Modern-Australian fine-dining cut — lamb backstrap (the eye-of-loin) seared rare, glazed with bush-tomato-and-pepperberry sauce, served with native-pepperleaf chimichurri and roasted kūmara. The 2010s Aussie restaurant signature.
Modern Australian cuisine took off in the 2000s with chefs like Tetsuya Wakuda, Neil Perry, and Peter Gilmore showcasing native ingredients alongside Asian-fusion technique. Lamb backstrap with bush-tomato sauce became a signature combination.
Slice into the lamb — rare-pink interior, deep crust, then the bush-tomato glaze adding tangy-sweet-pepper notes. Pepperleaf chimichurri lifts with native-pepper sparkle. Kūmara sweetness on the side. Modern Australia in 4 native ingredients.
Backstrap is lean and dense — high-heat short-sear preserves moisture. Resting at 90°C is the modern Australian fine-dining technique (vs. resting at room temp); keeps the meat at serving temperature while juices redistribute.
Variations
Backstrap with Quandong (native peach). Backstrap with Saltbush. Lamb Rump with Native Spices. Backstrap with Anchovy-Garlic Crust.
On the Palate
Where Modern-Australian Lamb Backstrap sits in the Australian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 20 min active + 10 min waiting
- 14 min
Take 600g lamb backstrap; trim silver skin. Season with salt, pepper, 1 tsp wattleseed.
- 22 min
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet to smoking-hot.
- 36 min
Sear lamb 90 seconds per side (all 4 sides) until well-browned but rare inside.
Watch outSear the backstrap hard and fast, about 90 seconds a side, to a deep brown crust while the center stays rare — it's lean, so overcooking dries it out.
- 45 min
Transfer to a warm oven (90°C) for 5 min while resting.
Watch outRest it in a barely-warm oven so the juices settle without the meat going cold — pull it while still faintly pink inside.
- 56 min
Bush-tomato sauce: blend 1/2 cup dried bush tomatoes (rehydrated), 2 tbsp pepperberries, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup beef stock, 1 tbsp honey. Simmer 5 min to a glaze.
- 64 min
Pepperleaf chimichurri: chop 1 bunch parsley, 1 small garlic, 1 tsp native pepperleaf, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt.
- 73 min
Slice lamb against the grain. Drizzle with bush-tomato glaze; spoon pepperleaf chimichurri alongside. Serve with roasted kūmara cubes.
Watch outAlways slice across the grain — cut with it and each bite turns chewy and stringy.
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