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How To Freeze Dry Jackfruit

How To Freeze Dry Jackfruit

Freeze Dried Fruits

Holding a jackfruit for the first time can be intimidating. But don’t be daunted by its enormous size and spiky cover. We’ll teach you the proper handling and how to freeze dry jackfruit to get the most out of the fruit.

How To Choose The Best Jackfruit For Freeze Drying

If you want to freeze dry sweet, ripe jackfruit, there are three things you need to check:

Skin or Rind

The skin or rind of the jackfruit has spikey protrusions or segments. These are flat, small, and compact when the fruit is unripe. As the fruit ripens, these segments become bigger, open up, and seem to protrude and separate from each other.

The rind should also be firm but should have a bit of a give to it when you press it. An unripe jackfruit will have hard, tough skin. An overripe one will sink and won’t bounce back.

There will be some discolorations on the skin; don’t worry, this is normal. What’s bad are large brown or black spots that are either too dry or wet and mushy.

Scent

The scent of a ripe jackfruit is sweetly intoxicating yet so unique it’s hard to describe. Some say the scent is close to sweet gum or something akin to an exotic Juicy Fruit.

Sound

The sound is the determining factor for many, even expert farmers. What you do is tap or knock on the skin of the jackfruit to produce a sound. An unripe fruit will produce a high-pitched cold sound. A ripe one will give you a dull, solid, warm resonance.

Should I Get Ripe or Unripe?

Now that you know the difference between rip and unripe jackfruit, you might ask: which one should I get? Of course, that would depend on what you intend to do with your freeze-dried jackfruit.

Ripe jackfruit is great for desserts and snacks. Their tropical sweetness adds a compliment of flavor to sherbets, salads, and cereals. Some even add it to crispy banana spring rolls covered with caramelized sugar.

But did you know that you can also eat unripe jackfruit? Some use the white, crunchy flesh as a meat substitute. It’s also good when stir-fried and prepared with coconut milk.

How To Prepare Jackfruit For Freeze Drying

How To Prepare Jackfruit For Freeze Drying

Since we talked about unrip and rip jackfruit, we’ll teach you two ways to prepare them. But before you do, make sure you have the following:

  • A really sharp knife
  • Gloves
  • Cling wrap
  • Neutral cooking oil (vegetable, corn, grapeseed, or sunflower)
  • Chopping board. Use one that’s easy to clean and won’t absorb the latex.

What you need to watch out for when preparing jackfruit is latex. This sap can be sticky and can also cause skin irritation or reaction. Use gloves to protect your hands, then apply a thin layer of oil on the gloves’ surface and the knife. Go easy on the oil because it will interfere with your freeze-drying process. You can use water if you prefer. Just wash your hands and tools every now and then.

Others place a large plastic bag on the cutting board and cut the jackfruit inside. This way, you keep the sap from ruining the cutting board and your countertop or table surface.

Preparing Unripe Jackfruit

You need to peel off the rind and take out the tough core for the unripe jackfruit. To do this:

  1. Cut the fruit in half crosswise, then set aside the other half face down on a saran wrap. This will help drain the sap from the fruit. If you prefer, you can also do this to the other half and let both drain for 5 minutes instead of immediately processing.
  2. Get the other half and put it on the chopping board with the cut side down. This will help keep the fruit stable.
  3. Hold the fruit firmly at the top, slightly to the side, to keep it from moving.
  4. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the rind about 2-3mm deep from top to bottom. A sharp knife is safer than a dull blade because the tool will do the work for you with little force and effort.
  5. Continue until you get all the rind out.
  6. Cut the fruit in half and quarters lengthwise, then remove the core.
  7. Place the fruit with the center facing up, then make a long slice from top to bottom.
  8. Hold the two pieces firmly, then make thin 1/4-inch slices. Process the whole fruit, including the seeds.
  9. Continue until you get the entire fruit sliced.
  10. Wash thoroughly and let them dry before freeze-drying.

