Banana peels are culinary magic, just waiting to happen. This versatile, often wasted, part of the fruit takes on a range of flavors and transforms into facsimiles of meats like bacon and pork when prepared correctly. The peel is mild, yet tough enough to offer some chew and texture when cooked.
This recipe invites you to scrape and shred the peels before sauteéing with aromatics and sweet-zesty BBQ sauce. Pile the pulled “pork” onto a bun with some slaw and you’ve got a mouthwatering meatless meal.
Banana Peel Pulled “Pork”
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 4 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 15 min | 16 min | 31 min |
Ingredients
- 4 ripe banana peels (yellow with some brown spots, not green)
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley, for garnish (optional)
- 4 rolls, or sandwich buns, toasted
- 1 cup coleslaw (homemade or store bought)
Method
- Wash the banana peels well and remove any stickers or tough stem ends. Peel bananas and freeze fruit for use in another recipe.
- Scrape out any remaining white inner flesh so only the peel remains. Use a fork or a sharp knife to shred the peels into thin strips.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion (if using) and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the shredded banana peels, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the peels start to soften, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the barbecue sauce and cook until slightly thickened and peels are evenly coated, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley (if using).
- Top each bun evenly with banana peel pulled “pork” and cole slaw and serve.
- Photo and recipe: Dish Works
