...move over chicken, move over duck!
WHAT IS THE MUTTON BIRD?
The Mutton bird, or Short-Tailed Shearwater, is a member of the petrel family of seabirds. They are impressive flyers having been tracked covering up to 1000km in a day, and their webbed feet make them competent swimmers as well. They nest in burrows that are dug in soft sand about a meter long and are typically located on islands and headways around Tasmania and some parts of Victoria and South Australia. They also go by the names of the Slender-Billed Shearwater and Yolla.
The birds reach reproductive maturity at around five years of age and generally keep the same mate for life. The entire population mate in early November before heading out to see for two weeks. They then return to lay one egg in late November. They’ll share the duty of incubation which takes around 50 days (up to mid-January) for the chicks to hatch. The parents hang around until mid-April and will then leave for their annual migration leaving their young behind.
This is a route that runs north along the Western side of the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic. The return journey heads South along a central line over the ocean to Australia. This trip takes approximately six weeks, and covers about 15,000 kilometres each way, but not all of them make it back due to exhaustion and starvation. The map to the right shows the general route that they take, although in reality it can be a bit more sporadic than what this shows.
The mutton bird is one of the few Australian native birds that are commercially harvested. The birds are collected for their feathers, flesh and oil. Recreational hunting of mutton bird requires a licence and there is a 2 week season allowing hunters to collect birds in Tasmania only. Birds are strictly for personal use and can not be sold, however, in addition to the recreational season; up to 200,000 chicks may be removed from their burrows by commercial season operators and sold to the public. There are also strict guidelines on how the birds are to be handled which can be viewed here.
HOW TO COOK IT
As a food source, they can be quite popular in Tasmania during the season, and although they can be shipped Australia wide, not many leave the state as there is little awareness of these birds in other parts of the country.
The smell is quite strong during cooking and the taste is very rich and unique, and it’s not to everyone’s liking. The meat is quite oily and rather sweet but is closely followed with a bitter charred-like taste. A lot of the flavour comes from the fat and the intensity can be reduced by simply pulling off the white chunks found on the meat. For first-time eaters I would recommend taking this approach. I’d also recommend cooking them outside or at least ensure that there’s a good flow of air if cooked inside. The smell is quite strong and tends to linger for a day or two after cooking.
Due to their high fat content they can be cooked longer than other birds which will allow it to crisp up nicely without drying out. Traditionally they are complimented with apples believing that this assists with digestion and also helps to balance out the flavour. A big chunk of bread and lots of salt are also essential for the whole mutton bird experience.
STUFFED MUTTON BIRD
4 mutton birds
6 slices of bread
2 Tablespoons soft butter
2 apples, peeled and grated
1 small onion, finely diced
½ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Roughly crumb the bread and mix with the butter in a mixing bowl, now combine all other ingredients, except mutton bird, until well combined. Mixture should hold together when pressed.
2. Place a small amount of the stuffing on the inside of the mutton bird and wrap the bird around holding it together with some butchers twine.
3. Place on a rack over an oven tray with some bread and water in the tray. This will help with absorbing some fat and reducing the amount that would splash onto the inside of the oven. It sounds over-the-top but you will thank me after you cook one.
4. Cook in a pre-heated oven for 35 minutes at 180ºC.
PLAIN-COOKED MUTTON BIRD (pictured at top)
The mutton bird can also be cooked plain as-is in the oven by using the same method. Lay it the bird flat on a rack then place this over a tray with some bread and water in the bottom. It will take around 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated 180ºC oven.