Jamaican Ackee with Crispy Pork Loin Bits is a memorable breakfast dish. It is a clever twist on Jamaica’s traditional breakfast ackee and codfish. Although this is a typical breakfast dish, it is equally suitable for lunch, diner, or romantic night. Serve with any starchy side dish of your choosing for a great supper.
This fruit is versatile and has been served with smoked herring, pigs tail, salted pork, chicken, and rice (seasoned rice) . My new favorite way to eat ackee and pork is in tacos and pizzas.
Before diving into the dish, read more about the Jamaican Ackee fruit.
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What Is Jamaican Ackee?
Jamaican ackee, scientifically known as Blighia sapida, is regarded as one of Jamaica’s culinary food items, valued for its distinct flavor and versatility.
This colorful fruit, often known as Jamaica’s national fruit, is popular among locals and worldwide Food Exploras.
We grew up eating ackee our whole life. We had several different ackee trees in my backyard and often climb the trees and pick the open pods with our hand or use a stick with a hook on the end.
At first look, ackee may appear unassuming, with vivid reddish-pink pods that open to reveal glossy black seeds and creamy yellow flesh. However, its actual beauty is in its flavor profile, which is buttery and somewhat nutty, with a mild sweetness.
Jamaican Ackee and Codfish
One of the most well-known Jamaican recipes involving ackee is “Ackee and Saltfish ,” a most sought after breakfast favorite that has become synonymous with Jamaican cuisine around the world. This delicious recipe mixes ackee’s creamy texture with salted cod, onions, tomatoes, and spices, resulting in a perfect combination of textures and savory-sweet flavors.
Aside from its traditional preparation, ackee has found its way into modern culinary inventions, demonstrating its versability in many recipes. From ackee stir-fry to ackee-filled pastries and even ackee-inspired cocktails, culinary professionals all over the world are experimenting with this versatile fruit, infusing their dishes with its distinct flavor and texture.
Can Unripe Ackee Make You Sick?
It is crucial to note that ackee should be handled and processed with care, since improper ingestion might have negative health consequences.
The fruit contains toxins that if consumed in large quantities or when not fully opened naturally to release the gas or toxins, can lead to a condition called “Jamaican Vomiting Sickness”.
As a result, it is critical to ensure that ackee is properly picked, cleaned and processed before cooking and eating. The black seeds. the pinkish-red pods and the pink membrane in between each ackee are not edible and must be discarded.
Jamaican Ackee Recipe | Crispy Jerk Pork Loin Bits.
Here are all the ingredients you will need.
Below are some amazon ingredient links for your shopping convenience.
Jamaican Ackee With Crispy Jerk Pork Loin Bits: Breakfast Idea.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Deep Sauce Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Cutting Board
- Can Opener
- Garlic Press
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 can Ackee (19-20 oz.), drained
- 1 cup Green Sweet Peppers, diced
- ½ cup Red Sweet Peppers, diced
- 1 medium Onion, finely diced
- 1½ tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Pimento Seeds (optional)
- ½ cup Yellow Sweet Pepper, diced
- 1½ tsp. Fresh Thyme, (leaves only)
Seasoned Jerk Pork Loin
- 2 lbs. Center Pork Loin
- 1 tbsp Complete Seasoning
- 2 tbsp. Jerk Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 stalks Scallion or Green Onions, Chopped
- ¼ cup Tomato Ketchup or ½ cup finely diced roma tomatoes
Instructions
Let's Season the Pork Loin Bits
- In this dish, we will be using boneless pork loin center-cut chop thinly sliced from Amazon Fresh. To prepare pork loin slices, soak them in vinegar water (¼ cup white cane vinegar to 3 cups water) for 10-15 minutes before draining.
- Lemon or lime may also replace the vinegar. Squeeze a fresh lime or lemon into 3 cups of water, then soak the pork loin slices for around 15 minutes.
- Cut pork loin slices into approximately 1-inch pieces. Season with salt, full seasoning, jerk seasoning, and black pepper. Place in a covered bowl and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, or for 2 hours before cooking.
Pre-prep The Veggies/Herbs
- Wash your vegetables and herbs under warm running water.
- On a cutting board, dice the tri-color sweet peppers to yield ½ cup each, and a medium onion. Slice the scallion into thin rings. Remove the leaves from the fresh thyme to measure about 2 teaspoons. Use a garlic press to crush 4 garlic gloves. Set aside for later.
Let's Cook Some Jamaica Ackee and Crispy Jerk Pork Loin
- In a saucepan heat ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the seasoned cubed pork loin from the refrigerator and let it remain at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- This is an optional step, but I coated the cubed pork loin pieces in cornstarch before frying them. This results in more crispier pork loin chunks.
- Carefully lay each pork cube into the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown, over medium heat.
- Add the cut vegetables and herbs (onion, garlic, sweet peppers, scallion, pimento and thyme leaves) to the cooked pork loin bits and mix them together using a wooden spoon. Mix together ¼ cup tomato ketchup and cook for another 2 minutes. Freshly chopped tomatoes can be used instead of tomato ketchup.
- My mom gave me this 20-ounce can of "Blue Mountain Country" Ackee. Never heard of this brand, but surprisingly, it is a product of Haiti.
