Ever get a hankerin' for some Kangaroo??

August 12, 2002 8:15 PM

Ever get a hankerin' for some Kangaroo?? Now, I know a lot of people who love some game meats, like rabbit or dear meat, but kangaroo? Snapping Turtle? Mmmm, lizard..the other green meat.
posted by lasthrsman (35 comments total)

fyi...

beef:venison::chicken:alligator
posted by jcterminal at 8:20 PM on August 12, 2002

Go to Australia. There's a restaurant in Cairns called the Red Ochre that served the finest wallabee that I've ever had. Okay, so it was the only wallabee I've ever had, but it's far superior to kangaroo, as far as I'm concerned. Anyway, it was incredibly tasty -- very tender, not overtly gamey.

Reminded me a little bit of something of a cross between elk and ostrich.
posted by bemmett at 8:25 PM on August 12, 2002

I love quail and elk, but these prices are a bit steep. Try yr local Asian venue for good frozen quail.
posted by kozad at 8:50 PM on August 12, 2002

I was all fired up when I read "Ever get a hankerin' for some Kangaroo??", then I clicked on the link and saw it was for consuming a kangaroo. Another dream dashed.

*sigh*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:57 PM on August 12, 2002

If those prices are too steep, you might be inclined to go this route.
posted by mmascolino at 8:58 PM on August 12, 2002

wallabee Wallaby.

[/pedantry]
posted by dg at 9:00 PM on August 12, 2002

In Sydney, you can buy kangaroo and crocodile and emu meat and so on as an expensive but easily-accessible treat, if you're so inclined, neatly packaged up beside the veal and pork and beef, in the Meat Zones of most major supermarkets like Coles.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:05 PM on August 12, 2002

in the Meat Zones of most major supermarkets like Coles.

But have you ever wondered how it gets there?

BTW, kangaroo is quite tasty!
posted by shinythings at 9:07 PM on August 12, 2002

When I lived in Miami, every other bar served "gator bites." I loved the crunchy little morsels. The ones at the Wilderness Grill were especially good. Unfortunately the restaurant/bar was first of all, in an ugly ass outdoor mall an the felt the need to broadacst loud simulated jungle sounds at intermiitent intervals.
posted by jonmc at 9:16 PM on August 12, 2002

I'd be really interested in trying some sort of "sampler" of these various meats, for comparison's sake. As the company is local (in Seattle), I wonder if they offer such a service to walk-in customers.

As a former Floridian, I've had alligator before, and it was nothing remarkable. Somewhere between the texture of chicken and the flavor of a freshwater fish or frog legs.
posted by Danelope at 9:16 PM on August 12, 2002

NTM, where's the bisurkey, man??
I'm berserky for bisurkey, doggone it!!
posted by jonmc at 9:20 PM on August 12, 2002

Kangaroo's a pretty standard meat now in Australia (obviously). Most restaurants, and even pub bars, have kangaroo on the menu, and there isn't really any stigma attached to it any more. It's pretty much like beef, but a bit darker and more "gamey". The important thing is not to grill it to death. If it's over cooked it's just all charcoaled and yukky (I had it like this at the "Bark Hut" on the way to Kakadu once, and was not impressed). If it's cooked lightly it's tender and delicious.
posted by Jimbob at 9:39 PM on August 12, 2002

I'd be really interested in trying some sort of "sampler" of these various meats, for comparison's sake. As the company is local (in Seattle)...

Danelope - in Seattle head on over to the Kort Haus on Greenwood if you want to try some samples (in the always popular burger format...) I don't know if they get their burgers from this particular distributor (I bet they do), but they've got a lot of these exotic-meat burgers, including ostrich, buffalo, kangaroo, elk, venison, alligator and black bear.

I've tried the buffalo and ostrich - not bad, but I can't say I've been drawn back to the Kort Haus for more. That may also have to do with the fact that it's a not-so-loveable dive bar. Anyway, that's enough Seattle meat talk for me...
posted by pitchblende at 9:41 PM on August 12, 2002

The first meat I ever had was rattlesnake. I've had it later when I could remember what it tasted like, and it was ok. Rather bland and dry, with far too many bones. The jackrabbit was better, at least it had drumsticks.

I've also had snapping turtle, although I can't remember much about how that tasted. Probably like chicken. I think chicken gets compared to everything because chicken's a pretty bland meat. The only thing I really remember about the snapping turtle was my dad moving a stick near it and it just snapping a piece off the wood. Vicious creatures.
posted by stoneegg21 at 9:45 PM on August 12, 2002

I think we get inferior kangaroo here in small town New Jersey, USA. That seemed totally tasteless to me...but we have a local restaurant that serves superb ostrich, medium rare, with a cabernet sauce. *licks her fingers* Maybe I'll ask 'em if they can get wallaby.
posted by realjanetkagan at 9:51 PM on August 12, 2002

stavros: how was the crocodile and the emu? Enquiring eaters want to know!
posted by realjanetkagan at 9:53 PM on August 12, 2002

Shark is one of the best meats I've had; the texture is like very moist chicken, but the taste is strong and unique.

I've never had good alligator. Tough, gummy meat.
posted by skyline at 9:59 PM on August 12, 2002

I have eaten crocodile, emu and kangaroo, all of which I enjoyed (though the preparation/cooking etc was done superbly, as what the bush-berry sauce they were in.

