From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
The world's largest bird (an adult male can weigh 400 pounds/181 kg), introduced on North American menus in the early 1990s. The red meat of Struthio camelus is similar to beef, but has considerably less fat. Tender cuts can be broiled, fried or grilled; less tender cuts can be braised or roasted. The meat cut from the powerful legs of this fast, but flightless bird is usually ground. Some cuts are dried for jerky. Farmed in Africa for more than a century, ostrich is touted by modern-day producers as being more environmentally friendly than other livestock raised for meat, as it requires less room, feed and water. The eggs, each of which is the rough equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs, are also eaten.
