# Fruit that tastes like meat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947 "2016-08-25T21:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/21 "2016-08-26T16:23:45Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > [Jackfruit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit) tastes like a cross between a banana, apple, pineapple, and mango. It’s frequently used to sweeten desserts in SE Asian dishes and they make candy from juice concentrate. > > It seems a stretch to say it tastes like pork… I’ve also seen it used on TV in cooking shows for its sweetness. I haven’t had it myself though. > > ETA: Visiting those links, the fruit “tastes like pork” when the fruit is preserved in brine then cooked in barbecue sauce. > > Under those conditions anything will taste like pork. It’s not the taste as much as it is the texture that matters. Central Javanese make a classic dish called “gudeg” which is a jackfruit stew. It seems like a beef stew because the texture of the jackfruit chunks are rather like a very tender beef. The first time I had it, I had no idea it didn’t have meat in it. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/22 "2016-08-26T16:27:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve never found a meat substitute that actually tastes like meat (other than in dishes like chili or spaghetti sauce where it’s not really the meat you’re tasting in the first place), but I _have_ found some that taste very good. > One of those reasons being that they don’t like the taste of meat. Plus, even if a given vegetarian used to eat meat, that might have been many years in the past before they tried some particular substitute. you’re missing my point. I’m saying it’s not valid to assume that just because someone’s a vegetarian that they have no idea what meat tastes like. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/23 "2016-08-26T17:08:03Z")
If you take the fruit of the soy plant, turn it into tofu, and then bake slices of it in the oven until it’s well done and meaty in texture, it somewhat resembles chicken breast, especially if you baste it with the right sauce. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/24 "2016-08-26T19:34:04Z")
Not a fruit, but IMHO collard greens have a distinct ham/bacon-esque flavor when cooked. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/25 "2016-08-26T19:39:52Z")
I’m not saying that a vegetarian will necessarily have no clue what meat tastes like. I’m saying that vegetarians, as a group, will strongly tend to have a lot less clue as to what meat tastes like than non-vegetarians. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/26 "2016-08-27T05:06:33Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Not a fruit, but IMHO collard greens have a distinct ham/bacon-esque flavor when cooked. I’ll set my watch and warrant that it’s because the greens were cooked with bacon or ham hocks or something similar. 🙂 At least, that’s how I’ve always done it. (You also need an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, to make all the vitamins available) ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2016, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/27 "2016-08-27T05:15:39Z")
As for the OP, mushrooms are definitely meaty in some ethereal way, especially if prepared in a meaty way (with aromatic vegetables, garlic, maybe red wine). Thinking hard, I suppose dried stone fruits could provide a workable substitute if seasoned appropriately (prunes, apricots, olives etc.). Avocados are fatty and rich and can provide that mouthfeel. And, while not fruit as such, beans and potatoes (esp. with skin) give a nice umami, nutrient-richness that can mimic “blood” taste, as well as naked protein content. Honorable mention to plantains and true yams. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2016, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/28 "2016-08-27T05:59:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Not a fruit, but IMHO collard greens have a distinct ham/bacon-esque flavor when cooked. Not trying to snark but…LOL, I would agree with you statement if you said they cooked the collards with Ham Hock. ymmv ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/29 "2016-08-28T01:00:49Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > [Jackfruit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit) tastes like a cross between a banana, apple, pineapple, and mango. It’s frequently used to sweeten desserts in SE Asian dishes and they make candy from juice concentrate. > > It seems a stretch to say it tastes like pork… I’ve also seen it used on TV in cooking shows for its sweetness. I haven’t had it myself though. > > ETA: Visiting those links, the fruit “tastes like pork” when the fruit is preserved in brine then cooked in barbecue sauce. > > Under those conditions anything will taste like pork. I can’t recall jackfruit tasting meaty. It tastes pretty much as described by **Atamasama**. At one time I remember reading that Juicy Fruit gum flavor was like jackfruit, and that does seem close (though the only time I ate it was 20 years ago, so memory has faded) It will kill you if one falls on you out of a tree. From the Wikipedia page: "its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 35 kg (80 lb) in weight, " And if it doesn’t kill you, you will at least bear a coarse pockmarked skin texture at the point of impact. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/30 "2016-08-28T01:43:21Z")
