While a jackfruit tree is not rare in Florida, it was a surprise to find one at the 
corner of our property! I had learned about jackfruit some time ago, and so when I spied it hanging in the tree I was thrilled.
Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, reaching up to 80 pounds and 36 inches long and 20 inches in diameter. The exterior is greenish yellow when ripe. The inside has rows of bulbs with a large smooth seed in each. The seed is about 1″x.5″, much like a Brazil nut. Botanical name Artocarpus heterophyllusis.
Jackfruit is thought to be so versatile, and to grow so easily, that it would be able to feed the world. It seems possible, but as it only grows in certain climates, it seems the world will continue to be dependent on imports, or perhaps, new climate controlled agriculture will be developed.
Jackfruit can feed the world?
Unripe jackfruit has a meat-like taste, and it has been used in curry dishes for hundreds of years. It has also become very popular with vegetarians as young jackfruit takes on the flavor of added sauces or spices, and has a distinctive meat-like texture similar to shredded poultry.
Either way, I make out having one in the yard.
The two I picked each filled a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket and weighed about 15-20 pounds.
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Prep and collecting the fruit
- Select a knife long enough to reach across the center to make cutting easier.
- The milky sap in the jackfruit is latex. It will stick to anything, except oil. Coat your knife well to start. I used olive oil, but any food grade oil will work. When done, use oil and paper towels to easily clean up.
- Use disposable items to cover your surface.
I wore disposable gloves for ease of clean up. Its much easier to pull off a glove to answer the phone, than washing them before the caller hangs up. I use gloves for anything where my hands are really in the mix, like mixing up meatloaf, or prepping chicken breasts. - Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
Cut out the solid white core.- The flesh should be thick and kind of fibrous. The fruit is a bulb or pod that releases when pulled. There will be lots of strands that surround this pod, but they are the waste. If this were a young unripe jackfruit, we would just cut all of it in chunks and cook it up.
- The seeds pop out very easily. The seeds have a thin coating around them. Sometimes it stays on the seed, sometimes it stays with the fruit. Just remove it when prepping the fruit.
- The fruit can be eaten raw.
- There is a surprising amount of leftover product, which I am told is great to give to goats or pigs, neither of which I have, so in the trash it goes.
- Rinse and recheck all the fruit, clearing any seed linings too.
- Put it all in a freezer safe container and into the freezer.
We made a smoothie with the frozen fruit and strawberries. The fruit is sweet, but not overly, and you will have best success including vanilla yogurt or the like.
- Ripe: yellowish skin with spikes that have softened, and a shape that yields under gentle pressure. Ripe fruit has distinct sweet smell.
- Young: green skin with tight tough (but not sharp) spikes.
Peel, then chopped into sections and cook.
- Seeds: The seeds from ripe fruits are edible and supposedly have sweet taste. They may be boiled, baked, or roasted. I did keep all the seeds, but waited too long to roast them, and frankly, am afraid to eat them now. Next time I will roast them right away!
Jackfruit is where Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum gets it’s flavor.
Juicy Fruit and all affiliated designs are trademarks of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company or its affiliates.