Jack Fruit

J72FIT

Anyone eat it? Any tips on preparation? Thx!

janejellyroll

I have bought the pre-prepared kind that is already sauced (Upton's brand) and canned kind (which is packed in brine and you drain it and make your own sauce).

The pre-made kind is pretty good when you're in a rush, but I prefer to make my own sauce when possible. I just put it in a strainer, break it into chunks and remove the seeds (they're aren't a lot of them and it's not really a problem if you miss one). It's already cooked, so you don't have to do more than put it in the sauce and heat (you can also cook it longer, it's not going to break down if you want to simmer it in a sauce for a while). BBQ is my favorite way to have it. I've seen some people bread and fry it online, but I haven't tried that yet.

I really like it! It has detractors because it's not close nutritionally to meat (because it is not high in protein). But since it's pretty low calorie, it leaves space for another high protein food within the meal, so you can still balance things out.

nanastaci2020

I don't find it in stores often - but one local grocery store occasionally sells it presliced. I just pick out the seeds and eat. I like the flavor & texture.

Did not know cooked or canned jack fruit was a thing.

donidaily

If you have a fresh one be sure to cover your knife and surface with oil before you attempt to cut it, it is unbelievably sticky.

I have had it prepared like carnitas but love it best in an Indonesian curry, this kind of thing: https://dailycookingquest.com/sayur-gori-jackfruit-stew-in-coconut-milk.html

@nanamerriman2020 young jackfruit is used in savory cooking and can be found in tins (I see it at Trader Joe's). Those pods/slices you buy fresh are ripe/mature jackfruit

acpgee

I've only eaten it raw at street markets in SE Asia where it has been broken (not cut) into small segments sold in little plastic bags sometimes accompanied with a tiny container of seasoning powder (chilli powder, sugar, salt). As a raw fruit I believe it is known as durian for beginners.

swirlybee

I used to eat a lot of jackfruit as a little girl, but the ripe variety and eaten like a fruit.

Young jackfruit is becoming a thing as a meat substitute. I'm not vegetarian but I've tried it out of curiosity, mainly from another post here maybe a year ago. No real tips - did it as carnitas and pulled pork. It was good, but definitely not a meat substitute and they were more like vessels for the sauces (chile verde for the carnitas and bbq sauce for the pulled pork).

BarbaraHelen2013

I’ve tried it twice. Hated it the first time, but tried it again (different sauce), still hated it!

It was the shelf stable packaged type (I don’t think it’s available fresh here in the U.K.).

It’s incredibly sweet, a little slimy and stringy whilst also being soft. Even in a strong sauce, the ones I tried were a smoky barbecue and a Mexican chipotle style I think, it’s overwhelming flavour was sickly sweet.

The first time it reminded me of something but I couldn’t pin-point what, the second time it came to me - overcooked banana.

BarbaraHelen2013

Won’t let me edit recently - wanted to add that the texture very nearly made me gag!

mockchoc

acpgee wrote: »

I've only eaten it raw at street markets in SE Asia where it has been broken (not cut) into small segments sold in little plastic bags sometimes accompanied with a tiny container of seasoning powder (chilli powder, sugar, salt). As a raw fruit I believe it is known as durian for beginners.

No jackfruit is a different in many ways to durian. Read this if interested.

https://www.yearofthedurian.com/2013/01/jackfruit-is-not-durian.html

janejellyroll

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

I’ve tried it twice. Hated it the first time, but tried it again (different sauce), still hated it!

It was the shelf stable packaged type (I don’t think it’s available fresh here in the U.K.).

It’s incredibly sweet, a little slimy and stringy whilst also being soft. Even in a strong sauce, the ones I tried were a smoky barbecue and a Mexican chipotle style I think, it’s overwhelming flavour was sickly sweet.

The first time it reminded me of something but I couldn’t pin-point what, the second time it came to me - overcooked banana.

The types I've had in the US (canned, in brine) wasn't sweet at all. There is also jackfruit canned in syrup and I'm wondering if you might have had a version of that (but shelf-stable) - I've seen recipes that specifically state not to use that kind if you're using it for "meat." Tasing the kind I use plain, the closest analogue I can use to describe it is artichoke hearts.

BarbaraHelen2013

janejellyroll wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

I’ve tried it twice. Hated it the first time, but tried it again (different sauce), still hated it!

It was the shelf stable packaged type (I don’t think it’s available fresh here in the U.K.).

It’s incredibly sweet, a little slimy and stringy whilst also being soft. Even in a strong sauce, the ones I tried were a smoky barbecue and a Mexican chipotle style I think, it’s overwhelming flavour was sickly sweet.

The first time it reminded me of something but I couldn’t pin-point what, the second time it came to me - overcooked banana.

The types I've had in the US (canned, in brine) wasn't sweet at all. There is also jackfruit canned in syrup and I'm wondering if you might have had a version of that (but shelf-stable) - I've seen recipes that specifically state not to use that kind if you're using it for "meat." Tasing the kind I use plain, the closest analogue I can use to describe it is artichoke hearts.

https://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjWzYulotLqAhXJ7lEKHRgECeEYABADGgJ3cw&sig=AOD64_2uPa6hnT_AZeU6YphZ0TkRs5Q9jQ&adurl&ctype=5&ved=2ahUKEwj1sYKlotLqAhVBYxoKHQLEDs8Qwg96BAgBEB8


It definitely wasn’t packed in syrup! The picture above shows one of the packs I tried. There’s also another make which I’ve only seen in health food shops, again it’s already packed in sauce, in ready to heat vacuum packs. Can’t recall the brand name but it has a man with a dodgy moustache on the packet!

