I tried Tabitha Brown's BBQ jackfruit sandwiches and this 5-step recipe is a go-to vegan option for Juneteenth (2024)

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Barbecue is a "premiere party food" that's often served at Juneteenth celebrations, but vegans also need an option!

According to culinary historian Adrian Miller, barbecue is a "premiere party food" often served during early Juneteenth celebrations. Juneteenth occurred on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed the enslaved African Americans they were free.

157 years later, African Americans celebrate with potlucks, cookouts, family meals, and neighborhood gatherings that foster community.

"Old school barbecue was whole animal cooking," Miller told Insider. "There was no way to preserve it, so you had to have a lot of people eat that food — it commanded community."

But not everyone who celebrates Juneteenth can enjoy the traditional cookout spreads.

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You'll need less than 10 ingredients to make this recipe.

You're going to use nine ingredients in total, including cans of jackfruit. To make it, you'll need:

• 2 cans of jackfruit
• 1/2 cup of grapeseed oil
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
• Garlic powder
• salt-free multi-spice
• sea salt
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• A bottle of BBQ sauce (your favorite kind)
• A pack of sandwich buns (your favorite kind)

You're also going to need a skillet or a large pan, and a strainer.

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First, drain the jackfruit to get the excess brine out.

According to Brown, you'll need to drain two cans of jackfruit by squeezing out the water in each piece. Another method you can try is pouring the jackfruit into a strainer, which I did before squeezing each piece as an extra measure.

For those who've never handled canned jackfruit, each piece has a hard outer layer — called the core — and softer, fleshy bits that protect the seeds. We want to use those fleshy bits for our recipe.

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Some people remove the jackfruit's core, but others incorporate it into their recipe — it's up to you!

Although Brown didn't note it in her recipe,the core is edible and can be cut off or included with the jackfruit flesh. I chose to chop the hard bits off and mix them. However, the choice is yours!

This is also a good time to shred the jackfruit flesh with your fingers before adding it to the skillet. Although you can use the spatula to shred the jackfruit, I found the texture and consistency were better when I prepared beforehand.

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Add the jackfruit to the skillet with grapeseed oil, seasonings, and liquids.

Pour ½ cup of grapeseed oil into a skillet, then add the shredded jackfruit.

Then, add the seasonings to the skillet while the jackfruit cooks. Brown didn't give specific measurements for the seasonings and said to add "as much as you want because that's your business."

However, I used ½ tbsp of garlic, ½ tsp of the multi-spice seasoning, and ½ tsp of salt.

Also, add ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, two tbsp of maple syrup, and one lemon squeeze, or about ½ tbsp.

Combine all the ingredients and cook on medium to high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Brown suggested tossing the jackfruit until it begins to brown.

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Add your favorite BBQ sauce to the mix after the jackfruit browns.

Once it begins to brown, add the BBQ sauce! I didn't know what to expect with jackfruit, so I chose a classic sweet heat sauce and added it to my skillet.

Brown said to saute the BBQ jackfruit for another five minutes, and then it's ready to serve. You can use regular sandwich bread, burger buns, collard wrap, or other foods to hold the jackfruit.

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I've done a number of taste tests, and this is one of my favorites!

I've tackled more than 20 taste tests during my time with Insider, and this recipe is truly a stand-out.

Truly, this is an excellent recipe for Juneteenth or any other day of the year!

Read more:

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