barbacoa jackfruit tacos with garlic lime crema
Taco de Mayo, waddup?
I usually post my desserts on Fridays, in time for weekend baking escapades, but I was so hyped about yesterday’s Dulce de Leche Stuffed Derby Cookie Bars that I swapped out my schedule and landed on a savory feast this time around.
Oddly enough, these tacos took three turns, over a couple months’ span, to get the way I wanted them. Both aesthetically and formulaically. Barbacoa is a traditional Spanish style of preparing meat which involves a deeply spiced profile, usually with dried chiles and a slow-cooking method. Intensely flavorful and warming describe barbacoa pretty well.
Because we’re into quick and accessible recipes here on FMG, and eliminating the meat aspect, I’ve prepared my own nod to barbacoa in these savory, juicy jackfruit tacos. We slash the prep time to around 35 minutes without skimping on the yum factor. So, you can make these on a busy weeknight or when entertaining on Cinco de Mayo or any spring/summer occasion.
The brightness and homey smells in this dish really boosted my mood when I cooked up my final test. I was low, and less than motivated to cook when I got home from The Day Job, but when that happens I find that surrounding my photo area with happy hues tends to make me feel whole again. Plus, a tasty meal to enjoy at the end is a swell bonus.
Barba-whoa-a
These tacos start with jackfruit. I use them quite often in Mexican dishes because the rather bland flavor and pleasing texture scoops up any kind of sauce beautifully.
Drain your cans of jackfruit – I buy Trader Joes’ – and pat dry with some paper towels. Shred the fruit with your fingers to create the texture of pulled pork. Those little marble-like pods can be used in your barbacoa or discarded. They boast a slightly more bitter taste and a rubberier mouthfeel, but they won’t hurt you.
The spice mix is your most important tool. A bit of brown sugar amplifies the blend of smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, oregano, and cumin. We go generous on the spices to best mimic barbacoa.
Saute some garlic and onion first in your skillet, then toss in the spice blend to toast for around a minute. Stir in the jackfruit, pour in some beef broth (I use vegetarian beef broth) and soy sauce, then bring to a light simmer. Lower the heat if you need to, the pot should not boileth over.
Crema Dilemma
The only dilemma I have with the crema is that I never spell “dilemma” right the first time.
While the jackfruit cooks off, prep the rest of your taco fillings, including the simple as shit yet phenomenal garlic lime crema. I usually do an avocado crema with tacos, but I have two random tubs of yogurt in my fridge so I figured I’d probably benefit from freeing up a little space by finishing one.
For the crema, mix up some yogurt with vegan or regular mayo, grated garlic cloves, lime juice, and salt. Easy peasy. I like grating my garlic so no awkward chunks float around within the cream. Nothing worse than biting into a huge hunk of raw vampire repellant.
I usually char my tortillas in a dry skillet, love the toastiness it lends to any soft taco. Just don’t walk away and think everything’s fine because you will smell burnt corn in about 10 seconds. Keep an eye on each as you toss it in the pan. You probably don’t need more than 45-60 seconds if your burner is set hot enough.
Now you’ve your jackfruit, tortillas, and crema. I like to keep the fillings simple in this one: some shredded romaine, cilantro, and the ever-present pickled onions. I eat those suckers by themselves.
Pile it all in your tacos. I go double decker on the tortillas to keep shit sturdy. Drizzle lots of crema on top and STUFF YA FACE.
These tacos are easily veganized. You can use vegan mayonnaise only for the crema, or if you can find a vegan Greek yogurt (I never have); and be sure to buy the vegetarian beef broth for the barbacoa. Simple simple.
Chow down and be safe tonight! If you’re drinking a few margaritas or sharing a pitcher of sangria, grab a rideshare home.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
But soft! Tacos.
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barbacoa jackfruit tacos with garlic lime cream
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans jackfruit, drained
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup vegetarian (or regular) beef broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 8-10 yellow corn tortillas
- shredded romaine, pickled red onions, and chopped cilantro, to serve
garlic lime crema
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (or regular)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
Instructions
- Pat the drained jackfruit dry. Shred with your fingers to create a pulled pork-esque texture. You can choose to discard the pods or keep them in the mix – they won't harm you, they're just a bit more bitter and tough.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute, then the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Toast for 30-60 seconds, until nice and aromatic.
- Toss in the jackfruit, then pour in the broth and soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the jackfruit is very tender and turns a deeper brown. Stir occasionally. The jackfruit should be a similar color to shredded beef. If the pan becomes too dry, add another 1/4 cup of broth. At the end of cook time, stir in the lime juice.
- To make the crema, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- If desired, char the tortillas in a dry skillet heated on high for 30-60 seconds per side.
- Stuff the tortillas with the jackfruit and top with shredded romaine and cilantro. Drizzle the crema overtop and lay a couple pickled onions to finish.
