Cooking Kangaroo on the World War 2 Australian Home Front

Ingredients

• 1 pound Kangaroo Meat (cut into 2‑inch steaks or use brisket/flank as substitute)
• 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (Can substitute white wine vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon Mustard (Dijon or yellow mustard works)
• 2 Bay Leaves (Break up slightly before adding)
• 0.25 teaspoon Cloves (Whole cloves, lightly crushed)
• 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper (Freshly cracked)
• 1 Onion (Coarsely chopped)
• 1 Carrot (Leave peel on, slice into rounds)
• 1 small bunch Parsley (Leaves only, roughly chopped)
• Enough Water (To fully cover meat and vegetables in the pot)
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (For thickening the gravy, mixed with 2 cups cooking liquid)

Instructions

1. Make the Marinade

   In a mixing bowl combine the sugar, salt, mustard and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

   Time: PT5M

2. Marinate the Meat

   Place the kangaroo steaks in the glass dish, pour the marinade over both sides, then sprinkle the broken bay leaves, cloves and cracked black pepper. Rub with the back of the wooden spoon to coat evenly.

   Time: PT5M

3. Refrigerate

   Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, turning the meat once or twice to redistribute the rub.

   Time: PT12H

   Temperature: 4°C

4. Prepare Vegetables

   While the meat is marinating, coarsely chop the onion, slice the carrot (peel left) and roughly chop the parsley leaves.

   Time: PT10M

5. Assemble in Pot

   Remove the meat from the fridge. In a saucepan or Dutch oven place the marinated meat, then add the onion, carrot and parsley on top. Add water until everything is just covered.

   Time: PT5M

6. Slow Cook

   Cover the pot with its lid and place it in a pre‑heated oven at 325°F (160°C). Cook for 45–60 minutes, until the meat is tender but not falling apart.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: 325°F

7. Rest the Meat

   Remove the pot from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

   Time: PT10M

8. Make the Gravy

   Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, measure 2 cups, whisk in the cornstarch until smooth, then simmer over medium‑low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

9. Serve

   Slice the rested kangaroo against the grain, arrange on plates, spoon the thickened gravy over the top and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

300

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

10 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

2 g