Jackfruit Tofu BBQ Pull
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Shredded young jackfruit combined with tofu for texture, baked with smoky chipotle and molasses glaze. Tomato sauce base thickens as it bakes, caramelizing edges. Savory, spicy, balanced with subtle sweetness. Uses common pantry staples, easy to swap ingredients if needed. Great for vegan sandwiches or wraps with fresh toppings.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
60 min
Servings:
8 servings
#vegan
#plant-based
#jackfruit
#BBQ
#tofu
#easy dinners
Started messing with jackfruit long before tofu addition. Wanted texture contrast not mushy mush. Learned drying tofu first crucial avoid watery final. The smoky chipotle hit too bright last time, taming it with maple syrup gave depth not just heat. Tossing tomato right in baking pan saves dishes, juices concentrate with heat forming sticky coating binds ‘meat’ bits. Oven rack high enough for air circulation prevents soggy pockets but not so near broiler edges burn. Stir early breaks up clumps, later stirs crisp edges emerge. The smell? Garlic and smoky pepper smoke dance in kitchen gives heads-up that pull is almost ready. Not fan of one-note sweetness; molasses was overpowering, maple syrup softer, less assertive. Swap tomatoes for fire roasted adds subtle char, complexity. Tofu sliced thin melts in jackfruit texture, no chew fatigue.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cans 400 ml young green jackfruit in brine rinsed drained patted dry
- 250 g extra firm tofu halved in thickness patted dry sliced thin
- 1 1/2 cans 400 ml fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 45 ml ketchup
- 20 ml maple syrup
- 20 ml smoky chipotle hot sauce
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
About the ingredients
Young green jackfruit in brine rinsed and well dried helps get that stringy, pulled pork effect. Rinsing removes saltiness, draining plus drying key or dish turns watery. I pat dry with kitchen towels, repeat a couple times. Tofu extra firm or pressed overnight to remove excess moisture gives firmer texture upon baking; slicing thin rather than crumbling gives better mouthfeel resembling meat fibers. Fire roasted diced tomatoes bring smoky notes, if unavailable regular canned diced works fine but lose a bit flavor depth. Ketchup adds acidity balanced with sweetness; switched from molasses to maple syrup for less bitterness, smooth sweet undertone. Chipotle hot sauce or smoky paprika available options; Tabasco style sauces tend to be spicier, so taste as you go. Onion and fresh garlic essential for aroma, sautéing skipped here but baking them softens and melds flavors slowly in oven heat. Substitutions: use BBQ sauce in place of ketchup and chipotle for convenience but adjust sugar accordingly to avoid imbalance. Nutritional yeasts optional sprinkled in final for slight umami. Remove tofu if allergic replace with seitan or tempeh slices but adjust cooking as tempeh browns faster.
Method
- Set oven rack middle position preheat to 225 C 435 F plenty hot to get edges crisp.
- Shred jackfruit roughly with hands or forks break tofu into strips about same consistency. Toss everything in large roasting pan or rimmed sheet.
- Pour diced tomatoes undrained add ketchup maple syrup chipotle sauce sprinkle paprika cumin. Mix well so spices coat jackfruit tofu evenly.
- Scatter onion and garlic on top push slightly into mix for even cook. Spread thin layer so heat circulates well.
- Bake 35 40 minutes stirring twice during cook time first around 15 minutes second midway. Look for golden browned bits forming edges and tomatoes bubbling thickening.
- Sizzle and crackle start soon. Aroma smoky sweet garlic hints pop up. When juices reduce and jammy texture sticks to pan edges also possible slight charring it’s time.
- Remove let cool 5 minutes thicker, easier to handle. Serve in toasted buns or tortillas with crunchy slaw sliced avocado fresh tomato optional vegan cheese or non dairy yogurt.
- If liquid still very loose, broil 3 4 minutes watching closely for burn. Keeps well refrigerated for 3 days leftovers fat better flavors meld.
Cooking tips
Oven set at 225 C higher than usual pulls moisture fast but watch timing close or bottoms burn. Middle rack best circulation—lower makes soggy texture, top risks uneven browning. Use wide pan to avoid layering thick, excess steam inhibits crisping. Shredding jackfruit by hand riffles texture, no blender or food processor – pulsing over mixes too uniform. Start mixing all sauce ingredients before combining with jackfruit and tofu so spices distribute evenly avoiding spotty seasoning. Stir twice to prevent sticking and redistribute roasting heat, first time as juices start releasing, second to break up matting forming for even texture. Look for bubbling thick sauce and small crispy edges curling off pan, signals done pull texture. Rest 5 minutes after turning off oven thickens sauce; too hot or immediate serving yields too runny. Leftovers taste better after chilling; flavors meld, sauce firms. Adding avocado, slaw, and tomato cuts richness and adds freshness; vegan cheese optional but adds creaminess contrast. If sauce too watery end, transfer pan to broil 3 4 mins watch closely bubbling thick, caramelizing top but not burning.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry tofu super important to keep bake from getting watery. Press overnight if possible or pat with towels multiple times. Thin slices absorb sauce better, melt into fibrous jackfruit texture no chew fatigue.
- 💡 Rinsing jackfruit removes excess salt and prevents overly briny taste. Drain well then pat dry till moisture stops pooling. Otherwise moisture dilutes sauce and prevents crisp edges forming in oven.
- 💡 Mix sauce ingredients separately before combining with jackfruit and tofu. Coats evenly, no surprise bland spots. Sprinkle smoked paprika and cumin on top avoids clumps and gives deeper color when baking.
- 💡 Use wide roasting pan so jackfruit spreads in single layer. Thick piles steam instead of roast, losing crisp, texture suffers. Middle rack gives best heat circulation. Too low soggy, too high burns edges fast.
- 💡 Stir midway and again near end at bubbling stage breaks up clumps, redistributes heat for even caramelization. Look for jammy tomato sauce thickened, golden browned bits at edges, crackling sounds start popping.
Common questions
Can I use canned jackfruit without rinsing?
Skipping rinsing leads to salty flavors messing with balance. Brine carries salt better to remove. Rinse fast but gently to avoid falling apart. Dry very well after.
What if tofu crumbles instead of slices?
Crumbling tofu changes texture, no stringiness matching jackfruit. Pressing helps firm texture. Alternative: seitan or tempeh works but adjust time, temp as tempeh browns quicker.
Edges burnt but center soggy, why?
Usually oven rack placement too high or pan crowded. Spread thin in wide pan. Middle rack best air flow, watch closely near broil to catch bubbling, caramelizing before burning.
How to store leftovers?
Cool fully first. Airtight container in fridge good 3 days max. Sauce firms up when chilled. Reheat covered, add splash water if dry. Freeze okay but texture softens; reheat low heat slow.
