flinders island wallaby
From the Wild to Your Plate.
In 2022 we saw the re-opening of the Flinders Island abattoir. This is really exciting for the island residents and businesses to be able to buy locally-produced meat.
The Davis family from Beaconsfield have moved over to run it as Game Meats of Tasmania. Managing director Charlie Davis said it took six months to bring the site up to scratch."It's been a battle, but the help from the locals has been phenomenal, so it's finally worked out". Charlie, and his two sons Payden and Toby are involved in processing the animals, and their daughter Laura handles the orders and administration.
Charlie and the boys are sourcing and shooting their own wallaby, which is abundant on the island. "It's a miles better product than I've seen anywhere and the taste of it is completely different. It hasn't got the gamey taste. They come out of the scrub and straight onto the paddocks and feed on the beautiful pasture that's here."
Flinders Island Wallaby Bolognese
Ingredients
1kg wallaby mince
20g peeled garlic
200g finely diced onion
200g finely diced carrot
200g finely diced celery
5g finely chopped rosemary*
15g salt
A good pinch of pepper
40g olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
200ml red wine
500g crushed tomatoes
200ml water
*Can be substituted with thyme, oregano, and sage Beef Steaks
RE-HEAT INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add 1-2 tablespoons of salt.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
In a separate saucepan, place in bolognese sauce and simmer on low/medium heat.
Place garlic bread in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Cook your pasta as per packet instructions. Strain and stir through with bolognese sauce.
Finish with a good amount of grated parmesan and cracked pepper.
Serve with garlic bread and salad.
MAKE AT HOME
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 2 hours
Serves: 4
Pairing Suggestions: Gibson 'Dirtman' Shiraz, Minimum Chardonnay, Balter XPA
Method
1 To make the bolognese sauce, place oil in a medium size saucepan on medium to low heat
2 Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
3 Add wallaby mince, salt, and pepper and increase heat until the mince is browned, breaking up the mince with a spoon to cook evenly.
4 Once meat is browned, add tomato paste and stir for 5 minutes.
5 Pour yourself a wine and add 200ml wine to the pot.
6 Allow sauce to cook out for a further 5 minutes before adding crushed tomatoes and water.
7 Reduce heat to low and allow to gently simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.**
8 Finish with a good amount of grated parmesan and cracked pepper.
9 Cook your pasta as per packet instructions. Strain and stir through with bolognese sauce.
10 Serve with a side of salad and your choice of garlic bread.
**The lower and slower you can stir your sauce, the better!
