What is cassowary meat? Cassowary meat is an indigenous bird found in certain areas in Australia, including Australia and New Guinea. The bird is a highly delicious meat (similar in taste to beef); however, it is pretty tough.
Thanks to technological advances, we can access an infinite quantity of data. In addition, when it concerns food preparation, we can find out about the latest ingredients, the best ways to use them, and even where to locate the best ones!
Recently, we’ve noticed an upsurge in “cassowary meat.”
In this post, we’ll look at what cassowary meat is, the health benefits it can offer you, and the numerous ways to prepare and cook it.
Guide To Cassowary Meat
Okay, we won’t blame you if you’ve not heard of the cassowary meat. To be truthful, neither did we! It’s because you’re unlikely to discover it anywhere other than Australia and New Guinea.
The delicacy is an absolute must, and we strongly recommend having it (or trying a local dish) if you can.
A cassowary bird is a large, flying bird found in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Aru Islands, and the northeastern region of Australia.
Yes, you read it exactly it’s birds! It is the third-largest bird on the planet, just marginally smaller than Ostrich and the emu.
Therefore, it is evident that cassowary meat is the product of these giant birds, like ostrich meat.
There’s a vast assortment of cuts of beef, stewing blocks, steaks, and ground beef. Many locals also create various preserved types of meat with cassowary meat.
Characteristics
So, we’ve extensively studied the meat’s qualities and even contacted some Australian cooks for recommendations.
This kind of meat usually has a beefy taste but is more intense. We can therefore think that it tastes remarkably like Game meat.
The most significant drawback of cassowary meat is that it’s tough. We have heard of a joke which suggests that you cook the meat of the cassowary using rocks. When the rock has softened, the meat will be prepared!
Although it’s a fun joke, it’s also extremely real. Cooking this meat takes lots of time. Otherwise, it will not make an attractive meal. We’ve listed some of the most effective methods to cook cassowary below.
Nutrition
Cassowary meat appears to be very healthy. But there’s no amount of research to prove this claim, likely because it’s such a rare food item that is only found in two areas in the world.
It is believed that their meat is rich in zinc, iron, and many B vitamins (including B1, B2, B3, and B6, as well as B12). Naturally, the meat is also packed with significant quantities of protein.
This kind of protein is considered to be a complete protein. That is, they have all the 20 amino acids your body requires for proper functioning on a day-to-day basis.
How To Make Cassowary Meat
As we’ve previously mentioned, cassowary meat is very hard.
That means you’ll only be able to use a handful of cooking techniques to soften this meat. For example, you will not be able to cook a tasty cassowary in a pan.
The most effective cooking methods include those that utilize low temperatures and allow the meat to cook for extended periods. Making stews is likely to be your most effective option.
Stews can be left unattended as they simmer in a flavorful liquid base. In addition to tenderizing the meat, it also adds an abundance of flavour.
Other excellent cooking methods you can employ to cook cassowary are cooking with roasts, pressure cooking under vide, and boiling.
Tips For Cooking Cassowary Meat
- The meat should be softer with the help of a mallet made of meat. This will break down the muscles that are hard in the meat quickly.
- Even if you don’t crush the meat, it’ll create a significant difference! This method is great when you don’t wish to simmer the meat for a long time.
- Marinate your cuts of cassowary meat. Marinades help flavor the meat and, even more importantly, help tenderize it. The recipes typically contain huge quantities of salt or acid, both ingredients that aid in tenderizing.
- Cut along what is the direction of the meat. Don’t cut parallel (or in parallel) to the muscle fibers. They will expand and result in the meat becoming difficult to cut. This is true before cooking the cut and also after a large piece of meat is cooked.
