^{Prepare to be amazed! Who knew a fruit could be the best meat-free substitute for “carnitas”. This taco filling will BLOW YOUR MIND whenever you want to cut out meat, calories, and still inhale a plate full of insanely delicious tacos!}

Carnitas, Spanish for “little meats”, are typically pulled pork, slowly braised in fat somewhat like the process of confit. It’s tender, juicy, and depending on what flavors are added, it’s probably one of the best taco fillings known to man. I’ve been known to splurge on any and all types of tacos, especially during an all-you-can-eat Taco Tuesday special. More often than not though, I feel weighed down, lethargic, and completely useless after a night of overindulging on greasy tacos.

I had to find a way to make tacos in abundance so that I could pig out and not feel so much guilt. It’s not worth compromising on flavor either so I found a few options for meat replacements. Jackfruit is one of the best by far since it mimics pulled pork but is made from a fruit. They hold up when when they are double cooked as well to get even more of that delicious carnitas texture.

I am a big fan of pulled pork, slow cooked in zesty spices and double cooked in the oven for the crispy bits! I get it, I know jackfruit is the unpopular ingredient amongst meat lovers. If you haven’t tried it though, then you really don’t know JACK! It looks and eats just like pulled meat without the fat.

Let’s talk about how cool jackfruits are. They have swept the market as a replacement for pulled meat. Who would have thought!?!? The meat of the fruit is super mild in flavor and takes on whatever flavor you prefer to add. Feel free to lug home and break apart the actual fruit. They’re HUGE! I think I weighed and priced out one at the grocery store and it would have cost me just short of $50 for a fruit.

So here’s the trick, get the canned jackfruit! It’s fine, it’s easy and it’s already sitting in water or brine so it keeps it juicy for your cooking process! You’re looking at about $2-$4 per a 20 ounce can and a whopping 40 calories per serving.

This recipe is super simple. Once you stock up on jackfruit in a can (which I highly recommend you do for other recipes), you can throw a batch of these together with ingredients that you most likely have on hand, like spices, orange juice, syrup and even beer! What a combination!

Just try them and trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Very similar to my lentil tacos, you don’t know how addicting these can be until you give them a shot! Then it becomes an issue of how NOT to share them!

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Jackfruit “Carnitas” Tacos

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Prepare to be amazed! Who knew a fruit could be the best meat-free substitute for “carnitas”. This taco filling will BLOW YOUR MIND whenever you want to cut out meat, calories, and still inhale a plate full of insanely delicious tacos!

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:25

Total Time:40

Ingredients

2 (20 oz.) cans young green jackfruit in brine (or water)
½ large onion sliced or chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste optional
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce chopped
2 medium oranges juiced (about 1/2 cup of juice)
½ cup beer lager
¼ cup maple syrup
salt additional to taste
cilantro

Instructions

Drain jackfruit in a strainer and rinse thoroughly and squeeze out excess liquid.
Add jackfruit into the food processor (or break it apart with your hands or later in the skillet). Pulsate until the jackfruit breaks down slightly for 3-5 seconds.
Heat a large skillet or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat with olive oil. Add onions and and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions become translucent. Add garlic and all spices, including salt. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add jackfruit into the skillet and continue to stir until the spices coat the jackfruit.
Add chiles, tomato paste (optional for added flavor), orange juice, beer and maple syrup. For about 8-10 minutes, stir slightly and cook down until almost all the liquid is gone.
Set oven to broil setting. Spread all the jackfruit onto a large baking sheet. Spread it out as much as possible. Broil for 4-5 minutes, watching closely.
Remove pan, flip or toss the jackfruit and add it back into the oven under the broiler for an additional 4-5 minutes. Watch closely again until the edges and bits and pieces of the jackfruit are slightly charred.
Remove and sprinkle with diced red onions and chopped cilantro.
Top tortillas with jackfruit and all your favorite toppings!

Notes

How long does it last and where?

These can last in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5-6 days. Avoid building tacos or burritos before storing in the fridge. The jackfruit will hold up, but the tortillas won’t be their best.

Can you freeze it?

You can freeze jackfruit either before of after you make the carnitas. You just want to make sure that they are stored in freezer safe zipper bags in individual portions. Cook in a skillet when it’s time to serve.

Substitutions?

I think the point of this recipe is to make carnitas with the ultimate substitution of jackfruit in place of pork!

You can use bottled orange juice if you don’t have two juicy oranges on hand. You want about 1/2 cup of juice. Pulp or no pulp, either will work.

Instead of beer, feel free you use veggie broth as another liquid source. If you are using beer, I would stick towards a light beer or lager. Anything too heavy will overpower the flavor of the tacos. I used an orange infused beer which was absolutely perfect.

Tips and Tricks

When prepping the jackfruit, rinse it as much as possible to get rid of any existing can or brine flavor. That’s not typically something you should taste but always good to rinse and start with a blank canvas.

After rinsing and before adding the jackfruit to the food processor or pan, drain and squeeze out as much liquid from the fruit as possible. The less liquid it holds, the crispier it will become when cooking. Remember, you’re adding back in flavorful liquids when you sauté.

After adding the onions and cooking those down, it’s really beneficial to add in your dry spices to toast those flavors and then add the jackfruit. It helps bloom the natural spices.

The one other big suggestion I have is making sure you broil (and babysit) the already sautéed jackfruit and spread it out on a large baking sheet. The less crowded the “meat” the more crispy it will become, leaving you with charred bits which are insanely delicious!

Watch the broiler! I love using my broiler for toasting up pretty much anything. The problem with broilers, they all tend to act differently. Some have hot spots, and some burn the crap out of your foods in the blink of an eye. It is super important to make sure you watch this process closely!

What to serve with it and what to serve it with?

I found some wonderful, super low calorie, low carb, tortillas! Use whatever tortillas you have on hand and toast them up before stuffing them with the “carnitas”.

Top these with pico de gallo, avocado and jalapeños. I also found some vegan dairy products on the market if you’re keeping these completely vegan, such as crumbled cheese and sour cream (or yogurt). This recipe can be adjusted to however you prefer!

For Cinco de Mayo, and all other Taco Tuesdays, pair with my Spicy Margarita!