How To Cook Emu Meat For Best Results

With the raised awareness of the need to eat better and lead a healthier lifestyle, the focus has fallen squarely on emu meat. Not only is it virtually fat-free, it is filled to the brim with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and needful fatty acids. It contains no intramuscular fat, and is low in cholesterol. Therefore, although emu meat is classified as a red meat, it is a much healthier alternative to beef and most other red meats.

To retain the benefits of the vitamins and other healthy attributes, and in order to keep each cut succulent and tender, it is very important not to overcook the dishes. Because the meat is fat-free, it does dry out easily when cooked incorrectly. It is not a healthy idea to cook emu meat with too much fat, as you want to keep the healthy alternative of low-fat meat.

Let us consider a few guidelines when preparing emu meat:

• Vacuum packing is preferable whenever possible. Vacuum packed emu meat will keep for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator and up to 9 months in the deep freeze.

• Defrost completely before cooking.

• Rinse the meat under cold water, and pat dry before cooking.

• Slice emu steaks thinly, or make a butterfly cut, opening out the meat and flattening it. This allows for faster cooking time.

Emu meat is very versatile, and can be used as a replacement for most beef and other red meat dishes. But because it does not shrink noticeably during the cooking process, it is important to adjust the portion sizes to account for this non-shrinkage.

Emu meat accepts flavoring and seasoning well, and absorbs marinades efficiently and quickly. Marinating is highly desirable for certain dishes, as it prevents the meat from drying out during preparation. This is especially true for meat being grilled on a barbecue. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. A good basic marinade consists of equal parts of olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice and sugar or honey. Add salt and other seasonings to taste. A good combination includes honey and mustard or lemon and herbs.

Minced emu meat cooks very well, and can be used in the making of burgers, or meatballs. Lasagna and other baked dishes are also easy to make from ground meat. When pan-frying mince, remember that it cooks very quickly, and care must be taken to not overcook it, and thereby dry out the meat too much.

This meat will continue cooking after it has been removed from heat. Remove the meat from the heat source while the meat is still little pink in the middle. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving. By this time the meat will be thoroughly cooked and still tender and succulent.

Emu has a grain that is a bit finer than that of beef, but otherwise the texture and taste is very similar to beef. Remember to cut against the grain, as with any red meat.

Emu meat is truly a healthy and versatile alternative to many sources of meat protein available in supermarkets and specialty stores today. Do not be shy in experimenting with your emu meat, in creating the most amazing gourmet dishes.

For more information on emu farming, check out this ebook entitled How to Start An Emu Farm.

Alan B. Stables is a freelance writer on alternative agriculture, has organized alternative agriculture events and has also been a guest speaker in Brazil, China, Egypt, Italy, Latvia and Spain, on how to market agricultural produce for maximum returns.

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Cooking Roast Prime Rib on the Grill

Love the taste of prime rib? Love the taste of barbecue? You can combine them together for cooking roast prime rib on the grill. It takes a bit longer than hamburgers, but cooking roast prime rib on the grill gives you a fabulous roast that everyone enjoys.

You need a lot of charcoal for cooking prime rib on the grill. The cooking time is about two hours so you need about 8 pounds of good quality charcoal. Fire up the charcoal and wait until the flames die down and the charcoal is giving off a good heat.

When cooking prime rib on the grill, you don't want the meat to be directly over the hot coals. Move them over to one side of the grill so that you can place the roast on the other side. Before putting the meat on the barbecue, rub the exterior with a mixture of coarse salt, pepper and herbs.

You can use either bone on or bone off when cooking roast prime rib on the grill. You can ask the butcher to remove the bones and then tie them back onto the meat. This gives you the best of both worlds -- easy carving and great tasting ribs.

Place the meat on the grill and cover it tightly. If the cover has vents, you want to close them as well. Check the grill from time to time to make sure it has enough heat to for cooking roast prime rib on the grill. If it cools off, you can open the events to let the flames build up again.

After two hours of cooking roast prime rib on the grill, take the cover off and check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The interior will be about 115° when the meat is rare, and 150° is well done. Be sure to check the temperature as close to the middle as possible.

After cooking roast prime rib on the grill to your taste, remove it from the grill and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. I hope you bought a big enough roast because your guests will ask for seconds and thirds!

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Flounder - How to Buy and Cook It

Flounder is a very flavorful fish. It has a fine texture, a mild flavor, and firm white flesh. It is a lean fish rather than a fatty one. If you want to cook flounder for dinner, bear in mind that you will need three quarters to one pound of whole fish per serving, half a pound of cleaned fish per serving or a quarter to a third of a pound of steaks or fillets per serving.

How to Choose Good Quality Flounder

When choosing a whole fish, look out for pink or deep red gills, which are free from mucus, slime, and a shiny surface with healthy-looking scales. The flounder should have a shiny, clean belly cavity without protruding bones or cuts and it should smell very mild.

Fresh fish smells like the ocean, nothing more. A strong fishy odor means it is not very fresh. If you prefer to buy flounder loins, fillets, or steaks, you should choose fish with firm flesh, no discoloration, and a translucent appearance.

How to Cook Flounder

Cook flounder for ten minutes per inch of thickness at its thickest part. 400 to 450 degrees F is a good temperature for baking the fish. If you want to cook the flounder in foil, parchment or a sauce, you need to add five minutes to the cooking time. If the flounder fillets are less than half an inch thick, you will not need to turn them during cooking.

To broil a flounder, you should rinse it and wipe it dry. Brush some olive oil or melted butter over it and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the fish. Broil it for three or four minutes under a hot broiler, then broil the other side. When the thickest part of the fish is white all the way through, it is done.

To microwave a flounder, put it on a microwave-safe dish and brush some melted butter or oil over it. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the flounder and cover the dish. Cook it on high for two or three minutes, then garnish it with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.

A Simple Recipe for Pan-Fried Flounder

Pan-frying is a great way to cook this fish because the flesh is firm enough to hold together and pan-frying brings out the very best flavor. This recipe makes enough to serve four people.

What you will need:

4 skinless flounder fillets
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons capers in juice
Juice from a lemon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
All purpose flour, for dredging
Salt and pepper, to tasteHow to make it:

Wash the flounder and pat it dry. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over it, and then dredge it in flour. Put two tablespoons of the butter in a skillet with the oil and heat it over a moderate to high heat until the butter melts.

Pan-fry the flounder for three minutes or until it is crispy and golden brown. Flip it over and give it three minutes on the other side too. Transfer the flounder to a serving plate and turn off the heat.

Whisk the rest of the butter into the liquid in the skillet and stir in the capers, their juice, and the lemon juice. Pour this sauce over the fish and serve immediately with French fries or mashed potatoes and a vegetable of your choice. Broccoli or green beans are nice with this flounder recipe.

You might have seen flounder recipes on a food blog and it is true that this fish has a delicious, mild flavor. Why not do a recipe search to find your ideal flounder recipe for dinner this evening?

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