The Meat Chronicles

[Dewi_cool]

early breakfast lol

[JungleCat03]

Fast Food

The Ostrich.

A bit like Dot Cotton, it's a strange old bird. It has wings but can't fly.

It is fast as f**k, can run up to 46 mph which makes it about as quick as a horse and faster than a greyhound.

But how does it taste?

Well, I perused a few recipes, but i decided to go with this one. Hopefully I can cook it up tonight and reveal my findings.

Ostrich Steaks With Garlic Mash And Deep Fried Courgettes


Ingredients:
2 g (8oz) ostrich steaks
1 kg potatoes,(2.2lb)
2 cloves garlic,crushed
courgettes
60 ml olive oil,(2fl oz)
50 g butter,(2oz)
1 Tbsp brandy
200 ml single cream,(7fl oz)
25 g butter,(1oz)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
125 ml red wine,(4 1/2fl oz)

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a large frying pan, add the steaks and cook for 5
minutes on each side until golden brown.   Meanwhile, place the potatoes
in a large pan and cover with water. Bring  to the boil, then cook for 20
minutes, drain and pass through a  mouli-legumes into a bowl add the salt,
butter and garlic and mix well.   Thinly slice the courgettes and fry both
sides in a griddle pan.   Remove the steaks from the pan. Wipe the pan
clean, then melt the butter  in it and return the steaks. Add the brandy
and ignite to flamb?. Once the  flames have died down, stir in the cream,
worcestershire sauce and wine.  Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce
thickens.   Serve with the courgettes and garlic mash.

Sounds tasty! I can't wait...

It's done!

Results to follow. Just a couple of points.

Number one. Since I had a spare pepper and onion lying about I decided to do a mediterranean roast medley with those plus courgettes instead of the recipe recommendation.

Also, there was a small problem with the cream splitting in the sauce, not sure why - it wasn't too hot. Next time i'll use double cream.

Despite these minor hiccups I bowled bravely on and made the steak. Cooked rare.

Here it is. I only have my camera to take pics so quality isn't brilliant.

[Robert HM]

I'm sure it tastes better than it looks, I'm blaming the camera.

[JungleCat03]

THE VERDICT

Well i have to say I was very impressed.

Ostrich meat has an amazingly similar taste to standard cow steak, but a good one. I was expecting some sort of chicken-y, fowl-y taste but really there is none and you could easily pass it off as a good cow steak to someone who didn't know differently.

Overall the meat is tender and tasty and I agree with silo that it would be best rare which is how I did it.

The other elements of the dish, the garlic mash, mediterranean roasted vegetables and red wine cream sauce complimented the steak very well and all in all it I can only highly recommend it. I served it with a cabernet sauvignon red which accompanied the meat well.

A few things I would say. First off the garlic mash used in this recipe doesn't suggest cooking the garlic before adding to the mash.

I really like garlic but I think this made the garlic taste a little too strong so perhaps lightly frying the garlic first would improve the recipe.

Also you could substitute in other steak sides like chips, honey mustard sauce mushrooms etc and they would all go well with the Ostrich.

Overall, it is probably the nicest meal I've had this year so far and I give it a whopping 

and a half

(that's eight and a half)

out of ten.

Well played Ostrich. You taste fantastic.

It will be a few days at least before the next update, but I will be giving Kangaroo a go next. Any ideas for recipes will be considered.

If there's a few different ones I may run a poll.

For now though I want to thank the ostrich who graced my plate tonight as he really is a top tasty treat and one which any steak lovers will absolutely adore.

Delicious.

[Colchester Kev]

I hope you will be having chips and lager with the Roo !!

[Robert HM]

Excellent I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I was also surprised that there was no poultry taste at all when I tasted it for the first time.

Suggestion about the garlic mash if you do fry the garlic next time, a gentle heat with a small amount of finely chopped onion until translucent and mixed in the mash with a little unsalted butter.

So looking forward to the kangaroo post.
 

[JungleCat03]

I hope you will be having chips and lager with the Roo !!

ahhhh year!!!

[JungleCat03]

Excellent I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I was also surprised that there was no poultry taste at all when I tasted it for the first time.

Suggestion about the garlic mash if you do fry the garlic next time, a gentle heat with a small amount of finely chopped onion until translucent and mixed in the mash with a little unsalted butter.

So looking forward to the kangaroo post.
 

Good idea with the garlic. That's pretty much how I standardly make garlic mash and only used raw garlic to see what it was like here. It was nice but prob a tad too hash.

The roo's gonna be a good 'un I can tell. Keep 'em peeled.

[Djinn]

What a fabulous animal.  A variety bucket on legs.  I present you - Multifarious Roderus, rare but still enjoyed as a delicacy in some countries:

Click to see full-size image.

[cod meharly]

you guys are gna be jealous but im gna tell u anyway....

 i have actually sampled the ostrich that rod decided to savage this evening and i must admit it was excellent! i will give it a very respectable 8/10! He's not such a bad housemate after all!

i must admit im quite looking forward to stumbling across a nice piece of kangaroo wrapped up in the back of the fridge at some point later in the week!

[action man]

sick thread, think its 4/6 shot to make BoB.

[JungleCat03]

What a fabulous animal.  A variety bucket on legs.  I present you - Multifarious Roderus, rare but still enjoyed as a delicacy in some countries:

Click to see full-size image.

lol @ Jen out-sofa-king-ing SofaKing.

Tonight we are going down under for a spot of kangaroo.

Here's the recipe I'm aiming for.

KANGAROO FILLET WITH CARAMELISED PEAR & RED CURRANT GLAZE

Ingredients
0.4 lt Port,  0.15 lt Red wine,   100gms Bacon, 200gms Red currents, Red current jelly, 2 Onions, Salt and pepper,  Tapioca flour / water, 2lt of rich beef stock, 50gms Butter

Finely chop the onions & bacon, sweat off in some oil & butter.  Add port, red currants & reduce, followed by red wine & reduce again. After red wine has been reduced, add beef stock, red currant jelly & continue to reduce & season with salt & pepper. If necessary thicken with tapioca starch

Take 10 Kangaroo fillet, Topside or Rump, 5 Pears and a litre of the Red current jelly.  Cut the kangaroo into medallions. Cut the pear into wedges and caramelise with some sugar and butter.  Seal kangaroo in some hot fat & put in oven & cook to required doneness, put onto plate with pears & red currant glaze. Garnish with a herb.

I'll be eating around 9-10 so there'll be an update then. Expect pictures and a verdict.

The roo has its work cut out keeping up with the ostrich but by all accounts its capable of delivering a punch so gl Kangaroo.

Let's do this!

[barhell]

The redcurrant glaze sounds like it will be great, port and red wine to start gotta be good.
I've only ever tried kangaroo once before but that was in burger form but it was still very nice so i hope you enjoy.

P.S. do you know what company supplied your exotic meat hamper?  Am always interested in trying a few new things.

[Colchester Kev]

How are you doing the chips ?

[JungleCat03]

The redcurrant glaze sounds like it will be great, port and red wine to start gotta be good.
I've only ever tried kangaroo once before but that was in burger form but it was still very nice so i hope you enjoy.

P.S. do you know what company supplied your exotic meat hamper?  Am always interested in trying a few new things.

Osgrow.

http://www.osgrow.com/

Pricey but nicey.