Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit

Enjoy this Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit recipe as a meat-free alternative to pulled pork. You’ll love the flavors, texture, and healthiness of this recipe!

A glass dish is full of cooked jackfruit. The text at the top reads, "Bulgogi Jackfruit: A vegan slow cooker alternative to pulled pork."

How to Make Vegan Pulled Pork

It seems like every where 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. But anyway, I came up with this recipe for Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit and it’s been a super big hit here. I hope you like it too!

Have you heard of Jackfruit? We buy it in a can and it makes a great meat replacement. The jackfruit actually comes from a tree that belongs in 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 its 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.

A slow cooker is filed with canned jackfruit wedges, and other ingredients. Next to it is a bowl of BBQ sauce and a halved pear.

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 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 a sort of soy sauce flavored ingredient. So if you don’t want to use both, then use just one. I like the extra flavor offered by Bragg, but I also find if I use too much it can overwhelm a dish. That’s why I used both.

This dish definitely has a salty tang to, that’s because it’s a bulgogi! If you’re not certain what that is, it’s a tradition 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 has a nice, subtle flavor which means it’s perfect for adapting with the right spices. In this recipe I used some traditional Korean bulgogi flavorings to create a savory, sweet blend that can play well with other ingredients, say cole slaw, 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.

Three Vegan Bulgogi Street Tacos sit in front of a dish o bulgogi jackfruit and slaw.

Serving Bulgogi Jackfruit

The next question you might as is how you 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!

Looking down on a serving platter full of nachos topped with bulgogi jackfruit and other toppings.

The big question, of course, is where do you find Jackfruit? Most Asian Grocery stores carry Jackfruit. So you can do a google search for Asian Grocery Stores in your area. If it’s a drive, you might want to call before you head there to make sure they have canned jackfruit.

Our local health food store carries cans of Jackfruit too. 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 a brine rather than the ones in syrup.

Bulgogi Pulled Jack Fruit is great on a sandwich!
Crockpot Bulgogi Jack Fruit Recipe

Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit

Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit – a meatless, vegan, and delicious alternative to pulled pork.
4.39 from 21 votes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 159kcal

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

Alternative cooking method: Place all ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes to an hour, until all the liquid is absorbed and the jackfruit is tender. You should be able to easily break apart the jackfruit into stringy pieces as shown in the picture.
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 859mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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!

43 Responses to Crockpot Bulgogi Jackfruit

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMichelle Reply

    Do you thibk soy curls coukd be used as sub?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Michelle. This is a great question. I think once you’ve rehydrated the soy curls they could be used in place of tofu in this recipe. The difference would be, you wouldn’t need to break the soy curls into smaller bits, because typically they’re already broken down into pieces. I’d love to hear from you if you try it!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyTony Reply

    1 star
    Horrible meat substitute. Used frozen jackfruit – results were sickly sweet and mushy – like soggy, juicy-fruit gum. Second time I’ve tried this ‘amazing’ meat substitute (used fresh, first). Don’t get high expectations. It’s not what everyone raves. Jackfruit as jackfruit is very good. Jackfruit as meat substitute is disappointing without peer.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Tony. I guess jackfruit is not your thing. I do recommend using young jackfruit canned in brine for the best results.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKim

      Tony, for recipes using jackfruit as a meat sub, you’re supposed to use young unripe jackfruit that comes packed in brine, never the ripe sweet yellow jackfruit. You can find the young jackfruit at Asian grocery stores and Trader Joe’s.

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyVishala Reply

    Can you substitute the mirin for rice wine vinegar as I can’t find any GF mirin and don’t consume alcohol.
    Thank you so much for the recipe, I cant wait to make this.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Vishala. Yes, rice vinegar is a great GF substitute for mirin!

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