absorbs flavour. It has such a meaty texture that I (as a vegetarian) can feel a bit weird eating it! So prob great for meat lovers who want to try a healthier option.

I’ll have to try that red sounds delish!

@cat you've seen it in Sainsbury's? Ooh, must look properly instead of just grabbing the usual staples in the vege aisle!

Thank you for all your comments, lovely people! From what you've said, that explains why there was no taste apart from the sauce (which is still lingering two teeth cleanings and mouth washes later!).

Love trying new things, but sounds like this is a 'bulking' ingredient rather than a thing to enjoy the taste of? Think I might stick with mushrooms...!

It reminds me of plaintain a bit - flavourless but absorbs flavour. It’s really good in Indian curries that would ordinarily use bottle or bitter gourd.

I saw a jackfruit pizza reduced to 14p in Morrisons the other day and very nearly bought it but changed my mind as I wasn’t sure what it was. Sounds like I had a lucky escape!!

I have tried it when it's been made into veggi burgers ( local restaurant) as PP have said it's ok , a bit mushy but bugger all taste .
Red I am not to sure about chewing gum flavours in my meal but if I see it I will give it a go . What is the best way to cook/ use it ?

The bosh pulled "pork" recipe in their latest book is great (but very salty - I would reduce the amount of salt they say to add).
I once bought some of the bbq flavour Jack fruit from Sainsbury's (the one that's in a box in the chiller) and it was so hot it was practically inedible (I'm not keen on spice but can usually tolerate reasonably hot stuff)

I think it’s more about the texture than the flavour. I’ve only had it as bbq pulled “pork” and was surprised at how meaty it is.

We had a jackfruit tree in our yard growing up. I used to love eating it when it was ripe. My mum used to boil the seed and we loved eating that. Mum used to cook the raw jackfruit with meat or potatoes in a curry, didn't like it at all.

The waitrose jackfruit burgers are lovely. A definite meaty texture.

I like the jackfruit and mushroom burgers in the chilled section in Sainsbury’s. Grilled and stuffed in a ciabatta with green salad and pesto mayo...yum.

It's a staple food in the part of the world my family are from so we're finding this new hipster revolution of it quite amusing but good, as we can finally buy it in supermarkets here now. We cook it cut up in chunks, not "pulled". It's nice curried in dry spices rather than a sauce and we serve it with rice. It doesn't really taste like anything else but I think it has the texture of slightly overripe mango. It is an acquired taste though so you might hate it, but buy a tin and give it a go.

Same thoughts here too Ken! In fact it’s a poor man’s dinner from our part of the world as it’s freely available. The bats love it too

I bought it tinned from either Tesco or Morrisons. It's still in the tin.

Jack fruit curry is amazing. It looks like chunks of beef and is so tasty

Friend had it at Wagamama- jackfruit rendang and said it was nice - didn’t look particularly appetising though !

I love it. We buy it tinned in Sainsburys (but asda & tesco both do their own ones too) . I use it as the 'meat' replacement for curry's, tacos, skewers. Its also great with bbq sauce as 'pulled pork'. Take the plunge & try it

This is what the sainsbury tin looks like

Sorry, I should have pointed out that ripe Jackfruit that tastes of Juicy Fruit gum is, of course, tinned fruit and eaten as a dessert or in my case out of the can with a fork!

A vegan I know yammers on about it quite a lot!

Wow!!! I am now educated!!

Thank you all so much for your replies - tinned, seeds, pulled, chunks...24 hours ago I'd never even heard of a Jackfruit, quite excited about exploring it further. But not with BBQ sauce, bleurgh...!!

@Etihad 14p???!!! How could you have not tried it for that?! 😆

Every time I've had it it's been rank. As you say, covered in flavouring that is over powering. Interested to see if anything good is recommended!