How to Cook Ostrich Like a Chef

How to Cook Ostrich Like a Chef

If you’ve never cooked ostrich before, you’re not alone — and you’re in for a surprise. Most people don’t realize how simple it is to prepare, or how versatile it can be in the kitchen. Ostrich looks and tastes a lot like beef, but it cooks faster, contains far less fat, and pairs beautifully with almost anything you’d normally make with steak, burgers, or roasts.

At Superior Ostrich, we believe that great food starts with great farming — but it’s perfected in the kitchen. When you start with premium, pasture-raised ostrich, you don’t need fancy sauces or complicated recipes. You just need good ingredients, the right heat, and a few chef-approved tips to make the most of every bite.

Whether you’re grilling, searing, or roasting, here’s how to cook ostrich like a professional — and why you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

Start with Quality: The Superior Difference

The first secret to cooking amazing ostrich is choosing high-quality meat. Because ostrich is so lean, the way it’s raised matters more than anything. At Superior Ostrich, our birds are pasture-raised, plant-fed, and never given hormones or antibiotics. That means every cut of meat is clean, tender, and full of natural flavor.

Ostrich is naturally a red meat, despite being poultry. The color, texture, and flavor are incredibly close to beef — rich, meaty, and satisfying — but it’s much lower in fat and calories. When you start with quality ostrich, your job in the kitchen becomes incredibly easy.

Cooking Ostrich the Right Way

Because ostrich is so lean, the biggest mistake people make is overcooking it. Unlike beef, it doesn’t have the same fat content to protect it from drying out, so timing and temperature are everything. The key is to treat ostrich like a high-end filet mignon — short cooking time, high heat, and lots of respect.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Temperature Matters

For steaks or medallions, cook ostrich to medium-rare or medium. That’s about 125°F to 135°F internal temperature. At this range, the meat stays juicy, tender, and flavorful. Overcooking past medium will make it firmer and less forgiving, just like a very lean cut of beef.

2. Quick Sear, Big Flavor

Use a heavy skillet or grill set to high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and when it shimmers, place your ostrich steak or medallion in the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. You want a deep brown crust and a warm red center.

For extra flavor, add butter, garlic, and herbs during the last minute of cooking and baste the meat just like you would with steak.

3. Rest Before Serving

Always let ostrich rest for a few minutes before cutting into it. This step allows the natural juices to redistribute and keeps your meat tender. A 5-minute rest is perfect for small cuts, or 10 minutes for larger ones like a roast.

4. Marinades and Seasoning

Because ostrich meat has a naturally mild flavor, it takes well to bold seasonings. Garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, smoked paprika, and citrus are all excellent pairings. A light marinade can also add depth — just remember that less is more. You don’t want to overpower the delicate texture of the meat.

Cooking Methods: A Chef’s Guide

You don’t need to be a professional to cook ostrich like one — you just need to know how it behaves. Here are a few tried-and-true methods that bring out its best flavor and texture.

Grilling:

Perfect for steaks, burgers, and kabobs. Preheat your grill to high heat, brush the meat lightly with oil, and cook for 2–3 minutes per side. Ostrich burgers are best cooked medium and will stay juicy thanks to their high protein and moisture content.

Pan-Searing:

This is the easiest way to cook ostrich at home. Use a cast iron pan or stainless steel skillet to create a beautiful sear. Add butter or compound herbs at the end for a restaurant-quality finish.

Roasting:

Ostrich roasts cook beautifully at moderate temperatures. Set your oven to 350°F and roast until the internal temperature reaches 130°F. Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking, and always let it rest before slicing.

Stir-Frying or Sautéing:

Thinly sliced ostrich cooks in seconds. Toss it in a hot wok or skillet with vegetables and sauces for a quick, protein-packed dinner. It’s perfect for weeknights when you want something fast and flavorful without sacrificing nutrition.

Healthy Cooking, Naturally

Ostrich isn’t just easy to cook — it’s one of the healthiest meats in the world. Every serving is packed with lean protein, iron, and B vitamins, yet it’s lower in fat and calories than chicken or turkey. Because of this, it’s an ideal protein for athletes, families, and anyone looking for a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to beef.

At Superior Ostrich, we take pride in providing meat that’s not just delicious, but also fits seamlessly into a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re counting macros, eating clean, or following a heart-healthy diet, ostrich is a perfect fit. It’s proof that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods you love — it just means finding smarter versions of them.

Pairing and Presentation

Cooking ostrich gives you a chance to get creative. Its flavor pairs beautifully with both rustic and refined sides — roasted vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, or even a fresh citrus salad.

If you want to elevate the presentation, try finishing your dish with a drizzle of herb butter or balsamic glaze. Ostrich also works wonderfully with red wine reductions or mushroom sauces, just as you’d use for beef.

The key is simplicity. Let the meat shine. The better your base product, the less you have to do to make it taste incredible — and that’s the magic of cooking with Superior Ostrich.

From Farm to Fork

Every time you cook with ostrich, you’re not just making a great meal — you’re supporting a more sustainable food system. At Superior Ostrich, our entire process, from farming to packaging, is designed to minimize waste, respect the animal, and protect the planet.

Our customers often tell us that once they try cooking ostrich, they never look back. It delivers the flavor and satisfaction of steak without the heaviness, and it cooks up beautifully every time.

Cooking ostrich at home means being part of something bigger — a movement toward better, cleaner, more responsible eating.

The Superior Standard

Cooking ostrich like a chef starts with the right ingredients — and that’s where Superior Ostrich makes all the difference. Every cut is premium, pasture-raised, and handled with care from farm to fork.

We’re proud to offer red meat that’s not just rich in flavor, but rich in purpose. Whether you’re an experienced chef or just learning your way around the kitchen, ostrich is the kind of ingredient that inspires creativity, confidence, and connection.

So fire up your skillet, heat the grill, and experience the future of red meat — one perfect sear at a time.

Because at Superior Ostrich, we don’t just raise better meat. We help you cook it better too.