Kangaroo Meat. Describe Your Experience of Consuming It

LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:01

Ah, Australia. We must be one of the few nations in the world which eats our national emblem.

Kangaroo steak, kangaroo mince, kangaroo sausages, excellent source of protein, iron, vitamins and minerals, and low in fat.

While other types of meat have been going up in price, kangaroo meat has remained relatively the same price.

The cheapskate I am, recently purchased kilos of mince, and while the taste is quite palatable, one thing I cannot get over is the smell.

I've tried frying it, boiling it, yet it's the same.

It smells "off".

Like, bad meat "off".

It was well within the use-by date.

I haven't had it in years because I vaguely recall having the same experience of it last time, but I thought I'd give it another try.

Has anyone else experienced this as well?

Poll Options

  • 220
    Love It
  • 27
    Hate it
  • 276
    Meh
  • 28
    I'm Vegan
Food & Grocery

Comments

  • iNeed2Pee on 20/07/2021 - 14:03
    +26

    I used to have the Kangaroo steak. Back in my gym days, fantastic source of protein. Very lean.

    Have not had it in a while. Now I am a fatty.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:15

      Very sinewy. Thoughts on the taste/smell of it?

      • iNeed2Pee on 20/07/2021 - 14:35
        +1

        Honestly at the time I did think it smelled interesting but I knew the health benefits so I did not pay too much attention to it!

        I do understand where you are coming from regarding the "off" smell.

      • marcozmitch on 22/07/2021 - 01:03
        +1

        Yeah, the smell is a real put off. So disgusting, that is why a spag bog dish is one of the best ways to eat it.
        Lots of smelly herbs to make the meal and the tomato concentrate has strong taste and smell too.

      • chriise on 22/07/2021 - 10:31

        I've not tried this myself, but adding 1tsp of white vinegar might reduce the smell.

    • ImpulseMan on 23/07/2021 - 14:15

      You are what you eat! Lol

  • spackbace on 20/07/2021 - 14:03
    +22

    Ah, Australia. We must be one of the few nations in the world which eats our national emblem.

    Bit of a difference between kangaroo and bald eagle lol

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:13
      +1

      lol šŸ˜‚ bald eagle, that sounds more like a delicacy.

    • Lastchancetosee on 21/07/2021 - 11:00
      +2

      Indeed. And the English have hunted and eaten at least one of their national emblems to extinction.

      • trapper on 21/07/2021 - 12:11

        Which was that?

        • lew380 on 21/07/2021 - 12:32
          +12

          Saint George's dragon.

    • colaman on 23/07/2021 - 14:34

      Bald Eagle tastes nice. Just like Chicken!

  • MS Paint on 20/07/2021 - 14:05
    +42

    Describe Your Experience of Consuming It

    I was sitting on a restaurant W class tram in the St Kilda area. It was a lovely sunny afternoon. Cirrus clouds only. It was overall an enjoyable experience. 9/10 would do again.

    • spackbace on 20/07/2021 - 14:08
      +8

      Needs more dragons

    • waterbottled on 20/07/2021 - 14:10
      +2

      Needs more dragons and sh*t.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:11
      +1

      Sounds delightful :D

    • diddy50 on 21/07/2021 - 13:31
      +1

      Tramcar restaurant roo would be an experience for many

    • superm86 on 21/07/2021 - 18:48
      +1

      MS paint picture, or it did not happen :|

  • scottm3 on 20/07/2021 - 14:06
    +20

    I used a knife and fork to eat it. 5/7

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:12

      in terms of taste, what are your thoughts?

    • Hangryuman on 21/07/2021 - 08:08
      +27

      waiter: 'how did you find your steak ?'

      customer: 'I just looked under my potato and there it was !'

  • skid on 20/07/2021 - 14:12
    +15

    Depends on the chef. I've had it with plum sauce, sliced thin and it was delicious. If cooked badly, it'll be tough.

    Never had kangaroo mince before but have been considering it for a spag bol.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:18

      Nice. Plum sauce, I'll give it a try. The steak I've had was very sinewy.

      Mince is good apart from smell, literally no fat whatsoever.

