AKA “Sin Carne Guisada.” Carne Guisada is traditionally a Mexican meat stew. It is very reminiscent of a classic roast with gravy, but with mexican spices. It is something I ate a lot of growing up in Texas. We had it around the clock for breakfast, lunch and dinner!. I took this traditional meat roast, veganized it, and put it on top of some crispy roasted potatoes.
I am sure by now that you have seen jackfruit tacos or jackfruit BBQ, but this is definitely a new and inventive take on the beloved jackfruit! It is such a versatile fruit that is very flexible in taking on flavors. You can find whole jackfruit at asian supermarkets, and a lot of grocery stores sell it canned in brine these days. This makes it way easier for you to make at home!
I buy jackfruit canned in brine. The brine has a bit of a strong flavor so I begin this recipe by draining and rinsing the jackfruit. Then I boil it in water for five minutes to take out some of that acidic brine flavor. Doing this really allows the jackfruit to take on the delicious “guisada” flavors.
This stewed jackfruit served on top of crispy potatoes is absolutely delicious. It’s rich and hearty and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I really like to eat it the classic way in some tortillas, but it is also great by itself!
It works great for a weeknight dinner, but is also fancy enough to work for a holiday or special occasion. It is also fun to serve it with some salsa, guacamole, and some vegan cheese, but this is all optional! You can eat it with some warm tortillas or on its’ own. This recipe serves about four people depending on how hungry your people are!
I’d also like to add that the potatoes in this recipe work great for breakfast or as a side dish for many other recipes as well! Feel free to just make those if you are craving some simple crispy potatoes!
Below I’ll put a recipe for the crispy oven potatoes and then the jackfruit. Serve the jackfruit on top of the potatoes!
This is a fantastic recipe, that I hope you’ll give a try! It’s amazing! I made it for non-vegan friends from Texas, and it reminded them of home! If you make this recipe let me know what you think in the comments below!
Crispy Oven Potatoes Ingredients:
- 6 Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 Tbs. Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
Crispy Oven Potatoes Method:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F
- While your oven is heating you can prepare your potatoes and if you have extra time, go ahead and start prepping your jackfruit as well!
- Wash your potatoes well and pat dry. I like to leave the skin on for this recipe! Slice your potatoes into small pieces about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch.
- Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and throw the potatoes on there. Drizzle the olive oil and seasonings on there and use your hands to mix well.
- When the oven is ready, bake the potatoes for twenty minutes, shuffling them around halfway through.
- Then they are ready serve with the jackfruit! These potatoes are also great for breakfast or as a side dish with many other recipes! This is what they look like coming out of the oven!
Jackfruit “Guisada” Ingredients:
- 4 Tbs. olive oil divided
- 2 10 oz. cans of jackfruit in brine
- 1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 Tbs. cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 3 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. agave nectar
- 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
- 2 cups of vegetable broth (I use “no-chicken” broth)
- garnish with chopped cilantro (optional!)
Jackfruit “Guisada” Method:
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Drain and rinse the jackfruit in a strainer in the sink. When the pot of water is boiling, place jackfruit in there and boil for five minutes. This will release some of the brine flavor in the jackfruit.
- After five minutes strain the jackfruit and let cool for a couple of minutes so that you can handle it.
- When its cool enough to touch, gently squeeze out excess water from the jackfruit and pat it dry.
- Heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil over medium/high heat in a cast iron pan or non-stick skillet. When the oil moves freely in the pan place your finely chopped onion and garlic in the pan. After a few minutes, when the onion and garlic begin to get brown add in the jackfruit. Try to place it in a single layer where it really hits the pan and it can get seared.
- While it is searing on one side begin seasoning. Throw in the cumin powder, salt, and pepper. Let it cook a few minutes. When the jackfruit is looking brown and seared on one side flip all of the pieces.
- When the jackfruit is flipped continue seasoning it by pouring the soy sauce and agave nectar over the pieces. Sear for a couple of more minutes.
- Then throw in the green bell pepper and sautée all of that together for another minute or two.
- Add in the rest of the olive oil and stir well. Evenly distribute the ingredients in the pan, and sprinkle the flour over all of the ingredients in the pan. Stir well to incorporate the oil, flour and ingredients. Let it cook for about a minute. When the flour has fully incorporated into the rest of the ingredients pour the broth over the whole pan.
- Scrape up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Bring the broth to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. A gravy should have formed around the jackfruit.
- Now, it’s ready to pour over the potatoes and serve! This can be eaten on its own, in tortillas and with some additional fun toppings! My favorites are vegan cheese, salsa, and guacamole! Enjoy!
