Kangaroo steak recipe: Auspit guide for Australia Day

Kangaroo is one of those proteins that gets overlooked at most Australia Day barbecues, and that's a shame, because it might be the easiest thing on the grill once you know the one rule that matters: It cooks quicker than you think.

Our founder Rhiannon put together this kangaroo steak recipe on the Auspit to show just how simple it is, cooking a full spread of kangaroo, burgers, and prawns at once. Get the timing right and you've got a lean, punchy, genuinely impressive centrepiece for Janurary 26th. Get it wrong and you're chewing on a leather boot, so let's make sure that doesn't happen.

Why Kangaroo Deserves A Spot On Your Australia Day Barbecue

Kangaroo is about as lean as red meat gets, which is exactly why it's easy to stuff up and easy to get right once you understand it. Compared to a beef steak, there's very little fat running through the meat to protect it from overcooking, so the margin between "perfect" and "ruined" is a lot narrower. The upside is a naturally rich, gamey flavour that stands up well to a bold rub, and a cook that's genuinely fast, which suits a busy Australia Day spread where you've got half a dozen things on the grill at once.

What You'll Need

You don't need anything fancy for this one:

• Kangaroo steaks (usually sold pre-cut, ready to season and cook)

• A solid lamb or game rub

• An instant-read thermometer, non-negotiable for this cook

• Tongs you're prepared to keep in your hand the whole time

• The Auspit fired up and ready to go

How To Season Your Kangaroo Steaks

Kangaroo steaks usually come pre-cut, so there's no butchery required. Apply a rub built for lamb and game meat generously on both sides and press it in. Kangaroo's bold flavour can handle a punchy rub, so don't be shy with it. Let the steaks sit for a few minutes while your grill comes up to heat.

Cooking Kangaroo Steak Without Drying It Out

This is the part that trips people up, and it's also the whole reason kangaroo gets overlooked in the first place. Because the meat is so lean, it goes from perfect to overcooked in the time it takes to grab another beer from the esky.

Here's how to keep that from happening:

• Keep the tongs in your hand. This isn't a "set and forget" cut. Stay at the grill.

• Keep the thermometer in your pocket. You want it ready to probe at any moment, not buried in a drawer inside.

• Pull it at 52°C. That's the sweet spot for kangaroo steak, with 55°C as the absolute ceiling before it starts turning tough.

• Rest it briefly before serving. A couple of minutes off the heat lets the juices settle.

Watch it like a hawk, and you'll have a steak with a proper medium-rare centre, tender through and through.

Is Kangaroo Meat Healthy, And How Does It Compare To Beef?

If you're weighing up kangaroo against a standard beef steak, the big difference is the fat content. Kangaroo is naturally very lean, which is part of what makes it a popular choice for anyone watching their diet, but it's also exactly why the cooking method above matters so much. There's less fat to keep things moist if you cook it too long, so the technique is doing more of the work here than it would with a well-marbled scotch fillet.

Make It A Full Auspit Spread

Part of what makes this cook work so well is that kangaroo, burgers and prawns can all go on the Auspit grill plate at the same time, which is exactly the kind of versatility that makes a portable spit worth having at your Australia Day gathering in the first place. If you're catering for a bigger crowd across multiple proteins, it's worth working out how much meat you'll actually need before you shop, so nobody's left short and nothing goes to waste.

A Few Quick Questions

What Temperature Should Kangaroo Steak Be Cooked To?
Aim to pull it off the heat at 52°C internal, with 55°C as the absolute maximum. Beyond that it toughens up quickly.

Is Kangaroo Meat Healthy?
It's one of the leanest red meats available, which makes it a solid option if you're after something lower in fat, but that leanness is exactly why careful cooking matters.

Can I Cook Kangaroo Steak The Same Way As A Normal Steak?
Pretty much, with one key difference: kangaroo has far less margin for error once it's past medium-rare, so keep a closer eye on it than you might with a beef steak.

Get It On The Grill This Australia Day

Kangaroo steak isn't complicated, it just asks for a bit of attention at the right moment. Season it well, watch your temperature, and you'll have a dish that stands out on a table full of the usual snags and steaks. If you're after more ways to fill out the day, have a look at our Australia Day leg of lamb spit roast guide for another centrepiece to run alongside it.

Ready to build out your Australia Day spread?
Check out our full range of recipe blogs for more ideas to fire up the Auspit this summer.