As a child I loved eating pot roast and I've been dying to create a vegan version with jackfruit for months. I love using jackfruit because of it's meaty texture and it's ability to absorb flavor. I made this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago and it was so good that I've made it at least 6 times since then and it just keeps getting better and better.
Why I love using an Instant Pot for this recipe
Using an Instant Pot is my secret weapon when making this dish. It makes the process super easy and the pressure cooking element tenderizes the jackfruit, potatoes and carrots in no time at all. Plus just look at the results.
Key Ingredients
I've made this recipe several times now and I've found the key to getting the best flavor is to amp up all of the seasoning and herbs.
Dark Soy Sauce - key to getting the nice rich beef like color and enhancing the flavor. You can find it in the Asian section of most grocery stores or Asian markets. If you can't find it you can use regular soy sauce, it just won't deliver the super rich dark color.
Fresh Herbs - Fresh herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme add a nice bright flavor that is super reminiscent of comfort food and help to build flavor.
Herbs De Provence - Herbs de Provence is my all time favorite herbal blend. The combination of herbs work so well together and create a super intense, delicious, fragrant and refined flavor. I have been handcrafting my own Herbs de Provence herbal blend for years and I believe that I have perfected it. It's full of super fragrant Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Lavender and other herbs. You can Pre-Order my huge 4 oz. blend in my spice kit on April 5th.
Lots of extra virgin olive oil - I recommend using extra virgin olive oil because it keeps the jackfruit super moist and tender. It also add some fat to the pot roast and helps make it super rich and decadent.
Nutritional Yeast - Believe it or not nutritional yeast is what really brings this dish home. It mellows out the tartness of the jackfruit and blends all the flavors together.
Corn Starch - The corn starch thickens the dish and makes it super rich. You can use flour or arrowroot too. Leaving it out will result in a watery soup like pot roast and not the traditional stick to your ribs pot roast we all remember
How to chose the right jackfruit
Choosing the right jackfruit can be tricky if you've never used it before. This recipe calls for canned young green jackfruit. You do not want to use fresh or yellow jackfruit that is canned in syrup. It will be incredibly sweet and impossible to get the savory flavor you need. I typically purchase the canned Green Jackfruit in Brine from Trader Joe's. The brine flavor is not overwhelming and it is easy to add flavor. You just have to make sure you rinse and drain it prior to using it. I also recommend Young Green Jackfruit canned in water as well. You can find it on Amazon or at most Asian Markets.
This is the jackfruit from Trader Joe's
You literally just toss everything into your instant pot for 35 minutes.
Once it's done cooking remove the herb sprigs and either serve as is or place it into a baking dish for a nice presentation.
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