Slow cooker kangaroo stew combines diced kangaroo with dried figs, red wine, anchovies, and rosemary. Everything goes into the slow cooker after the onions and meat are sautéed separately on the hob. It serves 4 to 6 and takes about 7 hours on LOW from start to finish.

The anchovies dissolve completely during the hob stage and are invisible in the finished stew. They are not there for any fishy flavour but for umami depth that makes the wine and stock taste more of themselves. That difference is what separates this stew from a straightforward kangaroo and vegetable pot.

Besan flour on the kangaroo before browning holds the meat together through 6 to 7 hours of liquid. Chickpea flour forms a crust that stands up to long, slow cooking without turning to paste. Skip it and the kangaroo gives up moisture straight away, finishing grey rather than holding its shape.

Slow Cooker Kangaroo Stew

Recipe by Shili MohamedCourse: DinnerCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

Calories

549

kcal

The cooking liquid doesn’t get discarded when the slow cooker is done: it goes into a frying pan with balsamic vinegar and reduces into the sauce. Serve with cauliflower mash, rice, or polenta alongside.

Ingredients

• Stew Base

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 2 medium onions, chopped

• 100g celery (about 2 stalks), chopped

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• 2 anchovies

• 8 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

• 8–10 dried figs, stalks removed

• 375ml red wine

• 2 bay leaves

• Kangaroo

• 1kg diced kangaroo meat

• 2 tbsp besan (chickpea) flour

• Braise Liquid

• 500ml beef stock

• Finishing Sauce

• 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• To Serve

• Cauliflower mash, rice, quinoa, or polenta

• Steamed or stir-fried vegetables

Directions

• Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, rosemary, and anchovies. Cook until the onions are beginning to caramelise, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and figs and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, stir, and transfer the entire mixture to the slow cooker along with the bay leaves.
• Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in the same frying pan. Dust the diced kangaroo in the besan flour and brown in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Bring the beef stock to the boil in the frying pan, then pour over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, until the kangaroo is tender.
• Transfer the meat to a plate and leave to rest. Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a frying pan. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and reduce over medium-high heat until the liquid becomes a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the sauce over the meat and serve immediately with your choice of mash and vegetables.

FAQs

Can I skip the anchovies?

Skipping them won’t ruin the stew, but the broth will taste slightly flatter and less rounded without them. Two anchovies dissolve entirely during cooking and leave no fishy taste: they add the background umami that makes the wine and stock taste deeper. A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce stirred in just before serving covers most of what the anchovies do.

What can I use instead of besan flour?

Plain flour or cornflour work as direct substitutes: use the same quantity and dust the meat the same way. Besan handles high heat and long braising without going gluey, which is the advantage over plain flour, but the difference is minor here. For a gluten-free substitute, cornflour is the cleanest option and is available in every supermarket.

Can I use fresh figs instead of dried?

Fresh figs break down completely over 6 to 7 hours in the slow cooker and vanish into the broth. Dried figs have a much higher natural sugar content and more robust structure, so they survive the cook and keep releasing flavour throughout. Stick to dried for this recipe; fresh figs are better saved as a garnish at the table.

What other slow cooker game stew is worth trying?

Game meat stews suit the slow cooker particularly well because the long, low heat converts tough connective tissue into something supple. A slow cooker goat stew on easypeasyslowcook.com uses a similar spiced braising method and runs about 8 hours on LOW. The goat’s mineral, earthy base contrasts with the fig-forward sweetness here, and the two stews cover genuinely different ground.

What slow cooker stew with alcohol in the broth should I try next?

Stout adds bitterness and body to a braise that red wine can’t replicate, so the two stews taste nothing alike. A slow cooker Irish stout stew on easypeasyslowcook.com braises beef with rosemary, thyme, and root vegetables in a rich beer broth. That flavour contrast is precisely what makes it the natural follow-on to this recipe.