Dining Review- Kangaroo Stew

Article by: Eric

When in Australia there are a few things one must do: surf, visit the Sydney Opera House, and eat Kangaroo. Kangaroo comes in a variety of cuts and sizes, but is usually served as a loin or steak. One scrumptious dish, very popular in Australia, is kangaroo tail soup with dumplings. Usually this is a delicious combination of kangaroo meat- either tail or steak, carrots, celery, and onions combined with chopped tomatoes or tomato paste. Then for a flavor, spices range from nutmeg to thyme creating a delectable balance between flavor and texture. While it is cooking one would not believe the aromas surrounding the dish. The meat and any cookingwines added waft up a multitude of heavenly smells.

The preparation of the kangaroo entails, no pun intended, a light browning, usually with the onions. This can either be done in the oven or on a stove. Here, in this first step, the aromas come the life, and climb right out of the pan. The sizzling and that recognizable smell of fresh cooked meat where the blood starts to separate from the meat. Following the cooking of the meat the vegetables and any potatoes and onions, if they haven’t been cooked, get thrown into the pan to the instantly familiar sizzle. These can be sautéed or slowly cooked depending on the recipe. Here the flavors start to animate and one can almost taste the stew as it’s being created. Then, the dish finally starts to come together. You add the meat and any spices/herbs to the veggies and cover with water. In slightly more advanced recipes one can also start by adding port and wine to a soup pot then adding the meat and veggies. The tomato and spices are then added before the stew is simmered.

When the dish is ready the smell will be overwhelming, and the stew will be slowly bubbling. At that point one can serve it in a variety of manners. The stew can be served alone with a light garnish, or as heavily as with potato dumplings and bread. Either way the result is out of this world. The textures and tastes of that first bite will overpower the senses. The texture of the kangaroo is balanced perfectly with the vegetables. And not only will the meal be tasty, but it is good for you. Kangaroo meat is one of the leanest meats there is. The fat content can be as low as 2%. So whether you are looking to get fit, or get happy, kangaroo stew is the meal for you.

Links to Kangaroo stew recipes:
http://www.macromeats-gourmetgame.com.au/Recipes/Kangaroo_Stew.aspx
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/628/KangarooTailSoup19295.shtml
http://www.soupsong.com/rkangaro.html