      • Karlos101 on 21/07/2021 - 07:44
        +8

        Needs to be medium rare at the most. Plum sauce or other sweeter sauces are nice. Giving a good salting too before cooking it on the fry pan is a must in my opinion. Have used the mince in spag bol too and it nice.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 20/07/2021 - 14:14
    +16

    with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

  • trongy on 20/07/2021 - 14:16
    +19

    The flavour and smell of meat from wild animals is generally described as gamey. It's not that pleasant to someone like me who is accustomed to eating meats from domesticated animals.

    adjective: gamey
    1.
    (of meat) having the strong flavour or smell of game, especially when it is high.

    I've given up trying to cook roo meat myself, but I would try it again in a restaurant.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 14:20
      +2

      Ahh, that makes complete sense.

      It's the kind of meat which needs to be roasted over an acacia fire in a middle of a red-dirt desert.

      The smell has permeated my house.

      • mapax on 20/07/2021 - 15:07
        +9

        Donā€™t cook mature wild boar if you think the smell of roo has permeated your house.

      • geek001 on 20/07/2021 - 15:25
        +8

        Kangaroo is quite "gamey". I suggest a healthy dose of onion, garlic and/or ginger to cover the smell. Your house will no longer smell like kangaroo, but it will smell of onion/garlic/ginger. Lol.

        I hardly eat it myself, too lean for me. :)

    • Hangryuman on 21/07/2021 - 08:10
      +6

      I once took a girl I was trying to impress to a fancy restaurant and ordered venison -

      which I'd never seen on a menu or had before

      when it arrived I sent it back saying it tasted off -

      they returned to say 'it's game - that's the way it's supposed to taste'

      oh.

      • LordSydney on 21/07/2021 - 20:38
        +1

        hahaha.

        awkward.

    • Nickels n Dimes on 21/07/2021 - 14:06
      +5

      I would rank the gaminess / smell of various meats, in steak fillet form, premium cuts with minimal fat:

      mutton
      crocodile
      venison
      goat
      lamb
      kangaroo
      turkey
      pork
      duck/quail/junglefowl
      ostrich/emu
      beef
      veal
      chicken

      • Intoxicoligist on 22/07/2021 - 13:02

        I'd throw horse between kangaroo and turkey. Its not as gamey as goat or lamb. I'd probably put Zebra above goat.

      • Cartman2530 on 22/07/2021 - 17:39

        I agree with you, but would put kangaroo closer to venison above goat in terms of gaminess, depending on how its cooked.

        Its funny, before looking at your list I never considered lamb to be gamy at all, always very delicious!

      • [Deactivated] on 23/07/2021 - 09:05

        Odd I don't find goat that gamey let alone lamb but venison and crocodile definitely up there

  • SteveBuscemi on 20/07/2021 - 14:23
    +11

    I'd be going for steaks over mince and I'd be marinating the hell out of it which can reduce some of the gameyness and smell.

    It's also not on the cheap end of the spectrum, but Poachers Pantry make a really good Kangaroo prosciutto and Macro Meats sell a really good premarinated Kangaroo steak thats usually at Coles.

    • MaccasAU on 22/07/2021 - 13:40

      Kangaroo prosciutto sounds fantastic. I absolutely agree on marination - Coles usually has e marinated type and I prefer it strongly.

    • Cartman2530 on 22/07/2021 - 17:41

      +1 on marination, does help a great deal.

      Have you ever made a kangaroo jerky?

  • jm7 on 20/07/2021 - 14:37
    +5

    I cooked it at home once and couldn't stomach it (the flavour and smell is too strong). However, I have enjoyed it at fine dining restaurants where it's generally served rare/raw in small pieces with some other flavour (i.e the kangaroo tartare at Attica with pickled native berries).

    • 900dollaridoos on 21/07/2021 - 06:12

      Any ozbargain tips for Attica? Planning to go there soon

      • hothed on 21/07/2021 - 19:51
        +7

        Go to McDonalds first, so you only need to order an entree

  • christopher8827 on 20/07/2021 - 14:39
    +4

    Very lean. It tastes OK as a sausage.

  • Hybroid on 20/07/2021 - 14:47
    +1

    Every winter in London, there's a pretty great Hyde Park Winter Wonderland fair event which has a market stall that sells 'exotic meat' burgers. This includes kangaroo, ostrich, crocodile and springbok burgers. Tried them there, wasn't bad at all but not great enough to bother again here.

