Author Topic: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena  (Read 8460 times)

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« on: June 01, 2012, 02:09:48 AM »
Here is a pictorial explanation of how i in this case cut a Cheena, but works the same for a Jackfruit, so that none of the seeds are damaged and you don't get the sticky latex from the center core on your knife or hands:
Here i have the cheena fruit on grass, but it's better to place it on a piece of clean cardboard because you're going to have to roll the fruit after the first section is removed and you want to keep it clean. You might want to use some butcher paper over the cardboard to keep it even more sanitary:

Cut a wedge with your long knife, i like to use a butcher's knife, a lengthwise section about 1/6 of the fruit. Cut it about 1-2 inches deep, depending on size of fruit:

Pull from top to remove first section:

Here is what the fruit will look like with first section removed:

Once you've removed peel from first section remove all the arils and place into bag or container. Or if you prefer you can do the fruit separation at the very end all at once:

I like to separate the seeds from the arils, but you can leave them in, depending on what you will use the fruit for. Once the fruit from that section is removed then roll the fruit to one side and repeat the process until whole fruit is done. Or skin the whole fruit all at once and separate all the arils at once. If you want you can even just remove one section for instant eating, and place the rest of the fruit in fridge and continue later when you want to eat some more. The arils keep a whole lot better refrigerated inside of the fruit than outside of the fruit. If you take all the arils out at once but can't eat them all you can freeze the remainder in freezer zip lock bags. This whole fruit filled one one gallon size zip lock bag, minus a bunch i had to eat during the process.  ;D Enjoy!
Oscar

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2012, 06:30:20 AM »
Oscar - funny you should post this.  Last week, I tried to cut a jak using this method, and Shmuraheehan was there with me, and it was not successful.  The jak was definitely ripe, almost overripe, but the section of skin did not want to separate itself from the rag and perianths.  If I tried to make it work, I would have been ripping the skin out in little pieces, and I mean fight to rip...if there is a trick to it you must let me know.
- Rob

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2012, 06:40:12 AM »
Oscar - funny you should post this.  Last week, I tried to cut a jak using this method, and Shmuraheehan was there with me, and it was not successful.  The jak was definitely ripe, almost overripe, but the section of skin did not want to separate itself from the rag and perianths.  If I tried to make it work, I would have been ripping the skin out in little pieces, and I mean fight to rip...if there is a trick to it you must let me know.

Rob, it works on every ripe fruit, no exceptions, you just need a bit of practice. When you cut the wedges it's good to angle the knife inwards rather than cutting straight down, much like you would do when cutting wedges of an orange. Hope that helps.
Oscar

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2012, 06:46:23 AM »
Oscar - funny you should post this.  Last week, I tried to cut a jak using this method, and Shmuraheehan was there with me, and it was not successful.  The jak was definitely ripe, almost overripe, but the section of skin did not want to separate itself from the rag and perianths.  If I tried to make it work, I would have been ripping the skin out in little pieces, and I mean fight to rip...if there is a trick to it you must let me know.

Rob, it works on every ripe fruit, no exceptions, you just need a bit of practice. When you cut the wedges it's good to angle the knife inwards rather than cutting straight down, much like you would do when cutting wedges of an orange. Hope that helps.
After you make your cut and are pulling the section of skin off, does the rag, or some of it, come out with the skin or are you just "peeling" the skin off by itself ?
- Rob

Mr. Clean

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1186
  • FLMangos.com
    • US, FL, West Palm Beach, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
    • Florida's Finest Mangos
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2012, 06:49:43 AM »
Oscar, it looks nice.  Thanks.
www.FLMangos.com

110+ fruit trees/plants; 60+ mango trees; 9 jackfruit; 6 avocado; 3 persimmon; longan; and a dog that keeps raccoons and squirrels away.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2012, 07:02:36 AM »

After you make your cut and are pulling the section of skin off, does the rag, or some of it, come out with the skin or are you just "peeling" the skin off by itself ?

The rag pulls out with the skin, that's why you have to cut down 1-2 inches, so that you are cutting and pulling the rag out, not just peeling the skin.
Oscar

Pan Dulce

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 307
    • Central Florida
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2012, 08:35:40 AM »
Yeah Oscar, thanks!  Great pics!

lkailburn

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 280
    • USA, Fort Collins, Co, Zone 4b/5a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2012, 08:43:26 AM »
Thanks for the photos. I too tried this on a ripe jack with no success. However, I only cut 1/2"  not 1-2" like you suggest. With try a deeper angled cut next time!
-Luke

Jackfruitwhisperer69

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2411
  • Zone 11b
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2012, 09:36:17 AM »
Hi Oscar,

WOW :o 8) That's sure looks YUMMY  ;D ;D ;D

Thanks for sharing ;) Great pics as always :)
Time is like a river.
You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again.
Enjoy every moment of your life!

