Australian Game Jerky
Most jerky in this country is beef. Ours started that way too.
But Australia has some of the leanest, cleanest protein on earth walking around in it — kangaroo, emu, saltwater crocodile — and almost nobody was doing anything interesting with it. So we did. Artisan Game is our range of native and exotic meat jerky, naturally woodsmoked and marinated, made the same way we’ve been making smallgoods since 2005.
No nitrites. No MSG. No phosphates. No artificial flavours or preservatives. Just meat, smoke, and a marinade we’ve spent twenty years getting right.
You’ll find us at the Fremantle Markets every Friday to Sunday. Everywhere else in Australia, we ship.
Product of Australia
Every Artisan Game pack says it: Product of Australia. Not “made in Australia from imported ingredients”. Not “packed in Australia”. The animal, the marinade and the making are all from here.
The Artisan Game jerky range
Kangaroo jerky — $19
Australia’s original red meat, and still one of the most underrated. Sustainably wild-harvested — no feedlots, no grain finishing, no farming inputs at all. Kangaroo is less than 2% fat, exceptionally high in protein, and carries double the iron of beef. Naturally woodsmoked and marinated to bring the meat forward rather than bury it. Also available hot, with a handpicked blend of classic spices — choose it on the product page.
More about kangaroo jerky → · Shop kangaroo jerky →
Emu jerky — $19
The one people are most surprised by. Emu is a lean red meat — not poultry, despite the bird — higher in iron than beef, very low in saturated fat, and rich in B vitamins and omega-3s. Sustainably farmed in Australia in low-impact, free-range conditions. We give it a salty-sweet marinade that complements the meat instead of masking it.
More about emu jerky → · Shop emu jerky →
Bush plum crocodile jerky — $19
Sustainably farmed Australian saltwater crocodile, marinated with wild-harvested native bush plum (Davidson plum) and naturally woodsmoked. Crocodile is one of the leanest meats available anywhere — extremely low in fat and cholesterol, exceptionally high in protein. The bush plum gives it a tartness you won’t find in any other jerky in the country.
More about crocodile jerky → · Shop crocodile jerky →
Grass-fed beef jerky — $10
The Artisan Game beef, for anyone who wants the clean-label version of a classic. Aussie grass-fed beef, naturally woodsmoked and marinated. Also available hot. Same range, same standards.
Shop Artisan Game beef jerky →
Why game meat?
Lean meat is the whole point. Game animals aren’t grain-finished and they don’t stand still — kangaroo in particular does its own exercise programme across a few hundred square kilometres. What you get is a protein that’s naturally low in fat without anyone having to trim it down.
- Kangaroo — less than 2% fat. Very high protein, high in zinc, and double the iron of beef. Wild-harvested, not farmed.
- Emu — higher in iron than beef. Low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Rich in B vitamins and omega-3s.
- Crocodile — one of the leanest meats available. Extremely low in fat and cholesterol, exceptionally high in protein.
And there’s the sustainability side, which we’d rather state plainly than dress up. Kangaroo is sustainably wild-harvested, not farmed. Our emu and crocodile are sustainably farmed here under strict Australian standards. None of it is imported.
How we make it
We’re a family business. Rod and Ros started Karutz in 2005, and we’ve been at the Fremantle Markets since 2010. The Artisan Game range came out of a simple frustration — the exotic meat jerky you could buy in Australia was mostly novelty tourist product, and it tasted like it.
Everything is smoked over real wood, not sprayed with smoke flavouring. The Artisan Game range carries no additives, no nitrites, no MSG, no phosphates, and no artificial flavours or preservatives — because with meat this good, you don’t need them.
Common questions
What does kangaroo jerky taste like?
Rich and slightly gamey, closer to a good lean steak than to beef jerky. The woodsmoke rounds it out. If you eat rare steak, you’ll be at home immediately.
Is emu jerky actually poultry?
No. Emu is classified and eats like a lean red meat. It surprises almost everyone the first time.
Is crocodile jerky gamey?
Less than people expect — it’s mild and clean, which is why the native bush plum works so well against it. It’s the least gamey thing in the range.
Is game jerky healthier than beef jerky?
It’s leaner. Kangaroo, emu and crocodile are all naturally lower in fat than beef, and the Artisan Game range carries no nitrites or preservatives.
Do you ship Australia-wide?
Yes, 1–3 days. Free shipping on orders over $150.
Can I buy it in person?
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8am–6pm, at our stall in the Fremantle Markets — corner of South Terrace and Henderson Street.
Shop the full Artisan Game range →
In Perth? You can taste all of it before you buy — find us at the Fremantle Markets →