If you are planning a trip “down under” or residing in Australia then one of the most important things on your mind will be Australian cuisine. Do you want to eat traditional Australian food to embrace the culture? Or do I want to go to eat along scenic views & seek out high-class restaurants? Being Australian myself, the correct answer is – there is no wrong answer. No matter which part of Australia you are heading to, there is amazing food and an enriching culture to enjoy. Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of your options to enjoy Australian food.
Australian Beef
One of the things Australians pride themselves on is the homegrown beef. In 2022, Australia boasted beef exports to other countries at 854,596 tonnes. One of the reasons Australians boast about beef is that most Australian cattle are raised exclusively on pasture. This allows for variations in flavour, texture and tenderness due to the widely varying soil conditions and climates throughout Australia. Australia also provides grain-fed beef which provides a higher tenderness and juiciness in the flavouring. This means that as a consumer, you can head to any Australian restaurant and know you are going to be getting a prime cut of meat.
Beef Products
Australian beef can be used to produce many diverse products including varying cuts of meat to try whilst visiting or residing in Australia such as tenderloin, scotch fillet, rib eye and porterhouse just to name a few. Beef in Australia is versatile to the point that if you aren’t just looking to have a cut of meat then you can consider products such as hamburger patties, meatballs, roast beef, the good old Aussie Four’N Twenty beef pie and even cured deli-style meat such as pastrami. Australian beef has progressed so far that you can also look at snack products as well to take on your travels. Delicious snack options for beef products include Australian beef biltong and traditional beef jerky. Jerky is an easy, on-the-go snack that provides the consumer with high levels of protein, zinc, and iron. These are required for overall health and to keep you going until your next opportunity in your Australian food journey.
We Love Our lamb
Once you have tried all the wonderful beef products Australia has to offer you would be doing yourself an injustice if you didn’t move on to trying some of Australia’s amazing lamb products. Here in Australia lamb is such a staple dish that in 2005, Australia launched the “We love our lamb” campaign utilising Australian sports commentator icon Sam Kekovich as the “Lambassador.” Whilst not as popular as Australian beef exports, lamb is still a fierce competitor for your taste buds with exports growing by 7% in 2021 to 284,257 tonnes. The world is keen to try Australian lamb with export locations now including South Korea, Papua New Guinea and Ghana. Some of the amazing lamb products to experience whilst dining down under include lamb chop, rack of lamb and lamb shank. Each of these products can be cooked widely differently and is well worth your time to try at a restaurant or at home on the barbie (that’s barbeque if you need an Aussie translation) with some mates.
Uniquely Australia – Kangaroo meat
If you are the adventurous type and Australian beef and lamb don’t sound exotic enough for you, then looking into a uniquely Australian experience of kangaroo meat might be the way to go. Kangaroo meat is distinctive with a strong rich flavour whilst also being a very lean meat, coming in at around 97% fat-free. Kangaroo meat is able to be tried in many different ways including slow cooking, quickly tossed in a wok or into delicious and varying salads.
Good Old Aussie Breakfast
Let’s take a quick step backwards from meat products and look at a good old-fashioned Australian breakfast. You simply cannot come to Australia without trying an all-time favourite food of many Australians, vegemite on toast. Proudly owned and operated in Australia for over 99 years, many Australians young and old enjoy nothing more than vegemite on toast for breakfast. Be warned, however, vegemite is a thick, dark brown spread which isn’t always aesthetically pleasing to look at. Then there’s taste, it’s not for everybody being made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract with varying vegetable and spice additives. Vegemite has a strong flavour and even if it doesn’t end up being for you it’s a must-try for anybody who is experiencing true Australian cuisine. If perhaps you are not up for such an acquired taste, your other option for a great Australian breakfast is Weet-bix. Found in pretty much every Australian household pantry, Weet-bix is a breakfast cereal packed full of wholegrain goodness. Along with a delicious taste, Weet-bix is also a good source of iron to help combat fatigue to keep you moving in all your daily adventures.
Not for the faint-hearted
After breakfast or even for breakfast, but not for the faint-hearted a true “Aussie” experience, a great example of bush tucker is the witchetty grub. This food is one of the most famous First Australian foods around. “Grub” can mean both food and larva of certain insects, outlining exactly what the witchetty grub is. The witchetty grub is exclusive to the deserts of Outback Australia and is said to taste like a cross between chicken and prawn. Now this is where it gets interesting; witchetty grubs are traditionally eaten live and make for a morning snack full of protein and nutrients. If you are feeling adventurous but not so keen on eating your food live, then you can always eat after barbequing first. Only in Australia, you can even buy witchetty grubs in supermarkets for your tasting convenience.
Desserts
No meal is complete without dessert and there is no better than the Australian biscuit. More commonly known as an ANZAC biscuit, they are beloved by Australian people for their enjoyable taste and texture. These biscuits were created as far back as World War 1 and were packed by volunteers in Australia and sold to raise funds for the army. The original recipe for ANZAC biscuits included oats, coconut, sugar, baking soda, syrup, butter, and flour. Making this dessert both delicious and easy to make. If biscuits aren’t your cup of tea, then the other quintessential Australian treat is the lamington.Lamingtons are a sponge or butter cake dipped in chocolate and covered all over with desiccated coconut. If you are really lucky you will even find a centre of cream and/or jam. Lamingtons are so typically Australian that in 2006 the Queensland Government honoured this delicious dessert with its own day, National Lamington Day, which for those interested in trying a lamington on that date is the 21st of July.
Australia is rich in cultural history through the First Australians but modern Australia has many reasons to visit. You may be interested in beautiful forests of which Australia has plenty or beautiful pristine beaches to lounge in, also of which Australia has many. However, one thing that many people have not thought about when travelling is the delicious and versatile food options in Australia. Hopefully the above has inspired you to jump on a plane and join us here for food experiences you won’t soon forget.
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