Ostriches becoming a popular meat source

Max Jacobson

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001 | 9:05 a.m.

It's a Friday afternoon at the Riviera and hundreds of people are crowded into a back convention room for Ostrich Fest 2001, where a variety of meat products, gorgeously carved ostrich eggs and premium leather hides produced from ostrich are displayed.

Most of the people in the convention room belong to the AOA, the American Ostrich Association, a Fort Worth, Texas, organization dedicated to marketing ostrich products and establishing industry standards for production.

AOA President Dr. Amy Raines is a veterinarian who specializes in ratite, or flightless, birds. Raines is a champion of ostrich producers, and she is a fountain of knowledge on her specialty.

"The ostrich originated in southern Africa, where it is prized for the leather, which is one of the world's best for making high-end boots, shoes and purses," Raines says. "A lot of the meat that is produced in Africa ends up being exported to Europe."

She also lets it be known that the American Heart Association is pushing consumption of ostrich meat, encouraging chefs to include it on their menus.

That should please Dennis Harrell, who lives in Yerington, about an hour east of Reno. Harrell runs Harrell's Ostrich Ranch, where he breeds, hatches and raises the birds for meat production.

Reached by telephone, Harrell explains the vagaries and curiosities of his profession, which is an interesting one, to say the least. Both Raines and Harrell say they hope they can increase interest in the consumption of ostrich meat, which is available in Las Vegas at many locations.

Raines produces an industry brochure, which contains a nutritional comparison of ostrich meat and several other popular meats. Since ostrich is a firm, red meat, ostrich producers are eager to compare it to beef.

The protein, iron and cholesterol content are roughly the same for each, based on a 100- gram sample of cooked, lean meat. But the fat and calorie contents of the two are quite different. Ostrich contains 3.1 fat grams, compared with 9.3 for beef, and beef has approximately one-third more calories.

The taste issue is far more subjective, and probably more important to most consumers. The AOA members have a slogan -- "You can have your steak and eat it, too" -- but it's still a stretch to say that it tastes like beef. When seared, braised or grilled, ostrich meat has a pleasantly meaty flavor, but because of its lean nature, a more chewy texture than beef. And it requires more skill to prepare.

That hasn't daunted a team of chefs, however, here to participate in a cook-off. The winner was Charles Gruber of Sam's Town, for his stuffed filet of ostrich with ostrich forcemeat and sun-dried cranberries. It was a delicious creation, but the chef hasn't decided whether or not to serve it at Sam's Town. (Kristoffer's, the Riviera's upscale dining venue, did serve ostrich medallions as a special during AOA convention week, but the dish is not currently being offered.)

Instead, it is easier to cook ostrich yourself, by purchasing it locally, or directly from an ostrich farmer such as Harrell.

The process of farming ostriches is quite interesting. Harrell, assisted by his wife, gathers the eggs with a 20-foot pole with a fish net attached to the end, being careful not to approach the roosters, who can be extremely dangerous.

Next, Harrell incubates the eggs (said to make a delicious omelet that feeds 12, according to Raines) for around 42 days, making sure that he is around whenever they hatch.

When the birds are slaughtered, the best cuts of meat are turned into prime steaks, with the remainder used to produce salami, at a USDA-approved facility in Yerington.

Harrell says it is far more ecologically efficient to raise ostriches than cattle.

"I can raise more meat on 5 acres than a cattle rancher can in 500," he claims. The birds have a 10-month gestation period, and in one year his birds will produce up to 150 eggs. In about a year the birds grow to around 300 pounds each. Each yields around 100 pounds of salable meat.

Harrell only sells his meat in Las Vegas during the National Rodeo Finals, but you can order it by calling him at (775) 463-3545 or by sending him an e-mail at ostrich@tele-net.net. A 1-pound salami is $7, and his steaks, frozen and vacuum-sealed, are $8.50 per pound.

Raines, meanwhile, is optimistic about ostrich consumption. She says it will be a premier red meat in the upcoming century.

"Our obstacles have been, up to this point, consumer awareness and education, plus marketing and distribution." She may prove to be right, eventually, but at the moment the chick is not yet out of the shell, in consumer terms.

If you wish to buy ostrich meat locally, prices tend to vary. Wild Oats Markets sell prime cuts of ostrich in 6-ounce portions, frozen, for $7.99, which computes to a pricey $20 per pound. The markets also sell the meat in frozen patties, made from leg meat, at $4.99 per 6-ounce portion.

Village Meats & Wine, at 5305 S. Eastern Ave., sells 2-ounce ostrich snack sticks, savories similar to Slim Jims, for $1.39. The specialty shop sells ostrich sirloin steaks for $6.96 per pound, and patties for $3.98 per pound.

The AOA recommends that cuts rated "tender" should be grilled, broiled, fried or pan-fried, and those labeled "medium tender" should be cooked in liquid or braised. Cooking the meat until it is well-done is not recommended, as its fibrous nature makes it toughen at high temperatures.

Recipes and brochures are available from the American Ostrich Association, P.O. Box 162627, Fort Worth, TX, 76161. You can also visit the AOA website at ostriches.org.