Preparing Ripe Jackfruit

Ripe jackfruit doesn’t need any peeling but needs the same protective gear. Then, after protecting your hands, what you need to do is:

  1. Slice the fruit in the middle crosswise, then slice the halves again in the middle lengthwise. If the pieces are too thick for you to handle, cut the sections into long quarters.
  2. Remove the core to expose the seed pods or arils. These pods are hidden between soft, fingerlike projections, which are also edible but aren’t as sweet and flavorful.
  3. If your jackfruit’s ripe enough, bend it inside out to further expose the pods.
  4. Using your hands or a paring knife, firmly remove the pods. Be careful because the more ripe your jackfruit is, the more delicate the meat will be.
  5. Comb carefully through those fingerlike projections as they hide the pods really well.
  6. Once you get all the pods out, split each aril open and take out the seeds. Don’t throw them away, as they’re also edible.

Those projections left on the rind of the fruit are also edible. Others cook those and use them as meat replacements. You can freeze-dry them if you wish, then use them later in your meals.

Do I Pre-Freeze?

As we always say, pre-freezing is an option but can help your freeze dryer immensely. The jackfruit’s meat is firm but not too thick that it’s hard to freeze dry. However, pre-freezing can save you time and money on electricity bills. Especially if you have a deep freezer running. It also lessens the wear and tear of your machine.

How To Freeze Dry Jackfruit

Freeze-drying jackfruit is easy with your Harvest Right Freeze Dryer.

  1. Turn on the unit and select “START > NON-LIQUID”.
  2. If you have room-temperature fruit, select “NOT FROZEN”. For pre-frozen arils, select “FROZEN”.
  3. Your freeze dryer will pre-cool itself, which can take 15-30 minutes.
  4. When the unit tells you to, close the drain valve and load the trays.
  5. Close the chamber door and secure the seal around the ring.
  6. Press “CONTINUE” and the unit will process your fruit for you.

How Long Does It Take To Freeze Dry Jackfruit?

Freeze drying the fruit can take 25-36 hours, depending on:

  • Temperature and humidity of the room where you put your freeze dryer.
  • Your vacuum pump’s performance.
  • Amount of food you’re freeze drying.
  • Nature of the food you’re freeze drying along with the jackfruit.
  • Age and software version of the machine.

A properly freeze-dried jackfruit should be light, airy, and crips. If any pieces feel soft and moist, return the trays for 2-3 hours of extra dry time.

How Long Does It Take To Freeze Dry Jackfruit?

What Do I Do With The Seeds?

Except for the core and the rind, every part of the jackfruit is edible, including the seeds. When cooked, they have almost the same consistency and flavor similar to potatoes. To cook them:

  1. Put the seeds in a pot and cover them with water until fully submerged.
  2. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat.
  3. Simmer the seeds for 15-30 minutes or until they’re fork-tender.
  4. Remove the seed coat and eat.

You can also freeze-dry the seeds raw. Just cut the seeds in half and freeze-dry them along with the jackfruit. Cutting exposes the flesh of the seed for easier freeze-drying.

How Do I Store Jackfruit?

You can use Mason jars or Mylar bags to store your freeze-dried jackfruit. Mason jars are good when you want to taste the exotic sweetness every now and then. Mylar bags are great for both long-term storage and camping.

To help make your freeze-dried jackfruit last 25 years, store them in a cool, dry, dark place. The room should be below 72°F (22 °C) with a relative humidity of 15% or less.

How Do I Rehydrate Freeze-dried Jackfruit?

To rehydrate, just cover the fruit with enough room-temperature or cold water. Use just enough to cover but not fully submerge the fruit. It takes about 5-15 minutes to rehydrate the freeze-dried fruit to a soft consistency.

For the seeds, fully submerge them in water until they’re soft. Usually, this takes just 5-15 minutes as well. They rehydrate fast and with very little encouragement.

Conclusion

Jackfruit is one of the largest fruits known to man and a very versatile food. It can act as a fruit or vegetable, depending on how and what stage you eat it. Preparation may be tedious, but the fruit will reward you abundantly if you do it right.

What will you freeze dry, unripe, or ripe jackfruit? Let us know in the comment section.

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