Kangaroo recipies?

[Richard Kilgore]

The New York Times Sunday Magazine targeted Kangaroo as a solution to global warming in its Year in Ideas Issue.

George Wilson of Australian Wildlife Services, in a paper published in June by the U.S.-based Society for Conservation Biology, wrote, “I began to speculate, What if we managed the kangaroo population up and the cattle population down?”

So I was wondering if anyone has cooked Kangaroo at home or in a restaurant? The article describes it as gamy in taste". What's the best way to cook it?

[Shalmanese]

I would approach it similar to Venison. They're both very lean, slightly gamy meats. Pairing it with a fruit based sauce is quite common.

[I8U8]

I often cook Kangaroo at home on visits back to Australia, but I'm anything but an expert. Here's what I can tell you from my own experience...

Gaminess in Kangaroo is a product of age - the age of the animal at slaughter and how long the meat is aged before consumption. A young animal with minimal aging exhibits very little of those "wild" flavours. The meat is also very lean (1-2% fat), so I generally enjoy it rare to medium-rare. I usually do roasts, prepared simply with thyme and rosemary, and served with a mild Australian mustard and greens - it is essential to let the roast rest. An excellent wine match is a fruity medium to full-bodied wine (a 2002 R.L. Buller & Son Durif Calliope from Rutherglen, Victoria was a particularly memorable pairing).

The Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia (KIAA) is worth a look, at...

http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/

Edited December 15, 2008 by I8U8 (log)

[Sif]

I've grown very fond of kangaroo. I usually just wrap a slice of bacon around it and cook it medium rare and serve with any sauce I would serve with venison. Usually something with heavy cream and currant jelly. Last time I served it with fennel and brussel sprouts, coated with balsamico and EVOO and then baked.

[Dave Hatfield]

Interesting that you should start this thread just now. I just saw the first kangaroo for sale at our local Hyper Market this week. I was interested, but:

- I've never cooked kangaroo in my like.

- I've never eaten it, not even the few times I've visited Australia.

So, I'll follow with interest and, maybe, give it a go.

g'day to ya!

[Peter the eater]

I'd love to try kangaroo.

Is it a common item in the stores and restaurants of Sydney (Australia, that is, not Nova Scotia)?

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks everyone. I knew there would be some eGullet Society members who knew something about cooking kangaroo. All there methods mentioned sound good to me. I am curious, so I'll check with Central Market here and see if they can source it.

[nickrey]

For many years Kangaroo was only available for human consumption in South Australia ... perhaps it was something about eating the national emblem... This has changed in recent years with it becoming more available elsewhere, including overseas it would appear.

Kangaroo is an extremely lean meat. I personally would never cook it beyond medium rare.

It also has a gamey taste (think wild venison rather than farmed venison) which means it really needs to be paired with strong and/or sweet sauces. Redcurrant as described above, or other berry jus, or you could try a reduction with red wine jus or with a Port wine reduction. You could also try beetroot as an accompaniment.

If you want recipes, try the following google link which looks at recipes for kangaroo from Australia:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe...=cr%3DcountryAU

Some sites for recipes include:

http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/recipes/recipe_frame.htm

http://www.macromeats-gourmetgame.com.au/Recipes.aspx

Hope you enjoy your experiments

[lamington]

For many years Kangaroo was only available for human consumption in South Australia ... perhaps it was something about eating the national emblem... This has changed in recent years with it becoming more available elsewhere, including overseas it would appear.

I remember living in Scandinavia in the 90s and at the time it was actually easier to find kangaroo in some restaurants there than in Australia. This began to change in the mid-90s, I think, though memory is fuzzy.

I still find it interesting that although it is fairly common in Australia now, and I can get kangaroo meat at the supermarket, it would be an exaggeration to say that kangaroo has been embraced by restaurateurs. It's leanness presents problems, needless to say (though more for restaurant menu concepts than for home eating), and it seems most popular in places where a steak with upmarket mash is appropriate.