Look What I Found: Ostrich Meat

I usually play it safe. In most aspects of my life, that is.

The kitchen is the exception. I am not your typical grocery shopper who plans her weekly menu, comes up with her detailed list, and buys her supplies strictly based on that list. I do have a weekly menu, but it's a very vague picture of anything organic, tasteful and sinful (I have Wednesday's Wendy's as my cheat-day, for example). I write down my list of to-buys but when it comes to the "food stuff", the listed items can be as generic as "fruits", "herbs", "fish fillet", and "meats". And that's the part where I don't play it safe.

I love grocery shopping. Sometimes even much more than make-up shopping. Clothes shopping stresses me out --- the fitting, the lack of the perfect size, the rarity of good quality classic designs --- so I don't enjoy it much. Shoe shopping stresses out my wallet, hahaha.

Back to grocery shopping and not playing it safe. =) I love discovering new things --- new ingredients and spices, and new meats to cook up. I bought my first turkey and cooked my Thanksgiving turkey relying on plain old beginners' luck. I bought cornish hen, did some research about it, tried one recipe, loved it and bought another cornish hen the next week.

A few weeks ago, I went back to that same spot where I'd usually find the cornish hen at Rustan's supermarket. This time, I found a new bird's meat that tickled out the curious cat in me. Ostrich meat ?!

"How do you cook this thing?" The question briefly surfaced at the point of making the decision: to buy or not to buy. But that is quickly brushed aside. "I will research on that later..." After the meat has been paid for, unpacked and safely stored in the fridge. Yeah, that's me. I take risks. I dive into the unknown. I jump in and worry about the details later...Hmmm, I wish I can be that way in other things (*winks*).

Choice cut for the big bird

Ostrich has about the same protein as the other birds (chicken and turkey) but with much lesser fat, calories and cholesterol!

I got the almost-half-kilo pack. When you take adventures, you only need a short dip to taste the difference, right? I am not the greedy type. I leave some for others to try. 
And we're still talking about ostrich meats, here =)

A moist heat cooking method is suggested for those that prefer meat that is well done, because of the lack of fat the meat will be dry and tough. (http://www.ostriches.org/cooking)

My research informed me that this type of meat only requires a few minutes of pan-frying if you don't want to dry it out and keep the juicy- ness. I sprinkled in some anchovies for added texture and bite. The meat is red --- it looks and tastes more like beef than chicken. It's from a really big bird after all, the kind with the 15-cm eggs and that is capable of running at 40 miles per hour. 

Filipinos are used to having their meats "well done", that any hint of redness will alarm us into thinking that the meat is raw and therefore not yet right for eating. But for a change, I tried cooking some slices as "rare" and "medium rare" to experience the difference. I found out that I liked it most as "medium rare". (Note to self: Will request for that one next time I get a chance for some steak feast). When raw, ostrich meat is actually dark brown. When cooked rare, it turns red; when cooked well done, it turns pink. :)

I looked forward to my lunch "baon" in the next few days. The meats are densely packed and filling, that a portion (of no more than 3 inches) was enough to give me energy until the late hours of work)

I think that my almost-half-kilo lasted for about four breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners (estimates), which I alternated with my fish fillets and e-cafe lunches so I wouldn't "wear down" my palate with an all-ostrich menu. I'm of small built by the way, so it takes less to feed me well.

I enjoyed my brief "ostrich risk" and will have no second thoughts in taking that risk again. :) 

Now, what do I do with those lamb necks?