You won’t believe how meaty and tender this BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork really is! Jackfruit and barbecue sauce are cooked together on the stove, giving you an easy and smoky shredded meat copycat even carnivores will love.
For more incredible jackfruit recipes, check out my Jackfruit Tacos, Jackfruit Carnitas or Buffalo Jackfruit Quesadillas!
Barbecue-ready vegan pulled pork
If there’s one meal that screams “barbecue”, it’s this BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork. Made with shredded jackfruit and barbecue sauce, even meat eaters will think they’re eating the real thing! One bite and all of your guests will be hooked.
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that’s easy to cook and has the same texture as shredded meat. Mix it with homemade BBQ sauce and you have a winning combination! Pulled jackfruit soaks in the smoky flavors, giving you tender and meaty vegan pulled pork that looks and tastes just like real meat.
The best way to eat jackfruit pulled pork is to stuff it into hamburger buns. Top the sandwiches with more BBQ sauce and creamy coleslaw and dig in! They’re a must-have at any summer barbecue or potluck.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Canned jackfruit – Make sure you use young green jackfruit in water or brine. If you’re using jackfruit packed in brine, just rinse it well to get rid of the briny flavor.
- Olive oil – Or cook the onion in water for an oil free alternative.
- Onion
- BBQ sauce – Homemade BBQ sauce is easy to make at home with simple ingredients! For a time-saving solution, use your favorite storebought sauce instead.
- Water
- Sriracha – You can use any hot sauce you like.
- Salt
How to make jackfruit pulled pork
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Drain and rinse the canned jackfruit to wash away the brine.
You can chop off and discard the woody core of the jackfruit if you find it to be too tough. Otherwise, leave it intact.
Saute the onion in an oiled skillet until it’s soft. Add the jackfruit, BBQ sauce, and water. Stir everything together before covering the skillet with a lid and leaving the jackfruit to cook and tenderize.
Afterward, remove the lid and mash the jackfruit with a potato masher or two forks. It should have a shredded texture similar to real pulled pork. Adjust to taste before turning up the heat and letting it cook a little longer. This achieves a flavorful, caramelized crunch!
Serve the pulled jackfruit on buns with vegan coleslaw, then enjoy!
Serving suggestions
The best way to use BBQ pulled jackfruit is in vegan pulled pork sandwiches. Top with vegan coleslaw and extra barbecue sauce, then dig in! Don’t forget the cornbread and macaroni salad on the side.
Frequently asked questions
- Does jackfruit taste like pulled pork? Young jackfruit has a meaty texture and soaks up flavor like a sponge. Once it’s cooked, it takes on all of the savory, smoky flavors the BBQ sauce has to offer! It tastes a lot like pulled pork!
- Can you make BBQ jackfruit in the Instant Pot? Yes! Just follow the steps in my Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Jackfruit recipe.
- Can you make it ahead of time? Yes, you can cook the barbecue jackfruit up to 3 days in advance. Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, reheat the jackfruit in a skillet until warmed through, then enjoy in sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, and more.
- Can you freeze BBQ jackfruit? Yes! Freeze any leftovers in airtight containers and let them thaw overnight in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Want more vegan barbecue recipes?
- BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
- BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- Sticky BBQ Tempeh Ribs
- The Best Vegan Potato Salad
- BBQ Soy Curl Sandwich
BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Jackfruit Pulled "Pork":
- (2) 20-ounce cans young green jackfruit, in water or brine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce store bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup water
- Sriracha hot sauce, to taste
- salt, to taste
For serving:
- 4-6 vegan buns
- 1 Recipe Vegan Coleslaw
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit from the can. Rinse very well if your jackfruit was packed in brine. Chop off the hard center core portions, if desired(see photos in post above). I like the texture better with the tougher parts removed. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
- Add the jackfruit, BBQ sauce and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well to combine, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid and mash the jackfruit with a potato masher or two forks, to create a shredded texture so it resembled pulled pork. Add Sriracha hot sauce and salt to taste.
- To finish, turn the heat up to high and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. This helps it dry up a bit and get blackened in some spots, which makes it extra tasty!
- Remove from heat and serve on buns with Vegan Coleslaw. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you can find young green jackfruit in water, that is best as it won’t have a briny flavor at all. However, I often get the jackfruit from Trader Joe’s in brine and I don’t mind it. So either will work.
