This is a recipe I made for dinner the other night and thought to share with you and promote eating more kangaroo. I have only cooked with kangaroo a couple of times and I’m slowly coming to learn of it’s benefits (summer is a great time to try new ideas and food things you haven’t tried before!) I have been surprised to learn four good reasons why its worth eating.

It’s tender. The key to cooking the meat is not overcooking it and letting it rest. If you cook it right the meat can be so very tender and delicious. Five minutes on each side and then transfer to a plate and wrap it in foil for 4 minutes.

It’s affordable. Kangaroo meat is cheaper than most good cuts of meat. Prices range between $12 and $24 a kilo.

It’s sustainable. Roos are a pest to many farmers and until recently farmers were only allowed to shoot and let lie meaning the rotting carcases were left to stink on their properties. An ABC News story explains that as part of the NSW drought package, farmers are able to remove the carcases and even harvest the meat. Braidwood farmer Martin Royd saw this as an opportunity and recently held a cooking class with indigenous chef T-Bag to encourage farmers to learn how to skin, cook and eat the animals. The price farmers get for kangaroo is only 65 cent a kilo compared to $3 to $5 for beef. Perhaps if there were more interest in eating roo, farmers could make use of unwanted kangaroos on their properties and earn some money.

It’s good for you. According to dietitians and nutritionists kangaroo and venison are the leanest of red meats. Kangaroo is 98 per cent fat-free and ‘its very modest fat content consists mainly of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. It’s also very low in Cholesterol.’ (Saxelby, 2012, p204)

So there you go. Try Kangaroo this summer.

Kangaroo fillets with beetroot salad (for two)

Recipe adapted from Reader’s Digest The Ultimate Book of Vegetables 2012.

Ingredients

• 8 baby beetroot with skin on but trimmed
• 2 kangaroo fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 60g baby or wild rocket
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 75g feta cheese

Directions

1. If you prefer cooked beetroot, cook in a large saucepan of boiling water 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside until just cool enough to handle. Slip off skins and slice or cut into 8 wedges. Put in a bowl of iced water for at least 10 minutes. Drain, then dry in a salad spinner or with paper towels. If you prefer raw beetroot, peel and slice thinly with a mandolin or very sharp knife. Set aside.
2. Brush both sides of kangaroo fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat and cook kangaroo 5 minutes each side for medium-rare and 6-7 minutes each side for medium. Transfer to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 5 minutes.
3. Put beetroot in a large bowl with reserved beetroot leaves and rocket.
4. Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil in a small jug, then drizzle over beetroot and salad leaves.
5. Divide beetroot and salad leaves among four plates, and scatter with feta cheese. Slice kangaroo across the grain, top each salad with several slices and serve.

References

Saxelby, C (2012) Saxelby’s Complete Food and Nutrition Companion: The Ultimate A-Z Guide, Richmond, Vic: Hardie Grant Books.