Crocodile: The Kakadu Protein

Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni) have been hunted and eaten by Aboriginal communities across tropical Australia for thousands of years. The saltie — the world's largest living reptile, reaching 6+ metres — was a dangerous but prized food source, hunted with extraordinary skill and courage. The tail meat is the prime cut. Modern crocodile farming in the Northern Territory and Queensland now provides commercial supply, with Kakadu and Arnhem Land remaining the cultural heartland of crocodile as food. Garth's time at the Kakadu Crocodile Hotel and Cooinda placed him in the epicentre of this tradition.

Crocodile tail meat is white, firm, and remarkably lean — in texture it sits between chicken breast and fish, with a mild, slightly sweet flavour that takes on seasonings readily. The tail is the prime muscle — dense, uniform, and easy to portion. Other cuts (body meat, ribs) are tougher and better suited to slow cooking. The backstrap is a smaller premium cut with finer grain.

Crocodile, barramundi, and kangaroo are the three proteins that define the Top End plate. A tasting menu at a Kakadu or Darwin restaurant built around these three, with native accompaniments, is one of the most geographically specific dining experiences on Earth.