MarinFla

  • Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • USA, Deerfield Beach/FL, 33442. Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2012, 10:12:37 AM »
Oscar - funny you should post this.  Last week, I tried to cut a jak using this method, and Shmuraheehan was there with me, and it was not successful.  The jak was definitely ripe, almost overripe, but the section of skin did not want to separate itself from the rag and perianths.  If I tried to make it work, I would have been ripping the skin out in little pieces, and I mean fight to rip...if there is a trick to it you must let me know.

Funny this should get posted after I just cleaned that jackfruit Sunday using this exact method so I didn't have to cut through the fruit. The best solution for that tough-to-pull rag is a pair of food scissors like the pair I have from Cutco. If it can cut a coin in half, a Jackfruit doesn't stand a chance. The skin came off easy but the rag was a bit stubborn in some spots so those food shears worked great. No seeds wasted and no latex problems at all...not a drop! That's how I got that platter full of arils all in whole pieces. Although, I do think the cheena may possibly be easier using this technique than a jackfruit. I also only cut down about 3/4 to 1 inch because the arils were closer to the skin.




« Last Edit: June 01, 2012, 10:20:32 AM by MarinFla »

Mike T

  • Zone 12a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9014
  • Cairns,Nth Qld, Australia
    • Zone 12a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2012, 05:06:43 PM »
I have found that with chempadak and most crosses a small cut at the stem and pulling the stem out with flesh bulbs attached is easy.I will use that method below for jacks.I suppose the seeds can be boiled and salted and consumed as a chestnuts/nuts would be eaten.In soups and stews they are good as a starchy and nutty element.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2012, 06:58:05 PM »
Oscar - funny you should post this.  Last week, I tried to cut a jak using this method, and Shmuraheehan was there with me, and it was not successful.  The jak was definitely ripe, almost overripe, but the section of skin did not want to separate itself from the rag and perianths.  If I tried to make it work, I would have been ripping the skin out in little pieces, and I mean fight to rip...if there is a trick to it you must let me know.

Funny this should get posted after I just cleaned that jackfruit Sunday using this exact method so I didn't have to cut through the fruit. The best solution for that tough-to-pull rag is a pair of food scissors like the pair I have from Cutco. If it can cut a coin in half, a Jackfruit doesn't stand a chance. The skin came off easy but the rag was a bit stubborn in some spots so those food shears worked great. No seeds wasted and no latex problems at all...not a drop! That's how I got that platter full of arils all in whole pieces. Although, I do think the cheena may possibly be easier using this technique than a jackfruit. I also only cut down about 3/4 to 1 inch because the arils were closer to the skin.



MarinFla, i've done this method with many dozens of jackfruits in the last 20+ years, but i've only cut 2 Cheenas. Works just as well with jacks as with cheena. If you cut correctly with a sharp long butcher's knife there is no need to use any snips or scissors.  Just takes a bit of practice. After cutting 2 or 3 you will be an expert at it.  ;) The riper the fruit the easier it will be. If the fruit is rock hard ofcourse it's not going to work very well. Here is one photo in the pictorial i forgot to add in the original posting. It shows how most of the rag just pulled right off, except for a bit on the bottom, and i just pulled that out by hand:

Oscar

Sleepdoc

  • Davie, Florida Zone 10b
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 818
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2012, 09:10:44 AM »
I tried this last week on couple of Jaks from Harry's tropical Jungle :)

One of the Jaks was a Black Gold that was definitely on the over-ripe side.  So ripe in fact, that I had to discard almost half of the fruit.  Even in that stage, I had difficulty in removing the skin.  I ended up pulling and cutting rag at the same time, almost like removing a filet of skin.  This did crop the top of most of the perianths.  It did however save almost all of the seeds, and avoid the latex in the core. 

I tried it on a couple of other Jacks from Harry ( Thx again Harry!), Mai1 Seedlings and Dang Suria.   It worked well, but I still ended up having to cut just under the skin, through the rag, and cropping the perianths. 

