Emu, fan fillet, cooked, broiled

Emu fan fillet is a lean red meat from a farmed bird, closer in color, flavor, and texture to beef tenderloin than to chicken, and it is cooked much like a fine cut of beef, broiled or pan-seared quickly over high heat and served rare to medium to keep it tender. Because it is very lean, it dries out and toughens if overcooked, so cooks typically sear it briefly on each side and let it rest before slicing thinly against the grain. It pairs well with the same accompaniments as a good steak, such as a red wine reduction, roasted root vegetables, or a simple herb butter, and also works well thinly sliced over a salad.

Fresh emu fillet should be kept refrigerated and cooked within a few days, or frozen for longer storage, and it benefits from resting at room temperature briefly before searing so it cooks evenly. A 3-ounce, 85-gram broiled serving has 154 calories and delivers 31.3 grams of protein per 100 grams, making it a lean centerpiece for a meal built around a red meat main. It also provides 25% of the Daily Value for iron per 100 grams, and at 53 milligrams of sodium and 2.3 grams of fat per 100 grams, it stays lean even after cooking.