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©Tennessee Emu Association
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Emu, THE Natural Alternative™ for the Backyard Grill
A hot new food for the outdoor cooking season
Fifty years ago you might see the backyard grill in action three times in a
year: Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Dad would wrestle it out of
the garage, knock off the dust and hand Mom the rack to clean, usually at her
insistence since the blackened grime “added flavor” and “the fire would burn off
any germs.” She would carry it at arms length into the house where she would
scrub it. Dad would get the charcoal just right and flip burgers or grill hot
dogs with a radio playing in the background. Potato salad, coleslaw, potato
chips, tomato slices, pickles and any condiments were Mom’s domain. According to
the Barbeque Industry Association, things have changed. Three out of four
American homeowners own a grill and over half of those owners cook out all year
round, sometimes as often as 5 times a month during the traditional cookout
season.
While hot dogs and hamburgers are still mainstays for the occasional out-door
chef, true aficionados have expanded their grilling expertise to include many
other dishes. Chicken, pork and beef still dominate the scene; but emu joins
salmon and shrimp as being one of the new ‘hot foods’ for the out-door cooking
season.
A red meat recognized as Heart Healthy™ by the American Heart Association, emu
ranked best in 15 out of 20 essential nutrients in a USDA funded study at the
University of Wisconsin. “Emu came out lower in fat, including saturated fats,
but higher in protein,” reports American Emu Association president Gerald
Edwards. “It was also higher in iron and several other essential vitamins than
the other six meats tested.”
The best way to grill this lean red meat? According to Louisiana Chef Dale
Bourgeois there is very little shrinkage, so you can use 3/4 the amount of emu
vs. other meats. Bourgeois points out that emu requires a shorter cooking time
and lower temperature than traditional meats. “When grilling emu steaks, cook to
a medium rare to light medium (150 to 160 degrees), says Bourgeois. “Fully
cooked emu will retain a deep red color so care should be taken to avoid over
cooking. If you want well done, use a moist cooking method.” According to
Bourgeois, marinade time is reduced as emu retains flavors better than most
conventional meats. “Emu is mild flavored and responds especially well to sweet
marinades," says Bourgeois.
Emu is available in a variety of cuts suitable for the back yard grill,
including fillet, flat and fan steaks, medallions, roast, ground and more. For
additional information about emu meat, its overall health benefits, recipes or
location of retail emu meat outlets, visit the industry website at
www.aea-emu.org.
Note to editor: Recipes to follow.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN EMU ASSOCIATION Founded in 1989, the AEA is a nonprofit
organization of breeders, producers and marketers of emu meat, oil and other
food by-products. AEA's mission is to establish value of emu products through
research, market development and industry positioning. A Board of Directors
elected by its members governs all AEA activities. Through the voluntary efforts
of its members, the AEA has worked to develop a consistent numbering system and
nomenclature for cuts of meat, gained mandatory USDA inspection of emu meat at
processing, gained acceptance for the emu into the National Poultry Improvement
Plan, has established international trade rules for emu oil and created an Oil
Certification Program to ensure the consumer a safe product. The AEA publishes
the EMUpdate, a bimonthly newsletter, several industry flyers and sales aids
along with the National Convention handouts.
Source: American Emu Association Ph: 1-541-332-0675 email: info@aea-emu.org
Website: http://www.aea-emu.org
Recipes:
EMU STEAKS
Grilled Sesame Ginger Steak
4 (4 oz.) emu steaks
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
2 Tbsp. ginger, grated (or ½ tsp. powdered ginger)
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. soy sauce, low sodium
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Grill steak over hot
coals, basting frequently with soy sauce mixture. Steaks can also be browned in
a non-stick skillet, then add the soy sauce mixture and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Serves 4.
Barbecued Flat Filet Steak with Chutney-Bourbon Glaze
1 lb. emu flat filet
1/3 c. peach or mango chutney
1/3 c. pineapple juice
3 Tbsp. bourbon or apple juice
1 ½ Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 ½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
¼ tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Prepare grill or broiler. Combine the filet and remaining ingredients in a large
zip-loc bag. Seal and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove filet from bag, reserving
marinade. Place filet on grill or broiler, cook 8 minutes on each side or until
desired degree of doneness is reached. Cut filet diagonally against the grain in
very thin slices and keep warm. In a saucepan add marinade, bring to a boil.
