It's Goose Season! Here's How To Cook Your Bird

PREP TIME: 45 minutes | COOK TIME: 24 hours

Goose season is finally here! Many of our favorite hunters are getting ready to go out and bring down some of this popular bird! Once you bring your bird home use one of our favorite recipes from Chef Eric Villegas to prepare a delicious meal for your friends and family! Chef Eric once told us that hunters in the know often call geese the “roast beef of the skies” that sounds pretty tasty to us! When prepping your bird, feel free to use any of your favorite marinades or seasonings.

Ingredients:

Your goose!

Directions:

Prep The Bird

1. Pluck and clean your goose first.

2. Remove the neck and any other giblets, reserve for goose stock (see recipe) also remove any large fat deposits and reserve for rendered goose fat (see recipe).

Portion The Bird

1. Lay the goose, breast-side up, on a clean cutting board. Locate the natural seam where the thigh separates from the body cavity and make a slit – do this on both sides of the bird.

2. Reach underneath the thigh and pop the joint where the thigh meets the body. Flip the goose over and cut through that joint, being sure to angle your knife towards the body cavity, scoop underneath so that you get the goose “oyster” (a rather good sized nugget of tender goose meat hidden on the back of the bird). Repeat this on the other side.

3. There is a natural seam of fat that runs in between the leg and the thigh bone. Run your knife along that line of fat and down through the joint to separate the leg from the thigh.

4. With the goose still laying breast-side down, locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity, and pop the joint, just like you did with the thigh bone. Cut through to release the wing. Repeat this on the other side.

5.  Flip the goose back over and run your finger along the center of the breast — you will feel the breast bone separating the breast into two halves. Run your knife along either side of this bone, keeping the knife as close to it as possible, and peel the breast back, sliding your knife underneath it and along the body cavity as you go, until the breast is free. Repeat this on the other side.

Flavor The Bird

1. Now that all of the primary goose pieces are portioned, clean up each piece by trimming or removing any extra skin and/or fat and reserve for rendering. Reserve the carcass with the neck and giblets for goose stock.

2. With a sharp, thin bladed knife gently score the skin of the breasts at a 45° angle, in a crosshatch or diamond pattern- being careful to cut only through the fat, not into the flesh. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

3. Use your fingers to massage the rub of your choice into the skin of the bird. Chef Eric reminds us to give extra attention to the scored skin, flip over and rub the flesh side too. Do this to each piece of meat.2. With a sharp thin bladed knife gently score the skin of the breasts at a 45 degree angle in a crosshatch or diamond pattern being careful to cut only through the fat not into the flesh. Repeat with remaining pieces.

4. Divide the goose among three vacuum pouches; one for the breasts, one for the thigh/legs and one for the wings. Vacuum seal and refrigerate.

Cook The Bird

1. Fill and preheat your Souse Vide Water Tank or stock pot with water (according specifications) to 143.6°F using your VacMaster® SV1.

2. Add the goose thighs/legs and cook for 18 hours. (If you’re not serving the goose immediately, remove the bag and chill thoroughly in an ice bath. Refrigerate until ready to serve.)

3. Preheat a second sous vide container or stock pot with water to 129.2°F (or continue with the recipe the following day).

4. Add the goose breasts and cook for 6 hours. (If you’re not serving the goose immediately, remove the bag and chill thoroughly in an ice bath. Refrigerate until ready to serve.)

5. Remove the goose from the vacuum pouches and add the remaining goose fat to a non-stick skillet.

6. Over medium high heat, and working a few pieces at a time (depending on the size of your skillet), sear the legs skin-side-down for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Flip and fry for an additional minute skin-side-up. Repeat with the thighs and the wings.

7. Fry the breasts, skin-side-down only, for about 1 minute or until the skin is golden brown. Place the browned legs, thighs and wings on a large serving platter. Place the breasts skin side up on a cutting board and slice at a slight angle in medium thin pieces. Shingle the sliced breasts on the platter along with the rest of the goose. Serve immediately.