- If you can get your hands on some fresh ackee then cook them in salted water until al dente or soft to touch. If you live the United states, then canned ackee will suffice.We usually use the Grace Canned Ackee or the Linstead Jamaican Ackee brands. These can be purchased on Amazon Fresh or your local grocery/Caribbean stores.
- Canned ackee is already cooked, typically in a salted brine. Drain the liquid from the ackee in the sink, then empty it into a mixing bowl.
- Add drained canned ackee to the pork and veggie mixture. Season with black pepper, gently combine the ingredients, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes over low to medium heat.
- Take the Jamaican Ackee with Crispy Jerk Pork Loin Bits from the burner and serve warm. This recipe serves approximately 6 people.
What Can Be Served With This Ackee and Pork Dish?
- Ackee is Jamaica's national fruit, and it is typically prepared with salted meat or fish. This Jamaican meal is typically served with a starchy side dish, such as boiled green bananas, yellow yam, boiled dumplings, starchy root tubers, or rice.
Video
Jamaican Ackee and Pork with Green Bananas and Dumplings
Jamaican Ackee and Crispy Pork Loin Bits
You will also love this Sweet and Spicy Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Ackee Fried Rice.
This seems like a great recipe featuring Jamaican ackee. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome, Pedja. Hope you get to try Ackee someday
Wow! Never heard of this. I don’t know Jamaican cuisine at all. I learn so much with your posts. This really sounds like quite a lot of unusual combinations in ingredients? would absolutely love to try!
I promise you Carolyn that once you try any ackee dish, you will always want to go back for more.
I have never heard of Jamaican Ackee! This fruit sounds amazing and is now on my “must try” list. Thanx for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it Amy. How you get to try ackee someday.
Thanks for breaking down all the steps. Seems like it would be easy to make with your instructions.
It is actually very easy recipe owning to the fact that the canned ackee eliminates you from having to climb the ackee tree to pick the ackee, clean it and cook it. lol
The Jamaican Ackee with Crispy Pork Loin Bits breakfast dish is a new one for me and sounds delicious. I’m a huge fan of adding extra flavor to my breakfast. Great tip to serve it for lunch or dinner as well.
This Ackee and pork dish is a perfect for ant time of day. Thanks for rating and commenting, Debbie.
I never heard of Ackee before but the way you break it down and show all the cooking options is great. I love Jamaican foods so this is definitely going into the rotation.
Thank you for visiting Eric. I hope you get to try Ackee someday. I have no doubt that a Food Explora like yourself will enjoy it. Maybe you can incorporate Ackee in one of your Jambalaya recipes on your site.
It looks like a hearty breakfast perfect for starting the day off right . This is the first I’ve heard of Jamaican ackee, it’s very interesting! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I am surprise that so many people have never heard of Ackee. Glad you found value in my recipe blog post. I hope you get to try someday.
This is an interesting recipe for me to add to my to ty list!
Thanks for visiting Samantha. Hope you get to try my Ackee recipe some day.
Very interesting recipe! Never heard of it before, but it surely looks delicious and easy to make. Thanks for the breakfast!
Thank you Anthuwin. i am surprised so many people never heard or ate ackee. Hope you get to try it some day.
I don’t think I’ve ever had Jamaican food, but it looks really amazing! I’m especially attracted to the rice dish packed in a pineapple!
Thanks for visiting Michael. The fried rice with ackee is a hit. i hope you get to try Jamaican food someday.
Love that you had ackee trees in your backyard and used to climb to get them! Thank you for sharing about the dangers of eating ackee when improperly handled. This Jamaican dish sounds so tasty and love the addition of the crispy pork bits!
Thanks for visiting, Jenna.
You are welcome Jenna.
I’ve never heard of ackee before today. This recipe sounds amazing! Thx for sharing !
Thank you, Kelly.
What a really wonderful variety of flavours added to this dish! It looks and sounds incredible and would be something great to try out as I have not heard of ackee before.
Thanks for visiting Molly. Ackee with a meat alternative is a perfect vegan or vegetarian alterative.
Never heard of this kind of food before! But by the ingredients it’s sounds delicious! Jamaicans like spicy food!
I’d love to experience this kind of food!
Lauren, you will love ackee. I really do hope you get to visit Jamaica some day.
I’ve never heard of the akee before. I’m sure I can find some around Queens since there’s a pretty robust Jamaican population. I’m going to keep this in mind whenever I end up walking around one of the flourishing communities.
Thanks for visiting Adam. I do not think you will find a ackee tree in Queens NYC, but you can surely find canned ackee in most grocery stores or on Amazon Fresh.
Oh my! This one left me salivating! Love the green bananas, we call them matoke in Afrika. Yummy.
Thanks for that information, Henri. I appreciate you star rating and comment.
I haven’t heard of ackee before, but the dish looks delicious! If I can find ackee near me, I would like to try it!
I hope you get to try ackee some day, Karalee
Thanks for this breakdown! It makes it all seem more doable.
Thank you, Abby.
Wow this recipe sounds delicious! I have never heard of Jamaican Ackee but I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I honestly hope you get to try Ackee someday. You can order the canned ackee here: https://amzn.to/3YzhbvL if you do not have access to to fresh ones. I would love to see how creative you come up with a Ackee recipe.