No one will guess these mouth-watering tacos are meat-free

Pulled Jackfruit Tacos 

Jackfruit is a terrific vehicle for all the smoky grilled flavours you’d expect in a taco, and its texture resembles that of pulled pork. You can make these on the stovetop, but the barbecued charred bits add so much taste, and the entire dish comes together in minutes. Find canned green jackfruit in the international aisle. Makes 8-12 tacos.

2 540 ml cans brined green (young)jackfruit, well drained
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced or rasped
2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1-1½ cup barbecue sauce (smoky is ideal)
2 red peppers, quartered, trimmed, and seeded
1 red onion, sliced and left in rings
8-12 six-inch soft tortillas, flour or corn
3-4 cups shredded cabbage or lettuce
Limes and cilantro for garnish

1. Preheat grill to medium to medium-high heat (375°F–400°F).

2. Chop the jackfruit chunks into smaller pieces by slicing through the core. Using your fingers, shred the stringy part of the fruit to get a “pulled” effect. Set aside.

3. Place a large cast iron frying pan on the grill, add 1 tbsp of the oil, and heat for 30 seconds. Add garlic and jackfruit, stir to coat, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add spices, chipotle peppers, and barbecue sauce, and stir until well combined. Cook until sauce is bubbling and jackfruit is charred in places, 5 minutes more. 

4. Brush peppers and red onion slices with remaining tbsp of oil, and grill beside simmering pan of jackfruit for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.

5. Remove everything from the grill, and thinly slice the peppers. Place tortillas on grill to warm, 10-15 seconds per side.

6. Serve family style, letting diners assemble their own by layering cabbage, pulled jackfruit, peppers, onions, a squeeze of lime, and some cilantro leaves over warmed tortillas.

This recipe was originally published in the June/July 2020 issue of Cottage Life along with lots more vegetarian grilling recipes.

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