Jackfruit Adobo

Adobo is a classic Filipino dish in which meat is cooked in a flavorful marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, and a handful of herbs. The sauce is simple to make, and incredibly complex in flavor. And it’s ahh-mazingly good! Like, so good, that the first time a friend showed me how to make adobo years ago, I cooked it repeatedly for over a week because I just couldn’t imagine eating anything else. I think I made it until I used up an entire bottle of white vinegar. Yes, it was THAT good. Adobo basically defines umami.

The combination of vinegar and soy is the perfect savory balance of sweet and sour. Since I don’t eat meat, it was also a dish I sadly thought I just wouldn’t be able to enjoy anymore. Fast forward several years, and it finally occurred to me that jackfruit would make the PERFECT vegetarian vessel for an adobo dish (insert mind-blowing emoji).

The flesh of a young unripe jackfruit is meaty, mimicking the texture of pulled pork. It’s also super neutral in flavor, so it’s great for absorbing all the salty-sour goodness of the sauce as the fruit cooks and breaks down. A ripe jackfruit on the other hand, is a sweet and tender fruit that is similar to a durian or pineapple and would therefore, not be conducive to a savory recipe like this one. If you aren’t familiar with jackfruit, it can be intimidating, as it is a rather strange and exotic fruit from South East Asia. But don’t be deterred. Canned unripe jackfruit is surprisingly easy to find these days in the canned fruit aisle of many grocery stores like Trader Joes or any Asian Market and it’s very easy to prepare. Just be sure to buy young jackfruit in water, not the kind in syrup.

Since adobo is traditionally served over rice in the Philippines, that is how I prepared it, but this dish also makes a super fun (and pretty fancy) vegetarian filling for tacos or sandwiches. Even though I know how easy jackfruit is to prepare, I’m still super impressed anytime I see it on a menu or at a party. I’ve yet to try a jackfruit dish I didn’t like and I think I find it both exciting and mischievous given how much it looks like meat. It really has the ability to fool/impress just about any meat eater.

Bonus: it’s a fruit! So, it doesn’t contain any of the processing or additives found in traditional faux meat products you would otherwise find in savory vegetarian dishes.

Recipe: Yields 3-4 servings (more if used as a filling)

1 large can of young green jackfruit (in brine or water NOT syrup)

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (sub Tamari if gluten-free)

1/3 cup white vinegar

3 bay leaves dry or fresh

½ tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp coconut sugar (regular sugar or agave work too)

3 garlic cloves sliced finely

½ yellow onion chopped

1-2 Tbs high heat cooking oil

Instructions:

Strain the can of jackfruit and remove all of the liquid. Slightly shred the pieces of fruit with your fingers or a fork, and chop off the core, leaving just the fleshy part. The fruit will shred considerably more when it cooks, but breaking it into smaller pieces beforehand will help the fruit soak up more of the sauce quicker. Don’t worry if some seeds remain, they are edible and mild. Set the fruit aside.
Heat 1-2 Tbs of oil in a pan on medium heat. Chop your onions and garlic and cook them on the stove just until they are translucent. About five minutes.
Add the vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, pepper, and jack fruit. Stir to evenly coat, then turn up the heat, and bring the sauce to a boil, covered. Turn the heat down a bit and let the jackfruit simmer for 10 more minutes, covered.
Uncover the pan and add your coconut sugar. Continue to cook on medium-high heat until all the juices have been absorbed. I like to use a fork to break the jackfruit pieces up even more during this stage. Be sure to stir the jackfruit so it cooks evenly. By the time the jackfruit has absorbed all the liquid, the consistency should resemble pulled/shredded pork. Serve with steamed rice or as a filling in tacos with a little avocado and chopped cilantro. The jackfruit stays fresh in the fridge for up to one week and can be reheated in the oven or on the stove.