now I want to eat jackfruit. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/31 "2016-08-28T02:11:56Z")
A quick Google search reveals that “jackfruit tastes like pork” is a contentious subject over which much ink has been spilled. It seems to me that apparently unripe jackfruit is fairly flavorless and has a reasonably firm texture, and can soak up enough BBQ sauce to make a tasty pulled pork substitute. That’s pretty different than saying it taste like meat, however. ---
**Author:** ![snuffleupagus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@snuffleupagus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snuffleupagus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/32 "2016-08-28T02:18:32Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I can’t recall jackfruit tasting meaty. It tastes pretty much as described by **Atamasama**. > > At one time I remember reading that Juicy Fruit gum flavor was like jackfruit, and that does seem close (though the only time I ate it was 20 years ago, so memory has faded) > > It will kill you if one falls on you out of a tree. > From the Wikipedia page: "its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 35 kg (80 lb) in weight, " > > And if it doesn’t kill you, you will at least bear a coarse pockmarked skin texture at the point of impact. Jackfruit does taste uncannily like Juicy Fruit gum! Love it. The ripe fruit is sweet and, well, fruity. I believe it is the underripe starchy fruit that can be cooked and become ‘meaty’. Kind of like breadfruit can be made into a savory starchy dish, substitute for potatoes or similar when immature, or ripened further and eaten as a fruit/dessert. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/33 "2016-08-28T13:17:20Z")
Biting into a leaf of raw Swiss Chard is like biting into some weird, alien, meat/vegetable hybrid. The taste is strongly umami, and I always use it in veggie broths to add that earthy richness. But the closest I’ve had to meat from a single vegetable was portabello mushroom. MArinate it overnight in cheap Italian salad dressing, and then plop it on the grill. It’s a fair substitute for a hamburger. ---
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/34 "2016-08-28T14:02:03Z")
I can testify that unripe cooked jackfruit tastes like pulled pork. The ripe ones can be cloyingly sweet though. We cool with unripe jackfruit all the time. it’s a family favorite. You can get them in cans from an Asian supermarket. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/35 "2016-08-28T14:17:17Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Your loss, it’s pretty good, not exactly meaty but savory for sure. Plenty of recipes, images if you google for it. Okay, in the spirit of being open-minded, I won’t rule it out. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/36 "2016-08-28T17:34:04Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > you’re missing my point. I’m saying it’s not valid to assume that just because someone’s a vegetarian that they have no idea what meat tastes like. Rabbi and Priest, longtime friends: “Tell me, Rabbi, have you ever tasted pork?” “Yes, I must confess, once I just couldn’t help myself. So let me ask you, have you ever, you know, been with a woman?” “Yes, I too once succumbed to an overpowering urge.” “Lot better than pork, right?” ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/37 "2016-08-28T17:37:30Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Rabbi and Priest, longtime friends: > “Tell me, Rabbi, have you ever tasted pork?” > “Yes, I must confess, once I just couldn’t help myself. So let me ask you, have you ever, you know, been with a woman?” > “Yes, I too once succumbed to an overpowering urge.” > “Lot better than pork, right?” On a related note, someplace in the Talmud there actually is a debate on whether pork tastes good. The upshot was a) it probably does b) so you shouldn’t say “it’s gross that’s why I won’t eat it,” rather, it’s immaterial: c) “I don’t eat it because God said so.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/38 "2016-08-28T18:25:47Z")
> [@brainstall](#): > > If you take the fruit of the soy plant, turn it into tofu, and then bake slices of it in the oven until it’s well done and meaty in texture, it somewhat resembles chicken breast, especially if you baste it with the right sauce. I often buy Tofu jerky from the Chinese grocery - it varies in texture by brand - some of the more solid, blocky varieties are like savoury pencil erasers, but some have a shredded, fibrous texture that is very meaty. The flavour of course comes from whatever marinade has been used, but some are really good - I gave some that was marinated in soy sauce, sugar, chilli and garlic to a vegetarian friend who was missing eating meat - she doubted that she was really eating a vegetable product. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/39 "2016-08-29T12:23:44Z")
Never heard of Quorn before. Sounds like some Klingon food. And Seitan (also tofu meat wanna be’s) taste like gummy sh… fecies. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947/40 "2016-08-29T16:23:30Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > Okay, in the spirit of being open-minded, I won’t rule it out. 🙂 Not that I’ve actually tried it but I’ve heard that watermelon can be fantastic on the BBQ grill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fruit-that-tastes-like-meat/763947.md?page=3)