How to Cut Jackfruit with Step-by-Step Instructions

With its large size and rough surface, it’s not surprising that jackfruit can be a bit intimidating. The first time you start thinking about how to cut jackfruit, it’s normal to feel like you have no idea where to start.

Cutting up a jackfruit is a bit more challenging than cutting some other common types of fruit. However, once you learn the basics, you’ll see that it’s not as hard as you might think. Here’s what you need to know.

Preparing to cut jackfruit

While many fruits don’t require much preparation before you cut them up, jackfruit is an exception. This is a messy process, so it’s best to put down some plastic wrap to protect your counter. Doing so will make clean-up much easier. You’ll want to create about 3ft of workspace on your counter and make sure the plastic wrap covers the entire area.  

Next, put on a pair of latex gloves to protect your hands from the jackfruit’s sap. If the jackfruit isn’t completely ripe, the sap will be plentiful, and it’s incredibly sticky. If you don’t have gloves handy, you can also coat your hands with grapeseed, sesame, olive, or coconut oil. This will make it much easier to get the sap off your hands.

Preparing your knife

The last step is to coat the blade of your knife with oil. Since jackfruit is so large, you’ll want to use a large chef’s knife. Just place a small dollop of the oil on your knife, then use your fingers or a paper towel to carefully spread it over the entire surface of the knife.

Note that jackfruit sap can ruin a knife, so try not to use one of your favorites. Also, remember that the oil can make your knife slippery, so you’ll need to take extra care when cutting.

How to open a jackfruit

Once you’re ready, it’s time to open up your jackfruit so you can enjoy its delicious flesh. Just follow these simple steps.

1. Slice the jackfruit

Start by placing your jackfruit on a large cutting board and cutting about 1.5 to 2in off the end by sticking the knife in the fruit and cutting around its surface. Use your other hand to hold the fruit steady.

Then, continue slicing rounds of about the same size until you’ve sliced the entire fruit. When you’re done, you should have about 6 slices. Note that you may need to re-oil your knife several times throughout this process.

2. Remove the core

The core of the jackfruit isn’t edible, so the next step is to remove it from each round. Do this by using your knife to carefully cut around the white core near where it borders the fruit’s yellow flesh. Once you’ve cut around it, use the tip of the knife and your fingers to pull it out.

3. Separate the pods from the pulp

Now, you’ll want to stretch the rounds of fruit flat on your cutting board with the fruit side up. Use your fingers to pull each yellow pod away from the white pulp and skin. You can also use your knife to help with this process if needed.

The yellow pods are the edible part of the fruit, so once you’ve separated them, you can throw the skin and the pulp away.

4. Remove the seeds

Each of the pods you’ve separated will have a large seed inside. Gently squeeze the pod to remove the seed and its covering. The seed covering isn’t edible, so you can dispose of it.

Place the cleaned-out jackfruit pods in a bowl—they’re ready to eat! You can also eat the seeds if you boil or roast them, so set them aside if you plan to use them later.

How to peel raw jackfruit

Some recipes call for raw jackfruit that isn’t quite ripe yet. These fruits have seeds that are soft and still developing. Since fruit in this phase has a different texture, figuring out how to cut up jackfruit when it’s not ripe can be another challenge.

To peel a raw jackfruit, prepare your workspace, hands, and knife as above, then follow these steps.

1. Chop your raw jackfruit

First, place the jackfruit on a cutting board, steady it, and cut it in half, horizontally. If white sap oozes out of the fruit, clean it off with some paper towels. Cut each half in half vertically, so the fruit is divided into quarters.

2. Remove the jackfruit skin

Use your knife to chop the outer skin of the jackfruit until the thorny peel is gone and the outside of the fruit has a smooth surface.

3. Core the fruit

Next, you’ll use your knife to remove the inner core, then remove the jackfruit pods using your fingers.

4. Chop your jackfruit pieces

Lastly, use your knife to chop your jackfruit pieces either into cubes or slices depending on what you’re cooking. It’s a great idea to place your cut jackfruit pieces into a bowl of water. This will help prevent discoloration and remove excess sticky sap.

Shop for jackfruit today

Are you intrigued by the idea of cutting and enjoying a delicious jackfruit? The great news is, you can do it without ever leaving your house! Just head over to Instacart.com, add everything you need to your shopping list, and an expert shopper will take care of everything for you. You can even have your grocery delivery brought right to your door.

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