Both were definitely sweet, for my UK palate, anyway. Almost all savoury foods in the States are overly sweet though, for my taste. When I’ve travelled in the States I struggle to find meals that are palatable. So maybe that’s where the differences lie in our perceptions.

As I said, overcooked banana sweet. Which is very sweet!

thelastnightingale

To those who have eaten fresh and tinned jackfruit, is the tinned variety OK?

I mean, mandarins are fine tinned. Sweetcorn is fine tinned. But there are some thing you don't really want to eat out of a tin, like strawberries or potatoes. I've alway wondered if jackfruit is nice or horrible in a tin. I'm curious about it as it's marketed as a meaty vegetarian alternative, but not being able to buy it fresh has always put me off trying it.

If it's a bit sweet, that doesn't bother me - I have a sweet tooth. I love cooked bananas and plantain.

threeyears2024

Jack fruit seeds are actually very yummy cooked with lentil curry. My Indian room mate used to make them.

janejellyroll

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

I’ve tried it twice. Hated it the first time, but tried it again (different sauce), still hated it!

It was the shelf stable packaged type (I don’t think it’s available fresh here in the U.K.).

It’s incredibly sweet, a little slimy and stringy whilst also being soft. Even in a strong sauce, the ones I tried were a smoky barbecue and a Mexican chipotle style I think, it’s overwhelming flavour was sickly sweet.

The first time it reminded me of something but I couldn’t pin-point what, the second time it came to me - overcooked banana.

The types I've had in the US (canned, in brine) wasn't sweet at all. There is also jackfruit canned in syrup and I'm wondering if you might have had a version of that (but shelf-stable) - I've seen recipes that specifically state not to use that kind if you're using it for "meat." Tasing the kind I use plain, the closest analogue I can use to describe it is artichoke hearts.

https://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjWzYulotLqAhXJ7lEKHRgECeEYABADGgJ3cw&sig=AOD64_2uPa6hnT_AZeU6YphZ0TkRs5Q9jQ&adurl&ctype=5&ved=2ahUKEwj1sYKlotLqAhVBYxoKHQLEDs8Qwg96BAgBEB8


It definitely wasn’t packed in syrup! The picture above shows one of the packs I tried. There’s also another make which I’ve only seen in health food shops, again it’s already packed in sauce, in ready to heat vacuum packs. Can’t recall the brand name but it has a man with a dodgy moustache on the packet!

Both were definitely sweet, for my UK palate, anyway. Almost all savoury foods in the States are overly sweet though, for my taste. When I’ve travelled in the States I struggle to find meals that are palatable. So maybe that’s where the differences lie in our perceptions.

As I said, overcooked banana sweet. Which is very sweet!

I have heard that about US foods before. I am not a huge fan of sugar in savory things. One benefit of the low-carbohydrate craze is that it became easier to find less sweet versions of some foods that are usually way too sweet (like BBQ sauce). I've never perceived jackfruit as sweet, but it's possible that I am thrown off by how frequently sugar is added to savory foods here.

AnnPT77

IME, the pre-sauced packaged "savory" jackfruit have sugar in some form in the sauce. Some flavors have more, some have less . . . but I can see how one might perceive them as sweet. I agree that at least some of them are too sweet, but that's clearly a preference issue. (The mustache guy labeled brand is Upton's, maybe/probably.)

Like Jane, I've found the plain brined green ones not to be particularly sweet, but more vegetal. (Rinse the salt before use, though. ).

As far as whether they're OK canned/tinned, I think they're OK, and in my experience the difference between veg that are OK canned and those that aren't is often whether the thing gets mushy (or otherwise texture compromised) in the canning process. Green jackfruit is sturdy - kinda chewy - doesn't get mushy from canning like potatoes or strawberries.

I can't speak for the sweetened canned kind, because I've never had it. Generally, I don't like sweetened canned fruit, because it's usually too sweet for my taste, and often the texture suffers.

Maybe it's just because I'm in the frozen North, and jackfruit is a tropical, but the fresh ripe (?) jackfruit I've bought hasn't been especially sweet for a fruit, either - just mildly sweet, chewy, with it's own unique flavor.

I'd underscore: Really minimal protein, so not a meat sub in that sense.

swirlybee

Ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet, about the same sweetness as a honeydew melon depending on how ripe the jackfruit is. It's been a super long time since I've had good, fresh jackfruit so I'm just going by memory. I had one last year but it wasn't as good, probably because I got it from my regular grocery store and they didn't know how to pick the good kind. IMO, bad jackfruit has a kind of squeakiness to it.

You can buy green jackfruit from Asian grocery stores. They come packed in water or packed in syrup. I hate anything packed in syrup so I've only tried the one packed in water. It's not mushy.

scarlett_k

I buy it tinned in water and use it for curries. It's a sponge for flavour and very low calorie. It's absolutely delicious.

J72FIT

Thanks for all the replies!

yirara

Never tried it. I did have durian candy once and was absolutely fascinated by them. Couldn't decide whether they were yummy or disgusting. I was the only one that took more than one though