As of this month, Two Hands has added a wide variety of Bennet’s Wallaby cuts to our marketplace. The Davis family, led by patriarch Charlie, have restarted a forgotten practice on Flinders Island – harvesting and processing wild Bennett’s Wallaby from an astoundingly abundant population. The family have deep expertise in wild-harvesting from their previous operation in Beaconsfield, and believe strongly in low impact models of meat production and maintaining high levels of quality control.
With 66% of the Island reserved as National Park, its pristine coastlines, bushland and mountainous temperate rainforests are protected to ensure the impact of industry is well offset to ensure protection of the region’s ecology.
The wallabies are typically harvested between 4 and 8kg, at the point which eating quality is at its peak. Unlike many wild-game meats, the younger animals have a mild flavour, with a subtle sweetness akin to a mix of suckling pig and very young veal. The older animals, especially in the hind legs, offer a more robust, meatier flavour. Due to the variety of the animal’s diet, including grasses, roots, tree leaves and weeds, the flavour is complex, yet clean and delicious.
The Davis family butcher the animals themselves, offering 10 different cuts, plus whole carcass through the marketplace. Be sure to check their offerings out as an interesting new menu addition.