This BBQ jackfruit pulled pork is so amazing! The texture is so similar to meat even carnivores might be fooled. It’s quick and easy to make and the best thing ever served on hamburger buns with vegan coleslaw.
If you haven’t yet been introduced to the magic that is jackfruit then you have a very pleasant surprise in store for you!
This stuff is simply amazing. It has a texture that is really similar to shredded meat, it’s so close in fact that you might even fool a meat eater with this recipe. Not that fooling someone is the goal, this is just something that is so delicious you’ll fall in love with it.
It also keeps really well, so if you’re cooking for one (or two) you can be eating this BBQ vegan pulled pork on buns with vegan coleslaw (also keeps really well) for a few very pleasant days ahead!
And if you love all things BBQ, then check out our BBQ tofu and our BBQ cauliflower wings. You’ll also love our jackfruit tacos and jackfruit curry.
What Goes Into Vegan Pulled Pork:
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan BBQ Sauce – you can use your favorite store-bought vegan BBQ sauce or you can make up a batch of your own. Our recipe for vegan BBQ sauce is really delicious and makes the perfect amount for this recipe.
- Young green jackfruit – this should be young green jackfruit canned in brine or water. We used one canned in brine, but canned in water is also fine. Do NOT get one canned in syrup.
How To Make Jackfruit Pulled Pork – Step By Step
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit.
- Add olive oil and chopped onions to a frying pan on medium heat. Sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add crushed garlic and sauté with the onions for a minute.
- Add jackfruit and oregano. Let it cook for 3 minutes.
- Add vegan BBQ sauce and water and stir it in. Lower the heat, cover the pan and leave it to simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove the lid.
- Use two forks to shred the jackfruit directly in the pan. Then increase the heat to medium high and cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Toss with a little more BBQ sauce before serving.
BBQ Jackfruit Q&A
Jackfruit is a fruit! It’s a very large spikey fruit that you’ll see all over if you spend any time in Thailand. When it’s ripe the fruit is yellow and sweet, but when it’s young and unripe, the flesh is green and quite tasteless, with a texture that is very close to shredded meat. It absorbs all the flavors that it is cooked with, so in this recipe when it’s cooked with BBQ sauce it has all those delicious BBQ flavors with a texture that is very close to pulled pork. You can get young green jackfruit canned in syrup or water or brine. For this recipe, make sure to get the one canned in brine or water.
It’s becoming much more widely available these days. We were even able to buy it locally and we live in a SMALL town. But even if you can’t get it locally, it’s easy to get it online.
The young green jackfruit is quite tasteless, so it takes on all the flavors of what you cook it with, in this case the BBQ sauce. So it takes on all those smokey and delicious BBQ flavors. The texture is very similar to shredded meat, so in that way, it can taste remarkably similar to pulled pork.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this BBQ jackfruit on toasted hamburger buns with vegan coleslaw. Coleslaw is the perfect complement to this recipe because the crunch factor combines with the pulled pork texture perfectly.
You can also add some extra vegan BBQ sauce on top when serving.
Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing
Make Ahead. This jackfruit pulled pork makes an excellent make ahead or meal planning option because it stores really well for up to 5 days. You can make up a batch of this and keep it in the fridge so that it’s ready whenever you want to make sandwiches or burgers or wraps with it.
Storing and reheating. Keep it stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave, on the stove or in the oven, though it’s also delicious cold. To reheat in the oven lay it out on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. If it dries out at all, add more vegan BBQ sauce and toss it up with the sauce.
Freezing. It freezes really well too, for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat as usual.
More Delicious Vegan Burgers & Sandwiches
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Jackfruit Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 2 (20-ounce) Cans Young Green Jackfruit in Brine or Water (not in syrup)
- 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 cup Vegan BBQ Sauce (240ml)
- ¼ cup Water (60ml)
For Serving (Optional):
- 6 Hamburger Buns
- Vegan Coleslaw
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit.
- Add olive oil and chopped onions to a frying pan on medium heat. Sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add crushed garlic and sauté with the onions for a minute.
- Add jackfruit and oregano. Let it cook for 3 minutes.
- Add vegan BBQ sauce and water and stir it in. Lower the heat, cover the pan and leave it to simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove the lid.
- Use two forks to shred the jackfruit directly in the pan. Then increase the heat to medium high and cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Toss with a little more BBQ sauce before serving.
- Serve on toasted hamburger buns with vegan coleslaw. You can also brush more vegan BBQ sauce on the jackfruit once it's on the bun.
Notes
- Vegan BBQ Sauce – you can use your favorite store-bought vegan BBQ sauce or you can make up a batch of your own. Our recipe for vegan BBQ sauce is really delicious and one full batch makes up the perfect amount for this recipe.
- Make Ahead: This jackfruit pulled pork makes an excellent make ahead or meal planning option because it stores really well. You can make up a batch of this and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then it’s ready whenever you want to make sandwiches or burgers or wraps with it.
- Storing: Keep it stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave, on the stove or in the oven, though it’s also delicious cold. To reheat in the oven lay it out on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. If it dries out at all, add more vegan BBQ sauce and toss it up with the sauce.
- Freezing: It freezes really well too, for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat as usual.
- Nutritional information is for the jackfruit pulled pork only and excludes the vegan coleslaw and the hamburger buns.
Hi, been making this for a while, love it! I add in shredded cabbage and grated firm tofu to only one tin of jackfruit – adding to the nutritional value. When it’s all cooked you can’t really tell the difference, delicious! My son’s favourite. Thank you!
Sounds lovely Liezl. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I am new to plant based cooking and while I thought this was good, it didn’t taste like meat to me. I was thinking of adding some chopped mushrooms when sauteeing the onions along with some Worcestershire sauce ( which isn’t vegan, I know but Iike it 🙂)
Do you think that would help with a more meaty flavor? Again, I’m new at this.
Thank you
I cannot say how much we enjoyed this recipe. I used fresh Jackfruit and one large shredded trumpet mushroom for additional texture. Will definitely be making this again.
Thanks so much Kim!
Thanks for the fantastic recipe Alison! Definitely five stars!I always look for interesting and tasty jackfruit recipes, and yours is going to quickly become a family classic 🙂 I’m making it for supper with red cabbage-carrot-cilantro-spicy pineapple slaw, pan-fried potatoes, buns, and avocado. The BBQ sauce is awesome, perfect, and versatile. Thanks!
That sounds like a fabulous supper planned! Thanks so much for the amazing review Michele!
My pleasure Alison! I made the recipe again last night for supper – it is so delicious! This time I doubled the recipe, and froze a container to enjoy another time 🙂 Thanks again!
This is definitely a 5 star recipe! I made it today and my husband loved it. I’m adding this to our regular lunch rotation. Thank you again for another amazing recipe.
Thanks for the awesome review Joanne!
Surprisingly different but definitely delightfully scrumptious. A burger with a difference!