Recipe: BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

Photos by Seth Stevenson

Wading in the surf, lounging in the sand and reading three pages of your novel between sunscreen applications—a lazy day at the beach can work up quite the appetite. That’s why we’re hitting the shore this summer armed with a cooler full of flavourful, no-fuss, picnic-perfect bites. (And if you get a little sand in that watermelon salad? That’s just the sign of a life well lived.)

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

All the components of this flavourful sandwich can be made ahead for easy transport. Pack the barbecue sauce, sauteed jackfruit and onions, slaw, buns and pickles separately and assemble just when you are ready to eat.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

 

Barbecue sauce

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp liquid clover honey (or maple syrup)

2 chopped chipotle peppers (+ 2 tbsp reserved adobo sauce from the can)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

Jackfruit and onions

1 20-oz can young green jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ tsp fine sea salt

½ cup water

Cabbage slaw

1 cup packed shredded green cabbage

1 cup packed shredded red cabbage

¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve

4 hamburger buns of your choosing

Bread and butter pickles, for serving

 

How to Make:

Start by making barbecue sauce. In a medium saucepan, stir together ketchup, vinegar, honey, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, mustard, ground cumin, smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Allow mixture to come to a simmer, stirring often, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook, stirring frequently, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove sauce from heat before stirring in 1 tbsp lime juice.

Transfer mixture to an airtight container. Allow sauce to come to room temperature before covering and refrigerating until needed. Barbeque sauce may be made and refrigerated up to a week ahead.

To prepare jackfruit and onions, start by shredding jackfruit pieces with your hands. Discard any harder pieces. Place jackfruit in a bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as necessary, until softened and just starting to brown (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add shredded jackfruit to onions and cook, again stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. If necessary, add a splash of water to keep mixture from sticking to skillet.

Stir in water and half the barbecue sauce. Turn heat to low, cover and let lightly simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and stir in half the remaining barbecue sauce, reserving rest for serving. Remove skillet from heat and let jackfruit and onions cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating until ready to use.

Just before ready to eat, make the cabbage slaw. In a large bowl, toss together cabbages, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, split hamburger buns and fill with jackfruit mixture, a drizzle of remaining BBQ sauce, some cabbage slaw and a few pickles.

Recipes and Food Styling: Lawren Moneta
Photos: Seth Stevenson / Prop Styling: Ryan Louis

This story was originally published in the July/August 2023 print issue of Western Living—find the digital issue here.