Pull out your slow cooker, you’re going to need it to make this tangy, delicious whiskey pineapple vegan pulled pork recipe! Everyone will be shocked when you tell them it’s not really pulled pork, it’s actually pulled jackfruit! Vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
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Pulled jackfruit is so similar to pulled pork, it’s a little scary! Have you tried it yet?
Honestly, I don’t even know if anyone would be able to tell the difference if I didn’t say anything. It’s the same size, same color, and same texture as pulled pork! I think that the only giveaway might be the flavor of the jackfruit; I like to describe it as tasting like a cross between pork and pineapple.
We also love jackfruit as a substitute for beef in classic mushroom stroganoff!
After all, jackfruit is a fruit. It makes sense that it has a fruit-like taste, even though it looks just like meat. Once it’s covered in tangy bbq sauce and piled high with coleslaw on a soft Hawaiian roll, It’s really hard to tell the difference.
This Vegan Pulled Pork Recipe is Perfect For a BBQ
I made this vegan pulled pork recipe last weekend to celebrate the 4th of July holiday weekend. Travis and I both love to have holiday-themed meals so some type of BBQ was definitely happening.
Classic BBQ food usually consists of ribs, pulled pork, and burgers. I definitely wasn’t making any of that so I pulled a few cans of my go-to meat substitute out of the pantry –> Jackfruit!
Since we watched the “What the Health?” documentary on Netflix last week, Travis has been even more open to eating less meat. He even told me to stop buying the organic turkey meat that he uses for sandwiches every day for his lunch! Finally!! Woohooo, that’s a huge victory for us!
Tips for Cooking With Jackfruit
- Rinse and drain canned jackfruit well before cooking with it.
- Be aware that if you buy a fresh jackfruit that it’s very time consuming to prepare it.
- Don’t throw out the jackfruit seeds, they’re loaded with minerals and protein!
- Much like tofu, jackfruit picks up the flavors of what you cook it with. By itself, it can be a little bland. Make sure to pair it with flavorful sauces!
- Only buy canned jackfruit in water, not syrup! The syrup will not rinse off.
(This is the brand that I buy –>
Click on the image to purchase it from Amazon!)
Slow Cooker vs. Saute: Which is Better?
I decided that it was time to attempt making BBQ jackfruit sandwiches again. I cooked the jackfruit in a skillet last year for the first time, and it was good– but not amazing. I might have used the jackfruit in syrup, I’m not sure. Now I know better!
This crockpot vegan pulled pork recipe is fantastic! Honestly, it’s leaps and bounds better than the first time I made it. The pulled jackfruit is tender, juicy, flavorful and perfect on a sandwich. I like to shred most of it but leave a few bigger chunks in the mix to give a meat-like appearance.
I think cooking the jackfruit in the slow cooker gives the “meat” a better texture and really tenderizes the edible seeds. The first time I made it in the skillet, I was not a fan of the seeds and picked most of them out. This time, I really didn’t even notice them, they blended right in with the rest of the “pulled pork.”
Plus, it’s summer and it’s hot; who wants to turn on the stove and heat up the house if you don’t have too!
What’s in This Vegan Pulled Pork Recipe?
I had planned on making the BBQ sauce from scratch but who has time for that? Not me!
Throw a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, pineapple chunks, a shot of whiskey for extra flavor, a diced onion, and drained jackfruit into a slow cooker and you’re well on your way to vegan BBQ heaven!
I served this jackfruit vegan pulled pork recipe on soft Hawaiin rolls with a ring of pineapple and our favorite Asian ginger coleslaw (dairy-free) on top. Yum! Slice up a watermelon or whip up some healthy macaroni and cheese for a side dish and you’re ready for a holiday feast!
Will Meat-Eaters Be Able to Tell?
Honestly, I don’t think so. Just by looking at the picture, would you be able to tell that it wasn’t a real pork slider? The shredded jackfruit is so realistic in appearance and flavor that I’m confident it would please carnivore’s, omnivore’s, and vegans alike! Travis gobbled them right up and went back for seconds AND thirds!
I encourage you to try it and see what you think! If you have any tried and true jackfruit recipes, I’d love to hear about them!
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 14oz cans jackfruit, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1/4 cup whiskey
- 1 Jar of your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- Soft rolls
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Put the diced onion, jackfruit, pineapple chunks, whiskey, and BBQ sauce into a slow cooker. Stir to coat the jackfruit with the sauce.
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Cook on high for 3 hours.
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Remove the slow cooker lid, shred the jackfruit with two forks, and stir in the arrowroot powder. Leave the lid off and let it continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
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Serve on rolls or buns. Top with coleslaw and enjoy!
- You don’t have to serve the jackfruit as sliders, you could serve bigger portions on hamburger buns too.
- I haven’t tried it but I think that 6-7 hours on low might turn the jackfruit to mush. In my experience, the 3+ hours on high is just enough heat and intensity to cook the jackfruit and its seeds to the best meat-like consistency.
- You definitely don’t have to make the recipe with whiskey, it just adds a bit of tangy flavor to the sauce. If you omit it, the recipe will still turn out delicious!
