Crocodile, hard to catch… easy to cook!
I find crocodile quite an exciting meat to cook. Maybe it’s something to do with the ferocious rage that appears out of the water straight after its stealth-like patient wait for a food source but it always manages to create some interest when sharing with others.
Crocodiles are a protected species in Australia and it’s illegal to capture and kill them without the necessary permit or authority; however there are farms dedicated to breeding the animals for a number of purposes, including meat production.
CHARACTERISTICS
Croc is a versatile white meat that suits a variety of cooking methods providing that it’s handled correctly. It can be grilled, fried, barbecued, or stewed and can also be minced for sausages, pies, and patties. There are a number of cuts available, the most popular being the tail, followed closely by the legs and the ribs. The texture is firm, but tender to eat, and will pull apart when cooked.
The flavour is mild and verges on chicken and calamari. It has been said however that any similarity with chicken is a result of their steady diet of poultry when in captivity and not necessarily a true representation of one out of the wild. I personally haven’t had the opportunity to taste one from the wild but I’m led to believe that the flavour slightly leans more towards fish and has a more ‘gamey’ taste.
NUTRITION
Compared to other meats, crocodile is very healthy. There are some great benefits for introducing this meat into your diet such as:
it’s low in fat, low in calories, and high in protein.
it’s high in dietary fibre, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fatty acids.
it contains phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B12, and niacin / Vitamin B3.
There are also reports claiming other amazing benefits such as:
it can improve skin condition and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin allergies.
is believed to have anti-carcinogenic and anti-arthritic properties reducing the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and arthritis.
said to be good for your heart, lungs, blood circulation, and is known to cure coughing problems.
HOW TO COOK IT
The best way to cook crocodile is to keep it plain and simple. It’s a good carrier of flavours and will take on a simple marinade or even a ceviche. It works well with flavours that you’d typically match with fish such as lemon, lime, pepper, chilli, etc. Or for an Australian theme it goes well with lemon myrtle and lemon aspen.
The one thing to avoid is overcooking the meat as it will become dry and tough making it not so pleasant to eat. For simple grilling, the thinner the meat is, the hotter you should have the pan. You want to get a nice caramalised sear on the outside and cook to about medium-rare before letting it rest. Think about the way you’d cook a prawn and you’ll be on the right track.
It’s really well suited as an entrée or appetiser during summer as an alternative to the usual suspects such as garlic prawns, salt & pepper squid, or smoked salmon and is usually a good conversation starter too.
RECIPES
LEMON MYRTLE CRUSTED CROCODILE WITH A DAIKON AND CUCUMBER SALAD (Pictured Above)
Serves 4 as Entree
Crocodile and Lemon Myrtle are a great combination. The bushy lemon flavour supplements the sweetness of the crocodile without overpowering it. The Lemon Myrtle will add a pungent but pleasing scent after hitting the grill too. The salty fresh daikon and cucumber salad adds a welcoming flavour hit in between each medallion.
Ingredients
500g Crocodile tail
Ground Lemon Myrtle (enough to coat)
½ Daikon Radish
½ Cucumber
50ml Soy Sauce
50g Brown Sugar
Daikon and Cucumber Salad
1. Peel then slice the daikon radish into 'slightly larger than matchstick' size pieces.
2. Cut the cucumber the same but discard the seeds and keep the skin on.
3. Place in separate bowls and salt them with a generous amount of salt and let sit for 10 minutes to extract the liquid.
4. Rinse the salt off the daikon with water and dry with paper towel. Combine the soy, brown sugar, and daikon and place on an oven tray. Place in a pre-heated 180⁰C oven for approximately 15 minutes. Remove once the daikon starts to take on colour from the heat (note that it will have already darkened from the soy) and refrigerate until cold.
5. Wash the salt off the cucumber and dry with paper towel then toss through the cooked daikon radish.
Crusted Crocodile
1. Gently roll the croc into the Lemon Myrtle to lightly cover the outside.
2. Cut into bite-sized medallions and grill each side in a hot pan being careful not to over-cook.
Note: If the meat is rather thin, sear all around first then cut before serving.
CROCODILE LEGS
Crocodile legs hold a strange resemblance to tip-less chicken wings, only bigger, meatier and with a distinct sweet pork flavour. The first impression of the flesh is that it's going to be really tough but the second that you sink your teeth into these, you are assured complete tenderness and juicy flavoursome meat.
Crocodile legs make wonderful finger food and work well with your typical chicken wing style marinades.
Simply Grilled: Cut legs in half at the joint and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or one of your favourite spices. Grill in a hot pan until they start to brown and then place into a preheated 200⁰C oven for 10-15 minutes.
Marinated: Cut legs in half at the joint and submerge in the marinade. If time is available, it’s best to leave for about two hours to take on the flavour. Then place in a preheated 200⁰C oven for around 15 minutes.
CROCODILE RIBS
Follow the same method as the Crocodile Legs above. These are awesome and you wont go near a pork rib ever again.
CROCODILE PIZZA with Lemon Myrtle and Warrigal Greens
This pizza is a really good combination of some great Aussie flavours that all work fantastic together.
Head over to our page The Ultimate Aussie Pizza Guide for the full recipe and information on the ingredients.
REFERENCES