Jackfruit vs. Seitan: Which Makes the Best Vegan Brisket?

Most associate brisket with the US South. The fatty cut of meat, which comes from the breast area of a cow, is a mainstay in Texas barbecue. Walk into any smokehouse restaurant in the state, and you’ll usually see brisket listed alongside ribs and sausages. Beyond Texas, there are now more than 15,400 barbecue restaurants in the country, and you’ll find brisket served in most of them.

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Now regarded as an all-American dish, meaty beefy brisket didn’t originate in the US at all. It all started with Eastern European Jewish immigrants, who brought brisket with them when they settled in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Americans everywhere loved the dish, and it evolved over the decades into the barbecue staple it is today.

Brisket is still evolving. If you head to Southern Fried Vegan, for example, which is a California-based pop-up restaurant that travels all over the US, you’ll find barbecue beans and brisket on the menu. But as the eatery’s name has already given away, it’s not made from cow—it’s made with plants. In fact, the US is home to a thriving plant-based barbecue scene. 

The Jackfruit Co.

RELATED: How to Make a Hearty Pot Roast Without the Meat

But if your mouth is watering for brisket without the beef, you don’t have eat out to enjoy the dish—because you can make it from scratch. Recipes for plant-based brisket seem to fall into three camps: jackfruit, seitan, or a mixture of both. But which is best?

Jackfruit vs seitan: what makes the best vegan brisket?

Jackfruit and seitan are the two reigning ingredients in vegan brisket recipes, but each offers a unique taste and texture. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit known for its fibrous, meaty texture when it’s cooked and pulled apart, which makes it a great substitute for shredded beef. This is why it stars in plenty of brisket recipes—when cooked, it becomes soft and will pull apart just like brisket from a Texas smokehouse.

Seitan, however, has the edge on that signature meaty bite. Made from wheat gluten, it’s firm and chewy, just like beef. It will also absorb the smoky, umami flavors of whatever you slow cook it with. Both jackfruit and seitan have their strengths, but the real winner could be the combination of the two. Jackfruit brings tenderness and moisture, while seitan has the structure and chewiness. Together, they can deliver the most realistic texture and depth of flavor.

Vegan brisket recipes

Vegan brisket recipes prove that there isn’t a need for beef when it comes to this Jewish and barbecue classic. 

Healthy Girl Kitchen

1Healthy Girl Kitchen: Jackfruit

“This is flavorful, hearty, meaty, and absolutely delicious,” writes Danielle Brown of Healthy Girl Kitchen. To make an authentic Jewish-style brisket, the recipe developer pre-sautés the fruit to remove any excess moisture, which helps give it a firmer texture (nobody wants soggy jackfruit). She then slow-roasts the vegan meat in a tomato-based sauce, allowing the flavors to caramelize and deepen. “I gave my father-in-law a sample of this brisket and he ended up having four helpings,” says Brown. “He loved it, and he’s not vegan.”
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Gaz Oakley

2Gaz Oakley: Seitan and Jackfruit

British vegan chef Gaz Oakley opts for seitan and jackfruit together in this tender vegan brisket recipe, which he calls “the ultimate vegan meat.” His technique involves combining onions, garlic, chestnut mushrooms, miso paste, soy sauce, paprika, and liquid smoke for that essential smoky umami-rich flavor. Beer is also added for more depth of flavor, and the whole dish is simmered for three hours before it’s ready to eat. “Smoky, succulent, and meaty,” writes Oakley. “It will fool all non-vegans—it’s that realistic.”
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Zardy Plants

3Zardy Plants: Seitan

Liz Madsen of Zardy Plants creates beef-like textures using seitan, which is kneaded and steamed to get the right consistency. “If you’ve ever had seitan and you thought it was kind of tough or rubbery, there’s a good chance it was over kneaded or not cooked properly,” says Madsen. She combines the wheat gluten with black beans for moisture, protein, and texture, while the deep barbecue flavors come from the seasonings: garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, and soy sauce.
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Jamie Geller

4 Jamie Geller: Jackfruit

Like Brown, Jamie Geller opts for jackfruit in this melt-in-your-mouth brisket dish. The caramelized onions and tomato paste bring a rich, depth of flavor to the recipe, while minced garlic is essential for aroma. Geller also opts for dry red wine for a little acidity and tang. “[This brisket] is delicate and best served over or alongside a bowl of mashed potatoes for an elegant presentation,” recommends the recipe developer.
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The Mushroom Den

5The Mushroom Den: Jackfruit and Seitan

Unsurprisingly given the blog’s name, this dish uses a mix of seitan, jackfruit, and mushrooms to create a meaty, tender brisket recipe. “I came up with this technique: mixing the vital wheat gluten with some shredded king trumpet mushrooms and/or green jackfruits to enhance the texture, and create the perfect spice mix for the taste and flavors,” says Aline of The Mushroom Den. “The result is my very tender and juicy oven roasted vegan brisket.”
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