Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit
Enjoy this Crockpot Bulgogi JackFruit recipe as an meat-free alternative to pulled pork. You’ll love the flavors, texture, and healthiness of this recipe!
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How to Make Vegan Pulled Pork
It seems like everywhere I turn, I’m seeing pulled pork recipes. It’s on tacos, nachos, sandwiches, you name it. And so I decided there needs to be a delicious, meatless version of pulled pork. You know, for people who actually like Babe?
Pigs are friends, not food. I know, I know. I’m getting my movies mixed up. Anyway, I came up with this recipe for Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit, and it’s been a huge hit here. I hope you like it too!
Have you heard of Jackfruit? We buy it in a can, and it makes an excellent meat substitute. The jackfruit actually comes from a tree that belongs to the mulberry family. Just like the one in my neighbor’s yard when I was a kid!
Jackfruit is becoming a popular meat replacement because it has a malleable flavor and stringy consistency after it’s cooked. I made this Bulgogi Jackfruit recipe and we’ve been eating it on nachos, as sandwiches, and even on tacos. Don’t worry, I have recipes for those coming up very soon.
How to Make This Recipe
I made this Bulgogi Jackfruit in a slow cooker, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Feel free to make this in a big saucepan on the stove, just allow yourself some time for it to simmer.
What I love about putting it in a crockpot is that I can add all the ingredients and walk away. The jackfruit needs to cook for a bit before it gets tender and flaky and starts looking like pulled pork. Besides, all these flavors simmer together, and it’s like heaven in your kitchen.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- A pear
- 2 cans of Jackfruit (young green jackfruit works best)
- Tamari and Bragg (both gluten-free, but you can use soy sauce too)
- White wine
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh garlic
- Agave nectar*
- An onion
- Sesame Oil
That’s about it. And look at the results! You’re going to love having this flavorful Bulgogi Jackfruit on hand!
Now, let’s talk about Tamari and Bragg. They are both types of soy sauce-flavored ingredients. So if you don’t want to use both, then use just one. I appreciate the extra flavor offered by Bragg, but I also find that using too much can overwhelm a dish. That’s why I used both.
This dish definitely has a salty tang to it, which is characteristic of bulgogi. If you’re not certain what that is, it’s a traditional Korean dish which literally means “fire meat.”
What You’ll Love About This Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit Recipe
Jackfruit has a significant amount of fiber and a nice, subtle flavor, which makes it perfect for adapting with the right spices. In this recipe, I used traditional Korean bulgogi flavorings to create a savory, sweet blend that pairs well with other ingredients, such as coleslaw, or can even be served on its own as a sandwich.
Jackfruit is also a great source of vitamin C, protein, potassium, calcium, and iron. Talk about a perfect meat replacement!
Besides, a recipe that calls for a crockpot is so nice. I love the idea of throwing everything in a slow cooker and letting it cook all day. Then, when you get home from another day at the office, the delicious aromas of dinner are there to greet you. This recipe actually calls for a double batch, but you can easily halve it and make a single batch.
Serving Bulgogi Jackfruit
The next question you might ask is how to serve crockpot bulgogi jackfruit. Great question! It’s delicious on sandwiches, but I also love it another way — Vegan Bulgogi Jackfruit Nachos! Talk about comfort food! I’ve also made Vegan Bulgogi Street Tacos with it too. OMG!
The big question, of course, is where do you find Jackfruit? Most Asian Grocery stores carry Jackfruit. You can also conduct a Google search for Asian Grocery Stores in your area. If it’s a drive, you might want to call ahead to confirm they have canned jackfruit.
Our local health food store also carries cans of jackfruit. So, shop around to see if you can buy it locally as well. Of course, if you can’t find it nearby, you can always consider purchasing jackfruit online. I always buy jackfruit in brine rather than the ones in syrup.
