Jack Fruit – JackFruit – Jak-Fruit

Jackfruit is a tropical fruit originating in India and the rain forests and mountains of Malaysia. It grows from the branches and trunks of trees. The largest jackfruits can weigh over 80 pounds (36kg). Jackfruit is not similar to breadfruit in any way except it grows on a tree. The very stinky fruit called Durian is similar in appearance but is not related to jack fruit.

Below are photos of jackfruit that I took as I prepared one in my kitchen when I used to live on Kauai. In my opinion, Jack Fruit smells like gasoline on the outside and tastes like bubble gum or Juicy Fruit gum on the inside.I love fresh Jackfruit and I think it’s delicious! I heard that Juicy Fruit Gum was fashioned after the flavor of Jack Fruit. 

The center of Jack fruit is very sticky inside. I guess the runny white stuff is something like liquid latex. So before you start cutting into the fruit, be sure to cover your knife and hands with olive oil. Or even better, cover your hands in the juice of the seeds and their sheaths as you remove them. This will keep the white sticky glue from sticking to your hands and your knife. Clean your hands and the knife later with olive oil. I have no idea if the stuff people call latex is actually latex or if people are allergic to it. 

I’ve kept Jack Fruit in the refrigerator for as long as any other fruit. It seems to last quite a while, especially if not cut open. 

For more information on JackFruit, please refer to this excellent online book:
Fruits of Warm Climates, by Julia F. Morton.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html