Kangaroo Steak with Red Wine Sauce

 

🥘 Introduction
🥘 Snapshot
🥘 Introduction
🥘 Ingredients
🥘 Method
🥘 Notes & Tips
🥘 Variations
🥘 Make-Ahead & Storage
🥘 Footer blurb

Introduction

Snapshot

  • Serves: 4
  • Time: 10 min prep • 15 min temper/rest • 6–8 min cook • 10–12 min sauce • ~35–40 min total
  • Good for: weeknight special, effortless entertaining, “taste of Australia”

Introduction

Kangaroo is a lean, flavour-rich red meat with deep Indigenous heritage and growing modern appeal. Its low fat means quick cooking and a careful rest are essential. This version keeps things classic — hot sear to medium-rare and a simple red wine reduction — letting the meat’s character stand proud alongside roasted seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 500 g kangaroo fillet or steak (4 small steaks or 2 large to share)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 250 ml dry red wine
  • 250 ml beef stock
  • 20 g cold unsalted butter (about 1 tbsp)
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
  • Roasted seasonal vegetables, to serve (carrots, potatoes, courgette/zucchini)

Method

  1. Season & temper: Brush steaks with 1 tbsp oil. Rub with garlic, salt and pepper. Leave at room temperature 15 min so they cook evenly.
  2. Sear: Heat a heavy pan or grill to high. Add remaining oil. Sear steaks 2–3 min per side to medium-rare (aim for 57–60 °C core). Transfer to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 5 min.
  3. Deglaze: Reduce heat to medium. Splash in the wine, scraping up browned bits; simmer 3–4 min to reduce by about half.
  4. Build sauce: Add stock; simmer 7–8 min until slightly syrupy. Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter to gloss. Season to taste.
  5. Serve: Slice steaks thinly across the grain if thick. Plate with roasted veg, spoon over sauce, and scatter parsley.

Notes & Tips

  • Kangaroo is very lean: keep to medium-rare for tenderness; overcooking leads to dryness.
  • Extra-thick steaks: after searing, finish 2–3 min in a 180 °C (fan 160 °C) oven, then rest.
  • Alcohol-free sauce: replace wine with 2 tbsp balsamic + 50 ml grape or apple juice; reduce gently.
  • Pan fond is precious — if it darkens too fast, lower the heat and add a splash of water.

Variations

  • Pepperberry & Rosemary: Rub steaks with ½ tsp ground native pepperberry and a pinch of dried rosemary before searing.
  • Mushroom Red Wine: Sauté 150 g sliced mushrooms after searing; proceed with wine/stock for a richer sauce.
  • Juniper & Orange: Add 2 lightly crushed juniper berries and ½ tsp orange zest to the reduction; strain before finishing with butter.
  • BBQ: Sear over high direct heat 2–3 min per side; rest well. Make the sauce in a pan on the side burner.

Make-Ahead & Storage

  • Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead; chill and reheat gently.
  • Cooked kangaroo keeps 1 day in the fridge; rewarm briefly with a splash of stock (do not overcook).
  • Freezing cooked steaks is not recommended — the lean meat can turn dry.

Footer blurb

“First we eat, then we do everything else.” — M. F. K. Fisher

Comments

Post a Comment