    • tyarrhea on 21/07/2021 - 09:31

      They have it a Borough Market in London too, also tried a camel burger there.

      • MaccasAU on 22/07/2021 - 13:41

        Camel isnā€™t too bad. Very cheap

  • mapax on 20/07/2021 - 14:51
    +1

    It shouldnā€™t smell off, but gamey. Perhaps you are confusing the two?

    Also, just because itā€™s within the use by doesnā€™t mean itā€™s not off. I bought a pack of 2 steaks (beef) from Aldi and one of them was off and had tainted the good piece where they were contacting, had to throw out one whole steak and about 10% of the other.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 16:28

      Yeah, didn't realise game smelled different.

      Good point.

      • macrocephalic on 20/07/2021 - 17:02
        +1

        Nah, I agree with you, it often smells "off". You just have to trust that it's actually ok. My wife still refuses to eat it. You should hear her go on about the time I made kangaroo jerky!

      • Kangal on 21/07/2021 - 14:24
        +3

        Try slow cooking it inside a curry.
        To the point where the "meat is soft/falls off the bone"… that should get rid of the gameyness or "smell".

        • LordSydney on 21/07/2021 - 20:39
          +1

          Great tip, I'll give it a try. nothing quite like meat so soft it falls off the bone. mouthwatering. mmm

          • Cartman2530 on 22/07/2021 - 17:43

            @LordSydney: Kangaroo would be perfect for slow cooking since its also very sinewy.

  • onetwothreefour on 20/07/2021 - 14:54
    +2

    I like it but my wife doesn't so she doesn't like cooking it which means we don't eat it often.

  • AdosHouse on 20/07/2021 - 14:57
    +1

    Had kangaroo steaks before, love it. Can't be cooked like a beef steak or it will be tough.

  • SF3 on 20/07/2021 - 14:59
    +2

    Kangaroo Meat

    Everything tastes like chicken - The Matrix .

  • dust on 20/07/2021 - 15:07
    +2

    I think that "off" smell/taste is the taste of gamey (non-farmed) meat.

  • Mr Haj on 20/07/2021 - 15:09
    +3

    I replaced it for beef for quite some time. I think its a great substitute as it is healthier and cheaper than beef. If you are high in iron you should avoid eating it though.

  • athuntershill on 20/07/2021 - 15:17
    +2

    Tried it once or twice hated the smell every time.
    Our dog hates too.

  • branners on 20/07/2021 - 15:21
    +1

    Love it.
    First had it in Adelaide in the 1980s, when SA was the only state to allow its public consumption.
    Grill it at home from time to time, short sharp cook, long rest (in foil).
    Best I ever had it was in a fancy restaurant, carpaccio with olive oil and ground pepper

  • ReverseBias on 20/07/2021 - 15:24
    +1

    Don't find the smell bothers me once it's cooked, but it is a little weird while it's cooking. Can marinate to mitigate that somewhat.

  • No on 20/07/2021 - 15:29

    I like it but it really bothers me that it is more expensive than beef so I don't buy it out of principle.

  • AussieDaddy on 20/07/2021 - 15:40
    +1

    Never tried Kangaroo meat, but ate camel meat in East Africa. It's kinda tough, but not different from other types of red meat.

  • iridiumstem on 20/07/2021 - 15:47
    +3

    Gamey, I just get minced meat and add it to chilli.

    The spices help reduce the gamey smell, but the meat still adds bit of flavour? depth? that beef doesn't bring.
    And the supermarket that I get it from has it reasonably cheaper than premium minced beef (which is the main reason why I get it for the chilli if they do have it).

    • Embaloo on 21/07/2021 - 09:41

      Yeah spices. Cinnamon and bay leaves do a good job (along with cumin, coriander and other spices of your choice) in hiding the gaminess in k-mince. Just remembered this when I found 2x 1 kg packs for $4 once. Good for a chilli/nachos. Yeah slow cooking with the mince so you don't need to worry so much about the toughness.

  • tallkid123 on 20/07/2021 - 15:47
    +1

    Sorry, I got put off trying it after going down the Peak Downs Hwy once and seeing a rotting roo carcass every 500m.