I think I am going to use the "Oscar" method from now on.  Thanks for the pictorial and advice Oscar :)



HMHausman

  • Mod Emeritus
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3366
    • USA, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, Zone 10B
    • View Profile
    • Pines Ticket Defense, LLC
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2012, 08:54:04 PM »
Oscar makes it look way to easy. I tried Oscar's method on two jaks today.  My jaks did not peel away as is pictured so excellently by Oscar.  The rag had to be cut as you went as it adhered to the skin as if for  dear life.  Then once I got the skin cut away, I found it difficult to take the fruit out.  We did avoid the latex in the core, but for me, it did not make the jakfruit cleaning process any easier nor less time consuming.  I prefer the core cutiing method with a jak that has no latex.

Harry
Harry
Fort Lauderdale, FL 
USA

MarinFla

  • Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • USA, Deerfield Beach/FL, 33442. Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2012, 09:55:59 PM »
OK So I tried one more time to clean this the way Oscar says always works with ripe Jacks. You can see from the pics below that it didn't work that way on my second attempt....My food cutting shears save the day once again!!

I tried hard to pull off the rag... never gonna happen here, the rag was like tendons!


These scissors are amazing


Pulling out the ariels


Leftover Rag



« Last Edit: June 07, 2012, 10:12:30 PM by MarinFla »

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2012, 10:29:01 PM »
I also, again, tried the Oscar method on a 14 Bangkok Lemon that was perfectly ripe.  And again, it did not work at all.  One thing of note is that there was not the slightest trace of latex and the fruit was as sweet as sugar.
- Rob

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2012, 10:35:31 PM »
Hmmmm, seems like your Florida jackfruits are a lot more obstinate for some strange reason? Is your limestone soil calcifying the fruit rag?  ;) My method works fine here and have photos to prove it!
Oscar

MarinFla

  • Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • USA, Deerfield Beach/FL, 33442. Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #17 on: June 07, 2012, 10:42:30 PM »
Hmmmm, seems like your Florida jackfruits are a lot more obstinate for some strange reason? Is your limestone soil calcifying the fruit rag?  ;) My method works fine here and have photos to prove it!

It definitely could have something to do with the alkaline coral infested soil we have here. Who knows???!!! But, You can see in my first picture that I was pulling really hard....that rag is just like tendons! But those shears work wonders!

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #18 on: June 07, 2012, 10:47:33 PM »
Hmmmm, seems like your Florida jackfruits are a lot more obstinate for some strange reason? Is your limestone soil calcifying the fruit rag?  ;) My method works fine here and have photos to prove it!

It definitely could have something to do with the alkaline coral infested soil we have here. Who knows???!!! But, You can see in my first picture that I was pulling really hard....that rag is just like tendons! But those shears work wonders!

Yes i believe you MarinFla! It could also have something to do with cultivars. I've only tried it on Black Gold and Golden Nugget and works great on them. What cultivar did you and Rob try it on?
Oscar

bsbullie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9621
    • USA, Boynton Beach, FL 33472, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2012, 12:53:38 AM »
Hmmmm, seems like your Florida jackfruits are a lot more obstinate for some strange reason? Is your limestone soil calcifying the fruit rag?  ;) My method works fine here and have photos to prove it!

It definitely could have something to do with the alkaline coral infested soil we have here. Who knows???!!! But, You can see in my first picture that I was pulling really hard....that rag is just like tendons! But those shears work wonders!

Yes i believe you MarinFla! It could also have something to do with cultivars. I've only tried it on Black Gold and Golden Nugget and works great on them. What cultivar did you and Rob try it on?
Both Malay and Bangkok Lemon.
- Rob

MarinFla

  • Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • USA, Deerfield Beach/FL, 33442. Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: How i cut a Jackfruit or Cheena
« Reply #20 on: June 08, 2012, 07:49:41 AM »
Hmmmm, seems like your Florida jackfruits are a lot more obstinate for some strange reason? Is your limestone soil calcifying the fruit rag?  ;) My method works fine here and have photos to prove it!

It definitely could have something to do with the alkaline coral infested soil we have here. Who knows???!!! But, You can see in my first picture that I was pulling really hard....that rag is just like tendons! But those shears work wonders!


Yes i believe you MarinFla! It could also have something to do with cultivars. I've only tried it on Black Gold and Golden Nugget and works great on them. What cultivar did you and Rob try it on?
J-31
« Last Edit: December 25, 2012, 02:31:26 PM by MarinFla »