~It all tastes like dolphin to me~
posted by Neale at 10:04 PM on August 12, 2002

Eight Mile Creek is an Australian restaurant in NYC that serves tasty kangaroo. I've had the appetizer portion that's grilled on skewers -- available in the bar area, if you want to sample that with your beer.
posted by nstop at 10:08 PM on August 12, 2002

A magnificent way to eat kangaroo is minced (ground), with crushed macadamia nuts, egg and spinach wrapped in puff pastry. Then, bake them in the oven, and serve with a port and chilli sauce.

Delicious.
posted by jordanbrock at 10:15 PM on August 12, 2002

What really pissed me off is that nothing tastes like chicken. I've had all kinds of exotic meats, and none have tasted like chicken. I don't even like chicken, but it shouldn't be a truism if it's not true.
posted by Nothing at 10:41 PM on August 12, 2002

Really. Kangaroo.

Try the sartorius muscles of young stillborn humans (so tender!), rubbed with garlic, sea salt, red pepper, and tequila; grilled and wrapped around phalanges (gives new meaning to finger lickin' good), and attractively presented on a bed of fresh placenta.

My meat eating friends say it'd taste as good as 'roo. And that's all the reason anyone needs, eh?
posted by fold_and_mutilate at 10:47 PM on August 12, 2002

Shark is one of the best meats I've had

Shark is the most common fish sold here in Australia, except that it is usually sold as "flake" to avoid the supposed stigma. In fact, if you ask at your local fish shop for a piece of shark, you will most likely be told "we don't have that here" and they will deny that flake is actually shark. The taste is nothing special, just fish.

fold_and_mutilate - do they need to be stillborn, or would it be OK if they had lived a while?
posted by dg at 11:28 PM on August 12, 2002

Mmmm, long pork. But do we breed game humans specially or just eat the recently deceased at random? Meat may be murder, but ~what the heck's wrong with murder, anyway?~

The Polynesians had the right idea. Do your part to help keep the breeding population at sustainable levels!

The possibilities are limitless : the World Cup would be a lot more interesting if the winning team were permitted to eat the teams it defeats, for instance...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:44 PM on August 12, 2002

the World Cup would be a lot more interesting

Or maybe it would just be interesting. "Sudden Death Knock-out" takes on a whole new meaning too.
posted by dg at 12:07 AM on August 13, 2002

I'm an American newly transplanted Down Under and I tried 'roo for the first time recently. I'm not very adventurous with my food normally, but I thought it was really good. I agree with the poster who said not overcooking is key. Back home in the States I used to get all upset about my dad hunting deer too. Then I tried some and discovered that venison tastes great. People get upset because kangaroos (at least the ones in the Bugs Bunny cartoons) are really cute. But what I've learned here is that they're they equivalent of deer in the US Midwest. They get overpopulated and starve if they aren't culled. I do sympathize with some Australians' argument that they shouldn't be eating their national symbol, but I guess it's better than letting it go to waste. It's not like people's taste for 'roo is driving the market. (Most of it ends up as dog food, anyway.)
posted by web-goddess at 12:32 AM on August 13, 2002

A link just for fold_and_mutilate
posted by HTuttle at 12:44 AM on August 13, 2002

I tried stingray last summer. It tasted...like chicken, to be frank. Which is unfortunate, as I was never a fan of fowl. But it was served as one complete wing, so the presentation at least made for interesting dining.

I have to say that one of the greatest temptations to eat meat again is all these exciting animals I never got to sample. I'd also like to see a whole goddamn wild boar show up at my front door.

fold: You might also peruse this. I see they prefer "firm caucasian females in their early twenties", but, of course, tastes will vary.
posted by apostasy at 12:52 AM on August 13, 2002

Since when are quail and venison exotic? You can get them in the supermarket. I had kangaroo in Australia and it was tough and overcooked so I can't really form an opinion about it. Can anyone tell me where the meat comes from? Are kangaroos bred for meat?
posted by Summer at 3:43 AM on August 13, 2002

Nah. You're not allowed to farm them, as I understand. All the ones that you eat come from culling (i.e. professional shooters hired to go out and night and hunt them). The link "shinythings" posted earlier in the thread is actually pretty informative about the process.
posted by web-goddess at 4:26 AM on August 13, 2002

Nothing beats a turducken
posted by jedro at 5:21 AM on August 13, 2002

Thanks web-goddess for pointing out that I should actually read the links before I comment.
posted by Summer at 5:44 AM on August 13, 2002

Alligator is good; I had me some (last I can remember) in Detroit in Greektown at a restaurant I forgot the name of.

They have ostrich burgers at Fuddruckers, but I must say it wasn't that good.
posted by adampsyche at 6:01 AM on August 13, 2002

John McPhee in Travels in Georgia, recounts eating all variety of animals, most roadkill, with Carol Ruckdeschel.

Bill Bryson, IIRC, also laments how our diets lack any sort of reasonable diversity for the vast variety of edible things available. so branch out!
posted by plinth at 7:56 AM on August 13, 2002

Try the sartorius muscles of young stillborn humans (so tender!), rubbed with garlic, sea salt, red pepper, and tequila; grilled and wrapped around phalanges (gives new meaning to finger lickin' good), and attractively presented on a bed of fresh placenta.

Oh golly! You've shocked me yet again! And may I commend you on using "sartorius" instead of "leg muscle"? And how wondrous that you used the term "phalanges" and then brilliantly defined it for us! Your erudition is indeed a thing of total obviousness.

And what can I say about the finale? Placenta! I am kissing my fingers for some reason! I am so in awe of you that I have conveniently forgotten that you make no point at all! Huzzah!
posted by Skot at 8:48 AM on August 13, 2002