Ostrich is everywhere and no wonder, it’s not only delicious, it’s one of the leanest meats you can buy – low in fat and cholesterol (less than in chicken) and high in protein. And it’s super versatile too. And did I say quite affordable?
Ostrich meat available from Woolworths is free-range to boot - no routine antibiotics or growth hormones are administered to the animals.
The flavour can be somewhat distinct, but I find it not disimilar to beef and in fact you can use it in any recipe calling for beef or lamb, from potjies to stir-fries, salads and satay, or as steak dressed with café de Paris butter or monkeygland sauce.
Woolies is continuously providing more ostrich cuts and products, which makes it easy to add variety to your weekly meals. I like to use their
ostrich & beef mince for my spaghetti bolognese or bobotie. It comes at a brilliant price and I love the depth of flavour it adds to mince dishes.
Also try their flavoursome
sticky,smokey BBQ kebabs, they’re guaranteed to be succulent and tender and make a great addition to you braai meat offering.
TIP: remove ostrich meat from the packaging about 10 minutes before cooking them and pat them dry with a kitchen towel to prevent them from ‘stewing in their juices’ if you panfry them.
QUICK WAYS TO USE OSTRICH
FLASH-FRIED
Fry ostrich steaks in a heavy base grill pan over high heat, when the pan begins to smoke you know that you are good to go. Rub the ostrich steaks in olive oil then fry them for about a minute a side – it really goes that quickly, depending on how thick they are and how you like your meat.
Season them only after you’ve cooked them as the salt can cause the loss of juices. This method is ideal for steaks, strips or kebabs.
As with red meat, let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting to allow the juices to settle rather than simply run out.
PERFECTLY POACHED
Poach sliced steaks, medallions, fillets or cubes in and Asian broth or Indian curry. Add the meat to the sauce or soup during the last 5 minutes of simmering, then remove from the heat, allowing it to continue cooking slowly in the remaining heat of the liquid.
This results in tender ostrich that’s not over-cooked rubbery. You can also poach the meat in a flavoursome broth, as described above, then remove and shred into tiny strips.
Fry these quickly in hot oil to caramalise and serve with cooked veggies and the poaching liquid over noodles, or in a bun with onion marmelade or a tangy BBQ sause and coleslaw.
BEAUTIFUL ON THE BRAAI
Braai ostrich burgers, kebabs and fillets over hot coals (remember, high heat, quick cooking) for a deliciously smokey flavour.
OTHER OSTRICH PRODUCTS TO TRY
OSTRICH RECIPES TO TRY
Enjoy your ostrich!
Hannah
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If you have any questions about ostrich, or would like info on any Woolies product and how to best use it, send me an email.