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Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit
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Ingredients
- 40 oz canned jackfruit (green jackfruit in brine) drained
- ½ cup tamari
- ¼ cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
- ½ cup agave nectar maple syrup, or honey
- 1 cup white wine or mirin
- 2 tablespoons fresh peeled ginger minced
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 medium onion peeled and sliced
- 1 green pear cored and chopped
- ½ cup fresh cranberries , optional
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Place the jackfruit in a crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Turn the heat to high and cook for another hour to help absorb any remaining liquid.
- Use a firm spatula to break apart the jackfruit into pieces. It should break apart easily at this point.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Enjoy!
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
43 Responses to Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit
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Is the oil necessary or could it be substituted? I am oil free.
Hi Cathy. I think you’d be fine to make this without oil. I haven’t tried this myself, but I think it will be fine.
My husband and I became vegans recently. We had to make a drastic dietary changes for health reasons. There were a handful of meat items I would miss and bulgogi was one of them. I prepared it exactly as directed using a crock pot. I also placed on high for one more hour so it wouldn’t be so liquid-y. I presented it like the picture, as a sandwich. The taste is SPOT ON. Def fills the void I thought I would be missing when I became vegan. I suggest serving it over rice. The liquid gravy soaks into the rice making it just SO tasty!! Thank you so much. It’s a great recipe! Easy to make and low on fat! I really appreciate you sharing! I’m glad we have leftovers but my husband keeps going back for more with rice and I have a feeling it’s going to be gone soon.
Hi Lesley. Thanks so much! I’m glad you and your hubby like this recipe! It’s so nice to find vegan versions of our favorite recipes from before. I love the idea of serving it over rice!
After I made this I thought it was going n the trash, but I remembered someone said they crisped it up in a pan so I did that and it was excellent. There was far too much liquid so I boiled it down added a teaspoon of cornstarch and it made this excellent sauce to toss the jackfruit. It was a hit!
We LOVE bulgogi in our house! When we were stationed in Germany one of the wives from my husbands unit made this for my kids and I while our husbands were deployed to Afghanistan. She is Korean and made this with regular beef and kiwi and did not add any sweetener. It was outstanding! I’ve made Korean lentils but haven’t used jackfruit for bulgogi yet. The pear is interesting. I may give it a try and see how it compares to the kiwi. Thanks for the idea! Jackfruit is amazing! Thankfully it comes canned. A whole one is roughly $45 depending on the weight. It is delicious fresh too!
This looks fantastic, definitely going to give it a try! What are the little red things in the crockpot photo that look sort of like grapes?
Hi Craig! I added whole cranberries to this recipe. It is completely optional but I like the bit of tangy sweetness they add.
This looks so amazing! I’m new to vegan lifestyle and I’m hoping this recipe will convert my husband too. Thank you. I’m getting jackfruit! I live in a rural town (nothing but Walmart) so I’ll ahve to order online. Thanks agin
I grew up in a rural town and my sister lives in a rural near where we grew up so I totally understand! Walmart is getting more and more vegan products these days. This vegan beef stew is another one that wins over my meat-eating friends. Let me know if you’d like more recipes veganized!
Hi! What are your thoughts on cooking this in a pressure cooker/Instant Pot?
Hi Debbie. I confess, I have not yet engaged with using a pressure cooker/instant pot. So I did a little research in answering your post and learned that jackfruit does quite well in a pressure cooker. And the good news? It can be ready in a lot less time. Getting a pressure cooker is definitely on my to-do list for 2018!
Are you speaking of tamarind paste?
Hi Sandra. Thanks for your comment. I’m actually referring to Tamari, which is a gluten-free soy sauce. I use it regularly instead of soy sauce, but if you don’t have any on hand, soy sauce works. Thanks for your comment. I’ll add this as a note to the recipe.
As an alternative in the crock pot can it be cooked on high for a shorter cooking time?
As a note, the recipe is delicious but also a little sweet for us so i just use half the honey otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing!
Hi Kathy! Yes, I have made this in a pot on the stove before and it worked great. Just bring it to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Also, I love your alteration. I may add that as a note in the recipe post for others to consider as well!
