When cooked correctly, Canadian Goose is a tasty meal that leaves you wanting more. Some who have enjoyed this meal have compared it to the ultimate beef.
However, extra care is needed to get the right taste and pleasure.
The truth is that the Canadian goose is different from the domestically reared goose in many ways. This difference is also reflected in the cooking method.
Do you want to learn how to cook a Canadian Goose? Then you need more than just the recipe.
A comprehensive guide to the preparation of the Canadian goose is just what you need. Continue reading to learn more about these various processes.
Removing the Breast of the Canadian Goose
The Canadian goose is a migratory animal with long years of living. As a result of their lifestyle, they do not have much meat to offer.
The only areas where you get most meat are in the breast and thighs.
Pull off the feather on the breast side of the goose to get the breast meat out.
Using a sharp knife, make a small cut through the skin. Pull the skin and the feathers apart to reveal the breast meat.
Cut out the breast meat from both sides of the breast bone and clean off any feathers nicely.
There you have your goose breast. You can also do the same for the thighs.
Most people like to focus on the breast, so our guide will focus on that part of the animal.
Preparation Before Cooking a Canadian Goose
Preparation is the most critical aspect when learning how to cook a Canadian goose. There are behavioral differences between the locally reared goose and the Canadian goose.
The locally raised goose have softer meats due to their stationary lifestyle. Canadian goose is migrating birds, making their meat a little bit tougher.
The lifespan also affects the overall texture of the meat.
There is also more blood in the muscles. It involves the texture and taste of these meats.
Hence, it would be best if you prepared the Canadian goose quite differently from other types of goose.
There are a few steps and methods to use. Let’s discuss these steps.
1. Softening by Aging
Meat softening is done differently, but it is a simple process for the Canadian goose. The softening method you should employ in this case is Aging.
Before removing the breast of the meat, leave the dead goose hanging in a cool place for a few days.
To make the process less messy or stinky, you might want to remove the internal organs before Aging.
However, note that most people like to skip this step. Other preparation steps are enough to bring out that nice meat texture we all want.
2. Brining
Bringing using saltwater is essential for the Canadian goose. It is a popular step used for various meat in the wild.
The main aim is to remove as much blood as possible from these muscles. Removing blood leaves less gamey beef with an excellent taste.
Saltwater brining is a simple process. Pack the meat in a container with water and add as much salt as possible.
Cover up the mixture and keep it in a fridge for days. The longer it stays in salt water, the more blood is extracted from the meat.
You should change the salt water at least twice on the first day.
This step will ensure better removal of blood. As you change the saltwater, the color gets less bloody, showing that much of the blood is out of the meat.
This brining ensures you get the proper taste of Canadian goose meat.
Removing as much blood as possible is the right step to cooking a Canadian goose.
3. Trimming off the White
When the breast is ready for cooking after thorough bringing, the next step is cutting off the fat and white tendon. It is an essential step in learning how to cook a Canadian goose.
Trim off the thin layer of fat on the meat. Also, remove the whitish layer on the meat; this part is the residual tendon on the meat.
Some prefer to ignore this step because it would mean some meat gets cut away. However, it is necessary if you are to enjoy the end taste of the meat.
The white tendon is often too chewy and ruins the great taste of the meat.
These are three main steps involved in preparing a Canadian goose for cooking.
After these simple steps, all that is needed is to prepare the meat based on preference.
You can use different methods of cooking at this point. But here is a popular recipe.
The Goose Steak Recipe
The Canadian goose steak is a popular recipe for most goose lovers. This method is easy and safe if you are trying goose meat for the first time.
The ingredients involved are few and simple. Hence it is pretty easy to prepare this recipe.
This recipe is for you if you want to learn how to cook a Canadian goose.
Method of Cooking
- After preparation, square out the goose breast and use a sharp knife to make diagonal impressions. Cut in but not too deep to make these lines on the beat, and do it for both sides.
- The next step is to dress up the meat like a steak. Prepare the dressings on a plate using pepper, sea sauce, and chili flakes.
- Apply some oil to the goose meat and add some oil to a hot frying pan. Rub the goose meat in the dressing.
- Fry on high heat for a minute on both sides and then reduce the heat and boil on low heat for about 3 minutes.
- After three minutes of low-heat cooking, add a small cube of butter to the pan. As it melts, rub the meat in it while it’s still in the pan. Remove the meat from the pan and cover up for 15 minutes.
- Add diced shallots and tomatoes to the oil in the pan and fry for a minute. Add a spoonful of Creme de Cassis de Dijon or any preferred type of blackcurrant to the shallots and tomatoes. And turn the heat up.
- Continue to fry until the sauce is a bit dry. Then pour some red wine and fry until it dries to a thick level.
- The next step is to add chicken stock or broth to the sauce. Repeat the process of frying till it is thick. Add pepper and taste for taste.
- Next, slice the Canadian goose nicely and add the sauce.
There it is; you are ready to serve and enjoy Canadian goose steak.
Nutritional Value
When prepared, the steak method gives you essential nutritional value with an excellent taste.
The average serving size of about 3oz will contain the following:
Calories: 113Kcal
Protein: 20.66g
Fat: 3.42g
It also has various vitamins.
Final Thoughts
Canadian goose meat is more challenging and less fatty than domestic goose. This difference is why extra attention is needed to prepare the meat for cooking.
Learning how to cook a Canadian goose is all about following this preparation method. After that, you can decide which recipe works best for you.
Some other forms of cooking include high-heat cooking in the oven. This method involves the whole goose, including the bony parts.
However, if you want to enjoy the meaty part of the goose, the breast and thighs are great choices. A great taste of steak awaits.
