Ostrich Burgers
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Yes, you read that title correctly. Ostrich. Like the giant bird that buries it’s head in the sand – THAT kind of ostrich.
Who knew you could even get ostrich meat?
Well, if you have ever been to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio, you’ll know uncommon meats are their specialty. So when I found this ostrich meat, I knew immediately I needed to try it!
Ostrich meat basically just tastes like chicken pretending to be a red meat. It tastes a tiny bit like turkey but chews like beef. It’s really quite a pleasant meat once you get past how “weird” of meat it is.
Ostrich meat is lower in fat than beef and closer to poultry in nutritional value – so if you are looking to keep it light while also stuffing your face with red meat, then ostrich meat is for you.
It cooks just like beef but needs to be cooked like chicken – so making sure you reach an internal temperature of 160F is very important!
We had our ostrich burgers at our own little backyard cookout. I served our ostrich with pretzel buns and a simple Greek yogurt mustard sauce that really highlighted all the flavors of the meat.
Check out your local speciality butcher and farmers’ markets to find ostrich meat near you!
Ostrich Burgers
Equipment
- cast iron grill
Ingredients
FOR OSTRICH BURGERS:
- 32 oz ostrich meat
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh parlsey chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
FOR GREEK YOGURT MUSTARD SAUCE:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup stone ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
FOR BUNS & TOPPINGS:
- pretzel buns
- sharp cheddar cheese slices
- tomato slices
- red onion slices
- butter lettuce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mustard and parlsey. Chill until ready to serve.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ground ostrich, minced shallot, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well until combined.
- Separate the meat mixture into four quarter pound patties. Flatten the patties to be about a half inch thick.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Grill the ostrich patties for 3-4 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 160F. Let the patties rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.
- Assemble the ostrich patties on the pretzel buns with the Greek yogurt mustard sauce, lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion as desired. Add your favorite toppings for more fun! Enjoy!
