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Pernil is a marinated pork that has been roasting for several hours. But with using jackfruit, not only is it vegan, it is ready in under 30 minutes. Flavorful from the seasonings and crispy from being broiled in the oven, you won’t miss a thing.

I feel like young green jackfruit is underused in vegetarian cuisine, which is a shame because it is so easy to use and cheap to get. It is mild flavored, so it takes on other flavors so well.

The texture is similar to shredded pork or chicken. It can even be used in place for vegan tuna. Just look at it!

This recipe is so much better than pernil because it is healthier, easier to make, cheaper, and the best part is no animals are harmed in the making of this.

Important note: This post contains affiliate links, but it does not affect my opinion of the products. I used all of these and love these products. You can read my full disclosure here.

What is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit grows in warm, tropical climates, like those of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Brazil. It is technically a fruit, but it has a very neutral taste when young, so it is the perfect blank canvas for you to add flavors to it.

This fruit is also very stringy, with a texture similar to shredded meat, but unlike meat, it has no saturated fat. It is actually quite healthy for you. It is low in sodium and calories, but still gives you potassium and fiber.

I have seen my grocery store sell the whole jackfruit (about 20 pounds!), which you could technically use, but I just like to get the cans of young green jackfruit. Try to get ones with jackfruit is only in water.

Ingredients

• Young green jackfruit. It is important to get the cans of young green jackfruit in water. That will give you the most neutral flavor.
• Olive oil. You want the jackfruit to be crispy to get that texture of roasted pork, but if you want to omit this, just add more water.
• Cumin.
• vegetable stock. Or vegetable bouillon to give more flavor.
• salt and pepper.
• Paprika.
• Liquid Smoke. This is optional, but it adds a nice subtle smoky taste. Only a few drops are needed, a little bit goes a long way.

Procedure

First, take your jackfruit out of the can. They should look like the ones below. Place it in the colander and rinse with cold water.

Now you can cut it up. This step will depend on the brand of canned jackfruit you get. I have found some that have hard seeds and inedible pieces, but the brand I found (you can get it here) didn’t have that, so I just cut the pieces in half and called it a day. The seeds are edible, so don’t discard them.

In a pot, add a little bit of oil and add the jackfruit pieces. They will soften as they cook, so just gently break them up with a spatula. Add the seasonings of choice and mix it in. This process goes pretty quickly.

When you see some parts becoming a nice golden brown, add some stock or water and place it in the 450-degree oven to broil for 15 minutes. This will really ensure it gets crispy and absorbs all those wonderful flavors. Look how delicious it looks!

After that, you can add it to whatever you want. A burrito bowl? A taco?With some rice and beans, maybe?

If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you! As a Puerto Rican, pernil is something I am really familiar with. This jackfruit recipe really impressed my family and it is my new go-to. I love how quick it is to make and how it is allergy-friendly.