Here’s how to make ‘vegan barbecue’ out of banana peels

Does banana peel pulled pork actually taste like real barbecue?

It sounds like a totally preposterous question, but plenty of TikTokers are saying it does.

The vegan barbecue-making hack has spread widely on the app, thanks to users like Summer Storm, who drew hundreds of thousands of views after sharing her version of the recipe.

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Storm’s finished product definitely looks convincing, but her video left TikTokers divided. Some said the recipe hack was amazing, while others were quick to share their doubts.

“This ain’t it,” one user wrote.

“Why are you eating compost?” another added.

Of course, the only real way to know is to try it out for ourselves. So we grabbed a bunch of bananas and did exactly that. To see how it went, watch the video above or keep reading below.

How to make banana peel pulled pork

Here’s what you’ll need to make these:

  • 5-6 large bananas
  • Olive oil
  • Paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Your favorite barbecue sauce
  • The bun or bread of your choice
  • Coleslaw (optional)

To start, peel your bananas and use a spoon to scrape all the excess fruit out of the peels. Then, slice each peel into thin, almost noodle-like strips.

After that, toss your banana peels in olive oil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, all to taste. Heat up a large pan and cook the seasoned peels until they start to soften and get less chewy — adding a bit of water and your favorite barbecue sauce along the way.

Finally, serve the barbecue on a bun, topped with coleslaw or anything else you want to add.

Does banana peel pulled pork actually taste like barbecue?

Ultimately, we were extremely impressed by this recipe. It’s surprising to say, but the banana peels were delicious after being cooked and marinated, and they looked just like pulled pork on the bun. The texture was a little bit tougher than meat and a bit chewier — but overall, it’s not a bad replication at all.

On top of that, banana peels are full of healthy nutrients like magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. So in many ways, this can make barbecue at least a little healthy.

The only hangup? Effort. This thing takes a long time to prepare, especially because the banana peels are so difficult to clean and slice. But if you can get past that, it’s really worth the effort.

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If you liked this story, check out our video where we tried making “vegan ribs” out of jackfruit.

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