Aussie Mystery Meats

I’m Filipino and can readily claim that my country has some of the most unique (could be potentially read as “weird”) kinds of food around the world. But, given the diversity of the Filipino palate, I still am in wonder of what kind of recipes await me at a Melbourne catering buffet. For serious, it’s the first time I have ever seen and Emu and I’ve heard that they are an Aussie delicacy. They look like half ostriches.

And half attitude

I’ve done a little research and it would turn out that emu meat is almost exactly a replica of beef but only with a helluva lot less fat and more protein. And these Australian emu aren’t your wilderness birds. Australia has been domesticating emu like any other livestock for the longest time so you can be sure that they’re just as safe, if not safer, than the Kentucky Fried GMO Chicken you so love (but, again, minus the GMO).

Not only does their meat look like beef, reviews say that it tastes a little bit like it, too. I can’t say that I’m not prone to trusting said opinion; fried frogs, after all, taste like chicken. The only downside of the meat though is that, since it has very little fat, it dries up quicker so to enjoy it well-done, it has to be cooked in wet heat. This lack of fat is not just a weakness however—emu meat soaks marinates all to well.

Got cooked. Still Fabulous.

Actually, from what premise my general idea had in the beginning of this article, I, now, actually do want to try emu. It looks so darn good. And unlike most bird meats, emu is red meat which makes it all that more a savory surprise (or mystery) to me.

Has anyone tried emu before? What are your thoughts and how do you think I should best enjoy my first time biting down on one? Thank you all in advance!