    • entropysbane on 20/07/2021 - 18:01

      On a caravan trip we took the kids on about 2012 we got one to count dead roos on the left side of the road, and the girls on the right between ilfracombe and the cattle grid entering Longreach, about 30 km. Squashed fluff not included.
      James got to 145 and the girls 125. They didnā€™t like losing.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/07/2021 - 15:52
    +2

    It's actually alright if you order it in a fancy diner but would you?
    I've done in that way we ordered one dish, was circa $100, and served a piece for everyone for experience.

    • LordSydney on 20/07/2021 - 16:31

      It's crazy how much some restaurants charge for it in a fancy dish!

  • mmack on 20/07/2021 - 16:30
    +4

    Why not cook on an outdoor BBQ? Easy solution for you to keep eating Kangaroo and not having the house smell like a butchers bottom

  • brad1-8tsi on 20/07/2021 - 16:41
    +1

    i love kangaroo steak done with a pepper sauce.

    The pan has to be pre-heated for about 10 mins. The steaks have to be no more than 20mm thick. Pan should be lightly oiled or the meat will stick. 2 mins each side for a 20mm steak.

  • WookieMonster on 20/07/2021 - 16:42
    +16

    I like kangaroo a lot. It is cheaper than most cuts of beef, and Iā€™ve gotten used to the smell and the gamey taste. To be fair, I think uncooked lamb smells more than kangaroo, but thatā€™s probably because I rarely consume lambā€¦

    My experience of purchasing kangaroo is only through K-Roo (i.e. Macro Meats) at supermarketsā€¦:

    • Macro Meats sells decent marinated steaks, and this is the kangaroo product I buy most frequently. I think it is the best way to get into kangaroo, as the marinades add flavour (masking the gamey flavour a bit) and makes the meat a little more tender, plus the smell tends to be of the marinade, rather than of the kangaroo meat itself. You can pan fry these as a whole piece, but I tend to slice them into approximately 2cm slices; the problem is that if the steak is too thick when you pan fry it, you may end up over-cooking the outside (making that part of the steak tough), yet the inside will still be raw. However, most of the time, I dice these steaks and cook it as part of a kangaroo stir fry.

    • Macro Meats un-marinated kangaroo steaks are fine, but I donā€™t buy them a lot. It works best if you marinade it before-hand, as pan frying it without any marinade will make it taste rather bland. However, I am a bit of a lazy cook, which is why I tend to stick to the marinaded steaks. It is very easy to over-cook it when compared to the marinaded steaks. These have a bit a gamey smell and taste to it, but itā€™s not too bad.

    • Macro Meats un-marinated kangaroo fillet (uncooked) are better than the un-marinated kangaroo steaks. It works better if you donā€™t want to eat a marinaded piece of kangaroo, as it is naturally a bit more tender than the steaks, but again, it is very easy to over-cook it. They have a bit a gamey smell and taste to it, but itā€™s not too bad.

    • Macro Meats kangaroo sausages, meat balls and burger patties are alright, but they tend to be on the dry side, so I stay away from them. (At least it is not full of fat, so thatā€™s a plus.)

    • Macro Meats skewers are not particularly great, as the meat on them can be quite tough. It is also poor value when compared with the kangaroo steaks, so unless you specifically want kangaroo skewers, Iā€™d avoid that product.

    • Macro Meats diced kangaroo is very tough, and only really works if you add it to a stew. I havenā€™t tried slow-cooking it yet as part of a stroganoff, but that is something I am going to try soon.

    • Macro Meats kangaroo mince is particularly bad if you donā€™t like the gamey taste or smell. Iā€™ve cooked kangaroo bolognese and kangaroo lasagne a few times, and the gamey smell and taste definitely lingers. You could do what others have commented here and use spices or other flavours, but it is not easy masking the gamey taste or smell.

    • I think the best Macro Meats kangaroo product is actually the herb and garlic mini roasts, as it doesnā€™t really have a strong kangaroo smell or taste, plus it tastes really nice when you brown the sides and then roast it in the oven. However, I only ever saw this at a small number of Coles stores last year, and I havenā€™t spotted it in months.

