How to Ripen Jackfruit Quickly

Whether a jackfruit is ripe or not is sometimes hard to tell. This this guide, we’ll show you how to pick a ripe jackfruit and how to ripen the tropical fruit once you’ve bought it.

Jackfruit has inspired plenty of buzz in previous years, especially as a plant-based ingredient that can act as an alternative to meat in some of your favorite dishes. As a substitute for meat, the unripe, green jackfruit is usually used, though. But especially when it’s ripe, the jackfruit can also be an ample source of healthy calories and is rich in nutrients like potassium, calcium, and iron. 

As the largest fruit tree in the world, jackfruit trees can grow between 30 and 70 feet tall and their fruit can grow to be 100 pounds or more, though the fruit you’re likely to see available for purchase usually weigh between 10 and 25 pounds (which is still a lot to carry home). But does bigger automatically mean riper?

Keep reading to find out how to tell if jackfruit is ripe and learn other helpful tips. 

How to Tell If Jackfruit Is Ripe

If you aren’t familiar with jackfruit, it might be difficult to tell whether or not it is ripe when you’re trying to choose one to buy. Here’s how to spot ripe jackfruit:

• A strong pungent smell is emitting from the fruit.
• The outside of the fruit is changing from its bright green color to brown or slightly yellow shades.
• The fruit has a slight softness when gentle pressure is applied.
• It sounds slightly hollow when tapped.
• Its spikes have become larger.

Where and When to Buy Jackfruit

In the past, you could only find jackfruit in the USA in Asian supermarkets and sometimes only the canned varieties. However, as this tropical fruit has continued to trend over the past several years, it is now possible to find fresh, ripe jackfruit in many mainstream grocery stores, and reliably at Whole Foods. If they are unavailable in your region, don’t fret, you can still find them canned (more on this option later).

Jackfruits are typically in season from spring to summer, but that will vary slightly depending on your region. In Florida, for instance, jackfruits are in season from late summer to fall. 

How to Ripen Jackfruit at Home

You are likely to find unripe jackfruits in supermarkets, but you can ripen them at home. Either let them sit on your counter for a few days or for a quicker method, put the jackfruit in a large plastic or paper bag with several very ripe bananas inside. The gas emitted from the ripening bananas will help ripen the fruit faster. 

But be careful, ripe jackfruits turn brown and deteriorate quickly. Though they can maintain freshness if kept refrigerated, you most likely don’t have a large enough fridge for this deliciously monstrous fruit. Either purchase jackfruit already cut or butcher it yourself. Store what fits in sealed containers in the fridge and eat the rest first. 

Canned vs. Fresh Jackfruit

Fresh ripe jackfruit is sweet and slightly crunchy while canned is often unripe (the label often says “green”) and meant to be used as a meat substitute. Canned, green jackfruit is typically shredded to give it a meat-like texture and has a bland taste so that it can absorb seasoning or marinades. Green jackfruit is not as suitable for sweet dishes or for being eaten on its own. 

If you’ve accidentally bought fresh unripe jackfruit, don’t worry! Fresh unripe jackfruit, like canned unripe jackfruit, is perfectly suited to be used as a vegan meat substitute in savory dishes. Just like the canned variety, fresh unripe jackfruit is bland in flavor, but with a similar texture to pulled pork.

Is Jackfruit Sustainable?

When opting for a plant-based diet, it’s important to take sustainability into account as many trendy and tropical foods can come with high environmental costs. Fortunately, it seems that jackfruit trees are a nearly perfect crop because they are drought resistant, can naturally ward off pests and diseases, and don’t mind high temperatures. These trees are hardy and require little care, allowing farmers to grow secondary crops to increase their revenues and have better working conditions. 

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Tags: Guide Healthy Living Natural Nutrition