How to Prepare and Eat Jackfruit: A Beginner's Guide

Getting to Know the Unique Jackfruit

Jackfruit is an exotic tropical fruit that is growing in popularity worldwide. While jackfruit can be intimidating to approach at first due to its massive size and spiky exterior, this fruit is worth getting to know. Once opened, jackfruit has a deliciously sweet flavor and meaty texture that makes it perfect for many culinary uses.

Appearance and Size

Jackfruit grows directly on tree trunks and branches of the jackfruit tree, which can reach 80 feet tall. Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit in the world, commonly weighing 10-60 pounds each! The exterior skin has a spiny, knobby look, with shades of green, yellow or brown. Inside each jackfruit are dozens to hundreds of pods or bulbs containing the edible seeds and flesh.

Flavor and Texture

Ripe jackfruit has a sweet, tropical flavor often described as a cross between fruits like banana, pineapple and mango. Unririfle fruit has a neutral flavor. The inner flesh is yellow or orange with a stringy, fibrous texture that falls apart into flakes or shreds when cooked.

The inner core of jackfruit contains edible seeds as well, which have a milky, sweet taste similar to chestnuts once cooked.

How to Cut and Prepare Jackfruit

Learning how to properly slice into a jackfruit takes a bit of work, but it helps bring out the best texture and flavor from this unique fruit. Here are some tips on prepping jackfruit:

1. Choose Your Jackfruit

Pick fruits that feel heavy for their size and emit a strong fruity aroma, signs they are ripe. Unripe jackfruit won't have much taste. Avoid any with cuts, bruises or black spots.

2. Cut the Fruit

Lay the jackfruit on its side and carefully slice into it using a sharp knife. Cut all the way along the fruit about 2-3 inches from the skin.

3. Open the Flaps

Use your hands to gently pry open the pre-cut jackfruit flaps to reveal the inner pods and golden-hued bulbs inside. The raw jackfruit should release some latex sap, which is normal.

4. Remove the Pulp and Seeds

Pull out the seed pods and separate the inner flesh from the rind and skin using your fingers or a knife. You can also scoop out the edible seeds if desired.

5. Rinse and Pat Dry

Rinse the extracted jackfruit well before cooking to remove any remaining sap or residue. Be sure to pat it dry thoroughly for best results.

How to Enjoy Eating Jackfruit Meat

The inner flesh of jackfruit has become prized as a popular meat substitute due to its stringy texture resembling pulled meat or chicken. Here are some tasty ways to eat jackfruit:

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

Shredded, cooked jackfruit soaked in barbecue sauce makes an amazing pulled meat substitute in tacos, sandwiches and wraps. The jackfruit absorbs all the delicious flavors.

Jackfruit Carnitas

Season boiled jackfruit with taco seasoning blends, chili powder and lime juice for flavorful carnita tacos and burritos to satisfy meatless Monday.

Curried Jackfruit

Saut chunks or shreds of unseasoned jackfruit with aromatic spices and herbs for a veggie curry loaded with flavor and texture.

Jackfruit Stir Fry

Add cubed jackfruit along with crisp vegetables like bell peppers and broccoli to a hot wok for an easy nutritious stir-fry any night of the week.

How to Cook Jackfruit for Best Results

Learning proper jackfruit cooking techniques helps bring out its signature sweetness and meaty qualities. Follow these key tips:

Boil Unripe Jackfruit First

Unripe jackfruit has very little flavor on its own, so boiling it first is essential. This softens it and infuses it with moisture so it can better absorb other seasonings after.

Season Generously

Lean on spices, herbs, sauces and marinades to make boiled jackfruit pop with flavor. Onion and garlic powders, pepper, chili powder and oil-based dressings all work great.

Sear or Saut

Browning cooked jackfruit on a hot skillet or in the oven adds delicious caramelized flavor and crispy edges that enhance the texture.

Finish on the Grill

Charring boiled then marinated jackfruit on the barbecue grill creates smoky charred bits and firmness that mimics grilled meat well.

How to Eat Jackfruit Seeds

In addition to the sweet pod flesh, jackfruit seeds are also edible. Once cooked, the subtle flavored seeds have a tender potato-like quality. Here's how to cook and enjoy them:

1. Clean and Boil Seeds

Rinse seeds well then boil for about 45 minutes until tender all the way through when pierced. Discard any floaters.

2. Season the Seeds

Toss boiled seeds with some oil or butter then top with salt and other favorite spices like cayenne, cumin or cinnamon sugar.

3. Roast or Saut

Roasted boiled seeds in the oven or pan fried in butter to bring out rich nuttiness and crisp exterior.

Sauteeing with onions and stir frying with veggies also adds nice flavor.

Potential Health Benefits of Jackfruit

Beyond its highly adaptable flavor and meat-like qualities, jackfruit also offers some potential health benefits. It contains fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including:

Vitamin C

Jackfruit contains 36% of your daily vitamin C needs per cup. Vitamin C boosts immunity and helps absorb non-heme iron.

Potassium

Jackfruit provides over 20% of your RDA for potassium per cup. This mineral regulates fluid balance and muscle and nerve signaling.

Antioxidants

Jackfruit has plant compounds like carotenoids, phenolics and flavonoids that exhibit antioxidant activity to combat cell damage from free radicals.

More research is needed, but these nutrients may translate into health benefits like improved digestion, blood sugar levels, immunity, heart health and eyesight.

Selecting and Storing Jackfruit

Knowing how to choose optimal fresh and properly store jackfruit is key. Follow these guidelines:

Picking Jackfruit

Select uncut, heavy fruits emitting a fruity smell, indicating ripeness. Unripe jackfruit won't taste like much or have a soft texture when cooked.

Storing at Home

Whole, uncut jackfruits can be kept at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks. To extend shelf life, refrigerate cut, uncooked jackfruit in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Freezing Jackfruit

For long term storage, blanch jackfruit pieces for few minutes then freeze for up to 8 months. Thaw before using in recipes.

Potential Issues with Eating Jackfruit

While jackfruit offers valuable nutrition, there are some potential downsides to keep in mind too:

Difficult Ethylene Management

Jackfruit produces high amounts of ripening ethylene gas that must be managed properly postharvest to prevent over ripening.

Latex Contamination

Jackfruit naturally secretes a sticky, milky latex substance that can contaminate the edible pods during preparation if not properly cleaned off.

Allergic Reactions

The proteins in jackfruit may trigger allergic reactions in those sensitive or allergic to foods like latex, banana or kiwi.

Consult your healthcare provider if any symptoms occur or worsen after eating jackfruit.

Incorporating More Jackfruit Into Your Diet

With its mild sweetness, savory pull-apart texture and versatile flavor-absorbing qualities, jackfruit can be incorporated into both sweet and savory dishes. Replace meat in favorite recipes or getter creative withjackfruit by:

• Making healthy dessert hummus or mousse
• Blending into tropical smoothie bowls
• Producing gluten free vegan jackfruit flour
• Dehydrating jackfruit chips or fruit leather

Jackfruit takes well to a wide range of global spices and flavors. Allow this exotic superfruit to take your family meals from boring to bold and reap the nourishing benefits!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.