Generations of Bush Cooking

Steamed Kangaroo or Wallaby

-kangaroo or wallaby
-salt pork and bacon
-2 or 3 onions
-1/2 wine glass ketchup
-1 claret glass of port
-pepper and salt

Cut kangaroo into pieces the size of small veal cutlet. Slice the pork and onions. Place a layer of pork at the bottom of an earthenware jar, a layer of kangaroo, then onions. After each layer add some of the combined ketchup and port. Season with plenty of salt and plenty of pepper. Continue these layers until all is used.



Roast Bandicoot

(This is a meal enjoyed in the 1920's and '30's. The children would often catch the animals and the tune of, "A bandy would be very handy," would be heard as they returned from the hunt. It is recommended that times were hard and all manner of animals were used to satisfy the appetites of the large families of the day.)

A bandicoot is difficult to clean, so should be done as soon as it is killed.

Soak in vinegar and water for a few hours. A good stuffing of sweet potatoes and onions is made and then roast until cooked in the usual manner.



....I should note I've never tried either of these recipes, but they're good to remember if things get scarce!

MAKING YEAST

Boil a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar and a little salt in two gallons of water for an hour. When milk warms, bottle and cork it closed. It will be ready to use in four and twenty hours. A pint of this yeast will make 18 pound of bread.

On a teacup of split or bruised peas, pour a pint of boiling water, and place this vessel on the heath for four and twenty hours. At the end of that time it will be in a state of fermentation, with a froth on its top, and will answer the purpose of good yeast.


...I haven't tried either of these, but have been thinking I should! I find yeast can be expensive, and has a short(ish) shelf life!

This is much like a ham bag, I assume you could substitute a pillow case?  vinegar can be made easily enough too, I had no idea it would work so well outside of a refrigerator, thank you very much for this.

For reference www.vinegarman.com/page23/

Here's a good one, that I do have experience with!

WEEVIL-FREE FLOUR

When buying flour by the drum, take enough of it out so a small bottle and candle will fit in before closing the lid again. Weevils cannot live without oxygen and if you light the candle and seal the lid, the candle will only burn until the oxygen has been burnt up and then the candle will go out. You can then use weevil-free flour until the drum is empty. You must light the candle each time you lift the lid off the drum.


...From my own experience, I can tell you that weevils are the bane of a bush cooks existence! I came to the conclusion early on in my cooking career that one of the main reasons all the old recipes called for flour to be sifted was to get rid of the weevils!