Stir occasionally, and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Serve with filet
slices. Serves 4.
Cajun Steak
4 (4 oz.) emu steaks
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. ground sage
¼ tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. low fat margarine, melted
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 or 3 drops of hot pepper sauce
Combine the first 8 spices on waxed paper. Coat both sides of steaks. Grill on
outdoor grill or broil in oven 4 inches from broiler. Turn once. Prepare sauce
of margarine, flakes, garlic powder and hot sauce. Spoon over steaks before
serving. Serves 4.
Grilled Emu Steaks
4 emu fillet
½ can frozen lemonade
¼ can water
2 tsp. minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced (or to taste)
Mix together the lemonade, water, minced onion and garlic. Marinate the steaks
for 2 to 3 hours. Cook on grill to desired doneness. Serves 4.
Teriyaki Emu Steaks
1 (16 oz.) emu pan fillet
2/3 c. soy sauce
¼ c. salad oil
2 Tbsp. Grandma’s unsulfured molasses
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. dry mustard
6 cloves garlic, minced
Mix all ingredients together except for fillet. Add fillet and marinate
overnight, turning at least once. Grill to desired doneness. Slice and serve.
Serves 4.
KABOBS
Emu Steak Kabobs
12 ox. Emu steak cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbst. Honey
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
¼ tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes
8 cherry tomatoes
4 large mushrooms, cut in half
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 8 squares
In a shallow glass dish, combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, lemon peel
and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Add emu; stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap
and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Using four 10-inch
metal skewers, alternately thread emu, tomatoes, mushrooms and bell pepper.
Grill 2 inches from heat turning 2 or 3 times until meat is medium-rare (or
cooked to taste) and vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Serve
immediately. Serves 4.
Waller Kabobs
2 lb. emu fan filets
2 1040 Onions
3 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
2 Italian zucchini
1 pint Italian dressing
1 Tbsp. coarse ground pepper
Cut the filets into approximately 1 ¾ to 1 ½ inch cubes, place cubes in a bowl
and add Italian dressing covering the cubes. Marinate in refrigerator for about
2 hours. Cut the onion and bell peppers into slices to match the cubed filet.
Slice the zucchini into about 3/8 to ½ inch thick slices. Remove the cubed
filets and sprinkle with the coarse ground pepper. Slide the filets and
vegetable onto skewers alternating the pieces into slices for color variation.
Place over grill, marinating with fresh Italian dressing to keep the meat moist.
Rotate the kabobs until the vegetables are done. Remove from grill and serve.
Serves 8 to 10.
BURGERS
You can use ground emu the same way you use very lean ground beef.
Emu Burgers
1 ½ lb. ground emu
½ c. non-fat dried milk
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. liquid smoke, optional
Combine all ingredients with the ground emu and mix well. Shape into patties and
grill. Serves 6.
Deviled Emu Burgers
2 lb. Ground Emu
¾ c. Italian Salad Dressing
3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
½ c. finely chopped green onions
½ c. emu egg or 2 chicken eggs
1 c. plain dry bread crumbs
In a small bowl, combine the dressing and mustard. In a large bowl, combine the
ground emu, onions, eggs, breadcrumbs and ½ cup of the dressing/mustard mixture.
Shape the meat into 8 patties. Grill or broil burgers, turning once and brushing
occasionally with reserved dressing mixture, until desired doneness is reached.
Serves 8.
Emu Cheeseburgers
2 lb. ground emu
2 c. Cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 package Ranch Dressing Mix
Place the meat into a bowl and pour the Ranch Dressing Mix on top. Use two forks
to cut the dressing mix into the meat. Add the cheese and blend with the forks.
Do not over mix. Use ½ cup of mix per patty. Form 8 patties. Grill over medium
heat until the juice runs clear. Serve with your favorite garnishments. Serves
8.
Recipes from the AEA Cookbook "Emu, Life Just Got Healthier"
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