    I honestly think wallaby tastes better than kangaroo, and it doesnā€™t taste or smell as much as kangaroo (to me, anyway). It is more similar in price when compared to beef rump steak or beef porterhouse steak, so it is not really an option if youā€™re looking for another budget-priced meat. I have only seen wallaby meat products sold at Coles or Woolworths in Tasmania, so it probably isnā€™t even an option for you (or me).

    • mapax on 20/07/2021 - 17:47

      Some Coles stores in Vic sell wallaby, but Iā€™ve only seen it as mince or diced meat. I like it but my wife thought it was a bit too gamey to be worth purchasing at $13 and $15 per kg.

    • SteveBuscemi on 20/07/2021 - 19:26
      +1

      One great use of the K-Roo kangaroo fillet is their Kangaroo Thai Salad recipe.

      • Mr Haj on 21/07/2021 - 08:18

        I reckon I've had this dish at a restaurant in Melbourne! I didn't know I disliked coriander until I had this salad.

  • brendanm on 20/07/2021 - 16:46
    +1

    Kangaroo mince seems a strange choice. It's very lean, so has to be rare/medium rare to not be tough. I've cooked the steaks many times, it's alright, can't recall an off smell.

    • gimme on 21/07/2021 - 08:06

      You can add a bit of olive oil (healthier than meat fat) or use it in a sauce (eg bolognaise)

    • 2BsQzrbgkL on 21/07/2021 - 12:36

      Chilli Con Carne in a pressure cooker.

      The chilli masks the game taste better than anything else i've tried and the pressure cooker means it's not dry/tough.

      I brown the mince in a pan first, no way getting around that smell but once in the pressure cooker it's all good.

  • entropysbane on 20/07/2021 - 17:56
    +2

    Very easy to overcook roo meat as it is very lean. A couple of days hanging in the cool room is also worthwhile rather than straight off the paddock.

    The best tasting meal with roo in it I ever had was at this restaurant in Wagga Wagga.
    The dish was called ā€œThe Coat of Armsā€ and consisted of thin strips of emu and kangaroo woven into a square matt and lightly grilled, served with a native plum jus.

    Damn, my mouth just started watering.

    • iridiumstem on 20/07/2021 - 18:06

      Oh wow, that sounds amazing, might have to go to Wagga Wagga eventually.

  • aarn on 20/07/2021 - 19:15

    Whatever meat you eat, cook it well. Roo meat is lean and low-allergenic.
    I'm a vet and recently treated a dog with gastroenteritis, most likely cause was uncooked roo meat from supermarket. Bon appetit

    • iridiumstem on 20/07/2021 - 19:50

      Ouch, hope the dog is doing well, and hope the experience did not leave you feeling scarred.

      • mapax on 20/07/2021 - 19:59
        +3

        Why would it leave them feeling scarred? If a vet canā€™t handle seeing a dog with gastro theyā€™ve got no place working around animals.

        • iridiumstem on 20/07/2021 - 20:15

          Just because someone is specialised in something doesn't mean that it doesn't leave bad taste in their mouth at the end of the day?

          I have heard mental health issues in vet industry so I was just wishing them well.

          • mapax on 20/07/2021 - 20:28
            +4

            @iridiumstem: I guess with a bad enough case of gastro it could literally leave a bad taste in a vets mouth…

            • iridiumstem on 20/07/2021 - 21:39

              @mapax: Heh, that made me chuckle far more than it should :P

  • CrispyChrispy on 20/07/2021 - 20:39

    Had a home made kangaroo burger, using mince. Tasted and smelt fine. Good alternative to any beef patty.

  • Prince K on 20/07/2021 - 20:40

    My cat loves it

  • sharkyoz on 20/07/2021 - 21:23

    just flash fry it, treat it the same as minute steak, rest a coupla mins..beautiful

  • bmxr on 20/07/2021 - 21:48
    +1

    The Australian Hotel in The Rocks serves Coat of Arms Pizzas and Pepper Kangaroo Pizzas. I find Kangaroo is a lot easier to eat in combination with other more dominant flavours found in a pizza. Also recommend the crocodile pizza, tastes a bit like salty chicken.

    8/10

    https://australianheritagehotel.com/menu/

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