MARVELOUS MEAT FREE BBQ "PULLED PORK"

I'm always looking around for meat free alternatives of my favorite meaty dishes to make so I can enjoy them with the vegetarian at home and recently I've been noticing "pulled pork" made from jack fruit popping up more and more online and in magazines. I really didn't understand how a fruit could taste like pork but upon giving it a try I completely get it. Jack fruit breaks up into little strands to create that pulled pork effect and flavoring it by slow cooking in a homemade BBQ really does work. It's a revelation!

Jack fruit can be picked up in larger supermarkets, world food and specialist shops. I understand it might be hard to find but if you do spot any then grab a can instantly so you can make this recipe and I promise you won't be disappointed. If you can't get hold of jack fruit then you can still make this delicious BBQ sauce and use it as a condiment or as a pasta sauce or why not cook some veggie mince in it to make some BBQ mince. There are so many options!

The recipe below will make enough for about 6 people, perfect for a dinner party! If there are less of you I'd still make it for six, keep the leftovers and enjoy it the next day. The sauce actually gets better after it's had a few hours to sit and really meld together.

BBQ Meat Free "Pulled Pork"

For The Sauce

2 400g Tins Plum Tomatoes

3 Grated Garlic Cloves

1 Large Peeled And Chopped Onion

50g Light Brown Sugar

80ml Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds

1 Tsp Smoked Paprika

1 Tsp Chili Flakes

2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

Salt And Pepper To Season

For The "Pulled Pork"

2 400g Tins Of Jack Fruit In Brine

1 Large Peeled And Chopped Red Onion

1 Cored And Chopped Red Pepper 

1. Begin by placing all the ingredients for the sauce into a slow cooker and giving everything a good mix together. Take a stick blender and blend everything until smooth and well combined. Turn the slow cooker onto high and leave for at least two hours to bubble away.
2. After two hours have past, drain and wash the jack fruit before breaking it up into pulled pork like strands and adding it to the sauce along with the red onions and red pepper. Give everything a good mix again and then leave for another hour before serving. 

It is as simple as that. The only hard decision is how to serve the pulled pork as there are many delicious things you could do with it. Serve it as a filling in a baked jacket potato, with some sour cream and tortillas to make some yummy burritos or why not just get some buttered brioche buns and make some scrummy pulled pork butties. The BBQ sauce is a plethora of different flavour sensations; sweet, tangy, spicy and sticky, it's the perfect vessel for the jack fruit which soaks up the sauce and plumps right up to give that meaty effect. Who knew meat free pulled pork would be such a treat? It's marvelous!