One large kangaroo tail, jointed, goes into the slow cooker with onion, potatoes, turnip, swede, sweet potato, carrots, and celery, covered with cold water. Courgette and cabbage join the pot in the final 30 minutes. One batch serves 6 and takes 8 to 10 hours on LOW.

Building the broth from cold water rather than stock is what changes this soup. The bones release collagen and gelatin into the water across the long cook, turning plain water into a rich, natural broth. Starting with stock shortens that building phase and leaves the liquid tasting bought rather than made.

Courgette and cabbage go in during the last 30 minutes only. Added at the start, 8 to 10 hours reduces both to mush with no colour or texture left. Held back until the final half hour, they keep their shape and add contrast to the falling-off-the-bone meat.

Slow Cooker Kangaroo Tail Soup

Recipe by Shili MohamedCourse: SoupsCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

8

hours 

Calories

u002du002d-

kcal

Slow Cooker Kangaroo Tail Soup with bone-in tail, potatoes, turnip, swede, sweet potato, and courgette in a bone broth. Serves 6, ready in 8 to 10 hours

Ingredients

• Soup

• 1 large kangaroo tail, jointed

• 1 brown onion, roughly diced

• 2 potatoes, cut into chunks

• 1 turnip, cut into chunks

• 1 swede, cut into chunks

• 1 sweet potato, cut into chunks

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 ribs celery, sliced

• Cold water, to cover (~1 to 1.5 litres)

• Salt and pepper, to season

• Final 30 minutes

• 2 courgettes, cut into chunks

• ¼ green cabbage, roughly sliced

• To Serve

• Crusty bread (optional)

Directions

• Place the jointed kangaroo tail, onion, potatoes, turnip, swede, sweet potato, carrots, and celery into the slow cooker. Pour over enough cold water to cover well. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the lid on and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is starting to fall from the bone.
• Lift the kangaroo tail pieces out and set aside to cool slightly. Remove all meat from the bones and discard the bones. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
• Stir in the courgette and cabbage. Replace the lid and cook on LOW for a further 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still holding their shape.
• Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread if using.

FAQs

Can oxtail be used in place of kangaroo tail?

Oxtail follows the same structure (bone-in tail sections with meat attached) so the cooking time and method stay the same. The broth will be richer and fattier than with kangaroo; skimming the surface before adding the courgette and cabbage helps keep it clean. Both give falling-off-the-bone meat after 8 to 10 hours on LOW.

Does kangaroo tail need browning before slow cooking?

Browning adds caramelised flavour and colour that the slow cooker cannot produce, but it is not required here. The bones build the body of this broth on their own, making searing an optional step rather than an essential one. For a deeper, darker base, brown the jointed pieces in a hot frying pan before adding them to the slow cooker.

Where can kangaroo tail be sourced in the UK?

Kangaroo tail is not carried by most supermarkets in the UK, but specialist online butchers and game meat suppliers stock it year-round. Australian-style food importers and some ethnic food shops also carry frozen kangaroo tail. Ordering online and asking the supplier to joint the tail before dispatch saves preparation time.

Can this soup be left in the slow cooker overnight?

Eight to 10 hours on LOW fits most overnight windows, making this a set-before-bed recipe. Add the main ingredients before bed, then stir in the courgette and cabbage the next morning for 30 more minutes. For another overnight recipe built from bones, a chicken carcass bone broth soup on this site uses the same hands-off method.

What other unusual meats work well in the slow cooker?

Any bone-in cut with plenty of connective tissue suits the slow cooker, where long, low heat does the work. Goat works by the same principle; a slow cooker goat stew on this site takes the same approach with root vegetables. Both cuts take at least 8 hours on LOW to shift from tough to tender.