- For oil free, omit the olive oil and cook the onion in a few tablespoons of water.
- For gluten free, use gluten free vegan buns.
- Calories listed are for 1/4th of the bbq jackfruit only, and do not include the bun or coleslaw.
Has anyone tried putting this in the oven to crisp it up just a bit? I love the texture of the jackfruit carnitas, and I’m wondering if it might work well with this recipe as well.
I usually put the jackfruit in the oven at 450 for 10-15 minutes, and it definitely takes on the texture of barbecue pulled pork! It works wonderfully 🙂
Hi Krista. Thanks for this fabulous feedback, Krista! I am so glad you love the recipe! It makes a great sandwich, for sure! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This is so good. We ate it over baked potatoes with cashew sour cream!
Sounds delicious over baked potatoes! Thank you for your fabulous review!
Wonderful recipe! How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? … if there are any 😃
Thank you, Joanne. I appreciate your awesome review! Leftovers will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze any leftovers in airtight containers and let them thaw overnight in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Happy cooking!
Wondering if anyone has tried this with frozen young green jackfruit and had success? I have one can and one bag handy, so I’d use the can and make up the difference with frozen. Will it have similar results?
wondering the same thing. my grocery store carries frozen jackfruit not canned.
Frozen jackfruit works!
This was fantastic! I made this tonight along with your BBQ sauce and coleslaw. I will make this again and again! So happy to have found your recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Robin. Welcome to my site. I’m thrilled you loved the pulled pork! Thanks for your fantastic review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Yum. It was very easy to make and delicious. One suggestion please have a more accurate amount for the liquid in ml. ‘A cup’ is too vague. Takes the guesswork away. 😊
one cup = 8 fl oz.
250mL= 1 cup
Yes, yes! oh my god yes!!! Absolutely incredible and amazing. I made this to go along and actually pulled pork as a vegan option. I only wish I had made more because all the carnivores at my bbq were devouring this. I suggest not cutting off the core as it adds a good mouth feel to the final dish. Also, don’t skip the last step – the caramelized bits are the best!!!!
I’m loving that the jackfruit pulled pork was a hit! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Great recipe – tasty and easy.
I’m thrilled that you love it! Thanks you for sharing your feedback and review!
Followed the recipe to the letter, including making your barbecue sauce. This is my first time cooking with jackfruit, and I’m pretty impressed with how much it resembles pulled meat. However, I do find the sauce overly sweet. How would you recommend modifying the barbecue sauce so it is less sweet?
Hi there! You could leave out the sugar/sweetener in the sauce or just use a different barbecue sauce (homemade or store bought) that is less sweet and more to your taste. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this recipe I want to make. I have wanted to do vegan for a while now since I’m starting to feel sick from meat, my body is rejecting it. I will try this and hope I can find Jackfruit.
You are welcome, Trina! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
We love this recipe! Two years ago we had our wedding caterer prepare this recipe for our rehearsal dinner. It was a hit!
Wow, that’s so lovely to hear! Thank you so much for using my recipe and for your wonderful review! 🙂
Just made this for the first time ever. My jackfruit was in brine, so I rinsed it a lot. Easy to make and super yummy! Thank you!
I’m so glad the pulled pork turned out yummy for you, Carol! Thanks for your wonderful feedback!
Amazing, super easy and the taste is delicious. Thank you!!
You are welcome, Mariana! I’m glad you loved the recipe! Thank you for your positive feedback!
So easy, and so good! I usually do pulled portabello mushrooms, but this is so much easier! Another great Nora recipe!
Hi Kelly. That sounds yum! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
My husband absolutely loves this! Thought we would never get to eat BBQ pulled pork sandwiches again after turning vegetarians several years ago. Jack Fruit in water was purchased at “Sprouts” food store (House brand). Thank you for offering this recipe.
You are welcome! I’m so glad that you guys love the jackfruit pulled pork! It is such a satisfying sandwich! Thanks for taking time to share your great feedback!
I’m going to make it for dinner tonight. Thanks for the recipe ‼️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️
You are welcome! Enjoy!
Great recipe! easy to follow. very tasty.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
I can only find frozen jack fruit at my grocery store. If I let it thaw out will it work just the same?
Yes, that should work just the same. Enjoy!