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Loading...A celebration of Australia's wild pantry, this kangaroo steak is rubbed with aromatic native spices—wattleseed, lemon myrtle, and pepperberry—then seared hot and fast to keep the lean meat tender and rosy inside. Finished with a finger-lime butter and a quick bush-spice jus, it is a true outback dinner that pairs beautifully with roasted pumpkin and warrigal greens.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 430 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 9 gSaturated Fat
- 11 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 39 gProtein
- 590 mgSodium
- 760 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 6 mgIron
- 14 mgVitamin C
- 320 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the kangaroo and spice rub
- 4 kangaroo loin steaks, about 160 g each, trimmed of silverskin
- 1 tbsp ground wattleseed
- 2 tsp dried lemon myrtle, finely crushed
- 1 tsp crushed pepperberries (or coarsely cracked black pepper)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the finger-lime bush butter
- 90 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp finger-lime caviar (pulp of 2–3 finger limes)
- 1 tsp dried lemon myrtle
- 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
- Pinch of sea salt
For the pepperberry jus
- 1 cup beef or game stock
- 80 ml dry red wine
- 1 tsp crushed pepperberries
- 1/2 tsp ground wattleseed
- 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Sea salt, to taste
To serve
- 600 g mixed roasted native vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin, warrigal greens)
- 2 tbsp macadamia nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- Lemon wedges
Directions
- In a small bowl, mix the wattleseed, lemon myrtle, pepperberries, and salt. Pat the kangaroo steaks dry, rub all over with olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mix; set aside to come to room temperature for 10 minutes.
- While the meat rests, mash the softened butter with the finger-lime caviar, lemon myrtle, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt until evenly streaked; spoon onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, and chill until firm.
- Pat the steaks once more to remove excess moisture. Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until smoking hot, about 3 minutes. Sear the kangaroo steaks for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 52–55°C); avoid moving them so a deep crust forms.
- Transfer the steaks to a warm plate, top each with a thick slice of the chilled finger-lime butter, and tent loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour off excess fat from the pan, return it to medium heat, and add the red wine; simmer 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits. Add the stock, pepperberries, and wattleseed, then reduce by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk the cold butter into the sauce off the heat to create a glossy jus; season with sea salt and strain if desired.
- Divide the roasted vegetables among four warmed plates, slice the rested kangaroo across the grain, and arrange the slices over the vegetables.
- Spoon the pepperberry jus around the plate, scatter with toasted macadamias, and finish with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over at the table.
Cook’s Notes
- Kangaroo is extremely lean, so do not cook past medium-rare—anything well-done will turn tough and dry; pull the steaks from the heat at 52°C and let carryover cooking finish them.
- If finger limes are unavailable, substitute the pulp of one regular lime combined with a small pinch of citric acid or a few drops of lime oil.
- Wattleseed has a nutty, coffee-like aroma and blooms with heat, so blooming it briefly in the pan before adding liquid deepens the sauce's flavor.
- Source kangaroo from a reputable Australian game supplier and look for deep red, fine-grained loins; avoid pale or weepy cuts which indicate poor handling.
- Serve with a peppery Australian Shiraz or a young, juicy Grenache to echo the native berries in the dish.