I have made jackfruit pulled pork three times and have enjoyed more than the last. The texture is great, but I still want to make this recipe so it is not so sweet. Makes great sandwiches and burritos!
Hi Mary Beth. Thanks for your feedback. I think sweetness is one of those things that definitely can be adjusted in a recipe. I’m all for that kind of experimentation, so you can transform this foundation of a recipe into exactly the way you love it!
YUM! I crisped it up a little bit in a pan after it cooked in the crockpot, which was awesome. A couple notes: I had quite a bit of extra liquid, so I would omit the water next time. Also, this was too sweet for me, so I think I would cut the agave/syrup in half next time. I also added some chili flakes for a little kick. Loved this recipe and will make it again for sure
Your total calls for 6 hours but in the instructions it says cook for 6 hours on low and another hour on high. Can you please clarify?
Thanks Ticia. We converted our recipe plugin recently and so we fixed it to read 5 – 6 hours on low. Hope that helps.
I can get the actual jackfruit where I live.
So,I need to brine it first?
This recipe looks amazing. Just one question…by “green pear” do you mean green as opposed to red or Bosc, or green as in not quite ripe? I have everything but the pear, but, I’ll be making this soon. I wonder if an apple would work just as well?
Hi Dawn. Yes, I’m referring to an unripe, firm pear. I haven’t tried an apple in this recipe so I’m not sure it would work. I like the pear because I can use the skin and all. However, if I were making this recipe with an apple, I might be tempted to skin the apple first because apple skins seem to stay a little tough, even after cooking. Let me know how it goes!
Before you put the jackfruit in the slow cooker, do you cut off the tough part and remove the seeds or just throw it in, straight from the can? Also, I don’t like pears. Would apple work?
Hi Susan. I drain the can of jackfruit and put all the contents into the slow cooker, seeds and all. They all break up nicely when the recipe is done. Also, you can use apple, but I want you to know that the pear cooks all day long and the flavor is completely encompassed by the marinade. It adds just a touch of sweetness to the recipe but, for example, my husband didn’t even realize there was a pear in the recipe. It might be one to try out. Let me know how it goes!
If I use fresh jackfruit, how much do I need for the recipe? Thanks
Hi Mari. I think you can get by with using one jackfruit for this recipe. You may need to add a little additional sauce or a little extra water. I have mostly worked with canned jackfruit and have had great results with that.
I haven’t tried jackfruit yet but this looks amazing!
I love it Meagan! It’s so easy to work with and delish!! I hope you give it a try and that you like it too!
I have yet to try jackfruit but I do see it at my local Asian produce market – it is quite impressive!! I’ve also seen a pulled bbq jackfruit item on a food truck menu and I was so close to trying it – I wish I did!! This looks incredible Marly. Yum!
Ooh, Aggie, you’ve gotta try it. You’ll love it. And now that I know it has some good health benefits to it too, I’m gonna be making some more. Thanks to Jenni’s encouragement, carnitas will be next!!
This is so cool! I’m like your number one non-vegan vegan blogger fan! I may have to scrounge up some jackfruit and give something similar a try. Now I want you to make carnitas with it and let me know what happens… =)
Ah, Jenni, you always make me smile! I hope you do try some jackfruit and that you let me know how it goes. I’ve got carnitas on the list to be made soon. In fact, I’m going to make it for Adee’s coming home. Oh, and Jenni, Adee’s COMING HOME!! I have tears of happiness! 🙂
I love seeing jackfruit everywhere now! I actually made some last night smothered in barbecue sauce on top of a sweet potato (really good). Your recipe sounds amazing, like I want to put it on a taco and add a slaw and lime squeeze. Sounds phenomenal! Crock pot recipes rock my socks, so to speak 🙂
I love the jackfruit smothered in BBQ sauce! OMG!! It’s SO great on a sandwich! By the way, we have a recipe coming up soon with this Bulgogi Jackfruit smothered in slaw and some other good stuff. Vegan Street Tacos. Yes!