The food I miss most as a vegetarian is barbecue. Jackfruit barbecue has been a delightful addition to many restaurant menus. This recipe is the culmination of many trials and errors- jackfruit is cheap though and delicious. The texture is exactly like pulled pork – charred, slightly fibrous, delicious from the sauce. Great in tacos, on buns, in sandwiches or over rice.

I used canned jackfruit in brine ( I like this brand). This is a no-recipe recipe. The trick is to cook the jackfruit before you put it in the oven. Jackfruit is bland and needs the flavor soak. In 1-2 tbsp of oil, cook 1 small diced onion till pale brown, add 1 tbsp each of ginger and garlic. Add 2 14 oz drained cans of jackfruit. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and cook on a simmer for 20-30 minutes till the jackfruit has softened and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Preheat oven to 450F. Mix your favorite barbecue sauce ( I like Memphis barbecue) with the jackfruit. Spread on a half sheet and cook for 15-25 minutes till charred in places but still juicy. That’s it! Keeps well for a week.