The last time I ate ostrich, which was many years ago, I had a steak that I found very dry and quite tough. Either we cooked it too long or too hard. This time I decided to go for ground ostrich, so I could incorporate some extra fat into this virtually 100% lean , red muscle meat. I also added some seasonings and hubby grilled it BEAUTIFULLY! Taste was just stellar! Best grilled chopped steak we’ve had in a LONG time. Though ostrich is quite pricey, it’s pretty much 100% lean, so there’s no waste or shrinkage during cooking really. Besides, we sure couldn’t have ordered this at any restaurant, for the two of us, for the $10.99/lb I paid for it! I bought my ostrich meat at a local Natural Grocers. But I have also seen it at Whole Foods and suspect Trader Joes might also carry it. You can also obtain it on-line, I’m sure. This dish is suitable for any phase of Atkins and for Paleo-Primal followers as well. Just take a close look at the nutritional stats below!!! Impressive, non? Deficiencies in B6 and B12 (vitamins not absorbed well from capsules) have been found in many Alzheimers and dementia sufferers. My mother, whose levels of B6 and B12 are low, has advancing dementia and I could possibly be genetically pre-disposed. I know I sure plan to now increase my intake of ostrich, for more reasons than GREAT TASTE!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground ostrich meat
2 T. bacon grease
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
Dash each ground thyme, onion powder and black pepper
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS: Crumble up the ostrich meat into a glass bowl. Add all ingredients and work it together with a fork or with your hands like you would for a meatloaf until all is well blended. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to mingle for 1-2 hours before you plan to cook. When ready, form into two thick “steaks” pressing them firmly so they won’t fall apart on the grill. Prepare a hot steak/burger bed of coals and grill the ostrich “steaks” until just medium-med rare. Place “steaks” over coals and grill. Do not attempt to jiggle/shift them around lest these babies fall apart on you. When one side is nicely grilled, gently flip them over and finish cooking. I warn you if you cook them well done, they are definitely going to be dryer and you’ll end up being disappointed you wasted your money. Ours were medium (just pink inside) and they were NOT dry at all. We served ours with a piece of bacon we grilled and with grilled tomato but these would also be good with seasoned, oiled, grilled onion slices, yellow or zucchini squash or eggplant slices as well.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes two 8-oz steaks, each containing:

517 calories
34.2 g fat
1.2 g carbs, .2 g fiber, 1.0 g NET CARBS
47.5 g protein
695 mg potassium
275 mg sodium
74% B6, 437% B12, 33% copper, 84% iron, 74% niacin, 68% phosphorous, 56% riboflavin, 141% selenium, 39% thiamin, 102% zinc