- The pineapple rings on the sliders are optional.
- You could substitute corn starch or white flour for arrowroot powder.
If you make this vegan pulled pork recipe, please share your picture on Instagram and tag @StaceyHomemaker so I can see your delicious creation!
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What are your favorite BBQ food recipes? Let me know in the comments!
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Super Yummy! 🙂 Looks so delicious and totally a meal that my family would love!
Thank you, Latasha!
I’ve been wanting to try jackfruit. That looks so yummy and your photos are awesome!
Thanks, Jenna!!
This looks so good! The pictures were done beautifully and makes the food look so delicious! I am going to grab the recipe and try it out! Thanks for the idea! 🙂
Thank you!!
This sounds seriously amazing! I love pulle pork and pineapple.
Thanks, Jenn! If you love pulled pork, I think you’ll love the pulled jackfruit!
My husband JUST told me that jackfruit is used a susbstitute for pork in vegan pulled pork and then I came across this!!! I’m sending this to him, stat!!
That’s awesome! It must be fate!
I love pulled pork, but I’ve never thought to put whiskey in it! This looks so good, especially with that slaw!
These look delish!!! I love bbq and am marking this for a dinner sooon!!!!
Enjoy! Let me know what you think =)
This looks delicious and I LOVE jackfruit. But never made it. I’ll definitely give this recipe a try. Pinned! Thank you.
Thank you!
Omg yummm! I can’t believe these mouth-watering sliders are vegan! I gotta try them out this summer!
these look so delicious …a complete meal to enjoy
Thank you, Albert!
This looks amazing! I’ve been hearing about jackfruit lately and will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
This has made my mouth water! It looks delicious!!
Thank you, Shannon!! =)
Could I use frozen jackfruit? That is what my local Publix carries. I’ve never even seen a jackfruit before so it’s a bit intimidating!
Hi Naomi, I haven’t tried frozen jackfruit before so I’m not sure. I linked to the canned young jackfruit in water that I use in the post. If you try it with the frozen jackfruit, let me know how it turns out!
Made this to take with us to Christmas dinner yesterday. My brother is vegetarian, but the rest of my extended family is omni. Almost everyone tried at least a little and they all loved it! I make BBQ Jackfruit a lot, but I’ve never tried adding the pineapple and I’ve never even done it in the crockpot – always stovetop. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks, Stacey! Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much, Jenn! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe too! Happy Holidays!!
Accidentally hit post before I hit the star rating. So here it is!
Thank you!
Sounds delicious!! Can’t wait to make! Did you use the entire jar of BBQ sauce in the crockpot? Also, what size crockpot did you use?
Thanks! 🙂
Thank you, Miranda! Yes, I used the whole jar. Enjoy!
This was really good. I would use Jack Daniels next time or no whiskey at all and not as much pineapple. My son really liked it.
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
Hi there,
I’ve made this recipe twice and we adore it. Super deelish! I have a question about the leftovers. Both times I made this, I followed your recipe and used Sweet Rays bbq sauce along with the other ingredients. (yes whiskey too. 😉 ) the next day leftovers had a strong vinegar taste overpowering enough that it just wasn’t good to eat. Any suggestions on what might be happening? I did try adding brown sugar/organic maple syrup to try to counter the vinegar. Thanks and I’ll keep making this!!
Hello! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! I haven’t experienced or heard of this issue happening. Maybe it’s something in the Sweet Ray’s bbq sauce? Does it have vinegar in the ingredient list? Maybe you could try a different bbq sauce the next time you make it? Please keep me posted about what you find if you try a different sauce and I’ll add it to my notes. Thank you for the feedback!
I’m not one to get on the internet and put my two cents in, but this recipe was that good that I needed to! This will be a staple of mine from now on!! Also, it was super helpful and awesome that you added alternatives and little tid bits. Super helpful!
Thank you so much, Brianna! I really appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe =) I hope you get to try some of my other recipes, the jackfruit and wild rice soup is another slow cooker favorite of ours that you might also enjoy!
I’m about to make this dish for my vegan in-laws and wondering if I cook it ahead, will it stay good? We’re traveling to their house and I want to make it up before we go so we can just warm it up before dinner. I didn’t think anything of it until I read the comment about cooking it on low and turning to mush!
Thanks for your help!
Hello! Yes, you can make it ahead of time and then refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it. I just don’t recommend leaving it in the crockpot on low for more than the recipe instructions call for because then it will get mushy. Enjoy!
Any tips for converting this recipe for the instant pot? I’m making a big batch and my slow cooker isn’t big enough. 😱
I’m sorry, I haven’t tried making it in the IP yet! If you do, please let me know how it turned out =)
Do you separate the seeds out before you put them in the crockpot?
Tasty and super easy to make! I love any excuse to use the crockpot and I had been craving BBQ (something other than BBQ grilled tofu), so this was just the ticket. My meat-eating husband approved. We used Hawaiian rolls and served with sweet potato and green beans. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
I’m so glad you both enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for letting me know =)