Kangaroo loin preparation

[realtorgourmand]

I'm serving dinner for 6 on Saturday with a lean loin of Kangaroo as the centre dish. Only problem is I've never cooked it before! Ihave thought about charcoal grilling it - very hot fire - served sliced rare with different veggies and a risotto, but haven't quite worked out the meal plan - any thoughts / experience with this cut of meat?

 

[french fries]

Risotto is usually a dish all by itself, with veggies and meat that's kind of a lot... but if you like it, your choice.

As for the Kangaroo, I would slather the loins with olive oil, bit of salt and pepper, that's it. Then grill or sear very hot for a minute or two until you get nice grill marks, and change the orientation of the loin by about 90 degrees, get your cross grill marks for another minute or two (hard to say depending on the heat and the thickness of your loin). Then turn and grill for another minute or two, and that's it. Rest for 2 minutes and serve.

The meat is really lean, so it will cook very, very fast, and you don't want it to overcook at all, you want to serve it pretty much raw in the center, like seared ahi tuna almost.

If you/your guests don't like raw meat, then you can finish it in an oven or turn down the heat on the grill and leave it a few more minutes, then increase the resting time a bit - but beware - lean meats are very very easy to overcook and dry out real, real fast.

 

[realtorgourmand]

Thanks for your advice - I don't serve a whole plate of risotto as a side - opting for roast potatoes anyway - and small portions of cauliflower with a pear/gorgonzola sauce, asparagus with lemon butter and a side salad, garlic prawns - You've pretty much outlined what I had in mind for the meat - any other ideas?

 

[chefedb]

As this is a well exercised animal with little fat, I would marinate and then handle it like Venison. Its a lean meat and should be cooked rare and sliced on the bias cross grain thinly otherwise it will be tough. Serve with a brown sauce with madeira  and  possibly Lingonberry jelly.

 

[tylerm713]

handle it like Venison.  

I think that's the key.

Another suggestion would be to smoke it. I smoked a few deer tenderloins last weekend at my parents' house, and they were fantastic. Everyone said it was the best deer they had ever had. Be careful you don't smoke them for too long, or it will get dry.

As mentioned above, kangaroo, like venison, pairs well with fortified wines like madeira or port, as well as berries like lingonberries or red currants.

 

[chefedb]

Keep it rare enough so it can still JUMP off plate!!!!    PUN

 

[realtorgourmand]

Thanks for your advice!

Ed, at your suggestion I marinated the kangaroo loins in olive oil, tamarind sauce, a little red wine gastrique, and a splash of lemon juice for 4 hours ahead of cooking.

Hot charcoal fire, about 4 minutes per side (fairly thick loins - 1" to 1,1/2 inch), rested 3 minutes under foil.

Results were like ahi tuna - well seared outside, blood red inside - very tender, moist and flavourful! 

The charcoal flavour was very well received by one guest who is a gas grille afficionado. Served with more of the tamarind (brown) sauce on the side. Also on plates: garlic prawns, asparagus w/ lemon butter, cauliflower w/ pear/gorgonzola sauce, roast potatoes

I would do it again the same way - good thing, because I had to buy 2.5 kilos of the meat - used less than 1/2.

 

[chefedb]

Glad it all turned out to everyones liking.

 

[french fries]

Thanks for your advice!

Ed, at your suggestion I marinated the kangaroo loins in olive oil, tamarind sauce, a little red wine gastrique, and a splash of lemon juice for 4 hours ahead of cooking.

Hot charcoal fire, about 4 minutes per side (fairly thick loins - 1" to 1,1/2 inch), rested 3 minutes under foil.

Results were like ahi tuna - well seared outside, blood red inside - very tender, moist and flavourful!

Sounds delicious to me. I wish I'd been there. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[dc sunshine]

Perfect way to do it, as you did.  I like mine with a red wine reduction, but that's just me.  It's great to see that people like to experiment with "exotic" meats.  It's a strange thing, the 'roo is one of our national emblems along with the emu.  Both of which we eat  /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif