Jackfruit "Carnitas" Tacos!

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After consuming Jackfruit Tacos in Los Angeles at Pure Luck, I knew I had to go home & try my hand at making them. I've been meaning to post this recipe for some time, as it's become a staple in my kitchen, especially for parties where people can serve themselves! Jackfruit is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine & can be found in most Asian markets in cans. You may also find it at Indian grocers or other specialty stores. It's important that you get young jackfruit in water or brine, as it is mild & almost flavorless, where ripe jackfruit is sweet. Not only in jackfruit delicious, it's very low in calories & takes well to any seasoning. On the PPK, people have been smothering it with BBQ sauce & using in on sandwiches.

I use a crockpot for this recipe, I love being able to throw it together in the morning, leave for the day, & only need to heat a tortilla up to have dinner after a long day! This can also be simmered on the stove top, but may not have the same depth of flavor from all day slow cooking. You'll notice there's not exact measurements for the ingredients, as this is very adaptable. You can make 1 can or 4! I find one can serves 2 people, but this is also a great re-heat the next day, so don't be afraid to make more!

Jackfruit "Carnitas" Tacos
Ingredients:
Young Green Jackfruit, canned, in brine or water, not syrup.
Salsa Verde (Trader Joe's brand is ideal.)
Lime juice
Onion, cut in to large pieces.
Garlic, pressed or minced.
Chile Powder
Cumin
Pepper
Smoked Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Oregano

Instructions:
Drain & rinse the jackfruit throughly. With your hands, press the moisture out of each piece & add it to the crock pot or your stove top pot.

Take each of your spices & season each piece of jackfruit. Once covered, use your hands to coat each piece in the spices on all sides.

Add the chopped onion & garlic to the crock pot & cover the seasoned jackfruit with the Salsa Verde. It doesn't have to be completely covered, just make sure there's enough liquid in the bottom & spoon a bit on top of all the pieces. (I tend to use a little over half a jar per can of jackfruit.)

Squeeze lime juice over the top of everything (I use a 1/2 lime per can of jackfruit), turn on the crock pot & let it go!

I like to cook this in the crock pot for 7 to 8 hours, if possible, but it can be done in as little as 1 hour. If cooking this on the stove top, let it simmer for at least 1 hour, preferably 2, stirring occasionally.

After the jackfruit is cooked, it will have changed colors & be a nice browned color. I remove the onions & any large garlic pieces from the mixture before serving, but it's up to you!

Serve the jackfruit in corn tortillas with some additional salsa on top & a squeeze of lime juice or any other toppings you enjoy!