What to do with a dead Emu??

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Neighbor just slaughtered an Emu with some bone deformities, and has offered it to me to take. The animal was otherwise healthy. I can gut and skin it fine (I'm on my way as soon as I'm done here), but know nothing of processing the critters. Anybody out there have a clue? Any websites with cutting instructions for the critters?? I hate to turn down free grub, even if it is only a 5 month old Emu. By the way, I have a walk in cooler I can fire up to cool the ratite. How long should they hang?? Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks in advance, Charlie in the Willamette Valley

-- Charlie P. (webducks@uswest.net), August 22, 2001

Answers

Charlie though I have eaten it many ways, I love it ground for burger. The meat is all red, no fat, so it makes for tough steaks, unless slow cooked. The oil will literally drip out under the skin as you butcher, what fat it does have under the tail, render slowly and the oil is wonderful. You can sell it to folks who make soap. While wasting alot we still get at least 3 quarts a bird at butcher. The meat truly does make the best bar-b-qued hamburgers you have ever eaten. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 22, 2001.

think of it as a LARGE chicken,, with fantastic drum sticks :)

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 22, 2001.

Vicki is right. The oil is often used as a base for lotions and carrier for rub-in medications and linaments and embrocations as well - penetrates easily. In fact, I'd be inclined to save it for that, or sell it for that, rather than soap. Also, if you can get some fine slices across the grain of the muscle, you can use it as good lean thin fillets - just cook quick and then either don't overcook, or finish in a sauce.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 22, 2001.

Can't say about emus, but a friend of mine showed up on my doorstep one night at ten o'clock with two ostrich legs. Poor thing had broken his leg during transportation. Anyway, those things were 54 pounds apiece. Needless to say, it was well into the wee hours before I saw my bed. I got nine roasts, and a couple of Flintstone drumsticks out of it. The roasts are great wrapped in foil, covered with Lipton Onion Soup mix and stuck in a 350 degree oven for a couple of hours. The roasted drumsticks were a huge success at our Christmas party. I still get comments about that several years later.

-- Julie (rjbk@together.net), August 22, 2001.

Well, one thing is for sure. You can't ride him home.

-- Okie-Dokie (tjcamp6338@aol.com), August 24, 2001.


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