Goose Nirvana

Duckslayer100

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I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a wild game hypocrite when it comes to Canada geese. Sure they're fun to hunt, but I've never been the biggest fan of actually eating them. These days, all of the breast meat is turned into jerky, which is always a hit and often gets shared with friends and family.

I've always felt guilty about throwing away the legs. Back in college, I experimented cooking the legs a dozen ways, none of which were edible or even chewable. The closest I got was a slow-cooker method that I use for duck legs and is a family favorite, but goose legs proved too much.

Last year, I shot a whopping three Canada geese, of which I decided to keep the legs (just five because one was too shot-up). I'd been saving them, hoping to stumble across a recipe that could turn them into a something that resembled food.

Then I stumbled on this beauty for Teriyaki goose legs from blogger Hank Shaw: http://honest-food.net/2016/08/04/teriyaki-duck-legs-recipe/

Hank turned me onto exploring deeper into culinary arts with wild game many moons ago, but I've since been a bit turned off by his posts. Mostly, they're getting to far-fetched and too complex. Something may look good, but his ingredients are impossible to find. Or they're very regional, so you're out of luck in Fargo.

I liked the process in the recipe for the Teriyaki goose legs of braising the legs and then grilling. I use this technique when I braise duck legs in french onion soup mix and then slather with BBQ sauce before grilling. But braising IN the sauce before grilling -- now that was an idea.

I didn't follow Hank's directions and actually make my own teriyaki sauce. Again, no desire to buy $50 worth of ingredients that are only going to get used once and then thrown. So I bought a $3 bottle of teriyaki marinade from the store.

Started off lightly seasoning the legs (skinless, screw plucking those bastards) with S&P and then browning them in a heavy skillet that I'd use later with a lid in the oven. Browned the legs two at a time and then removed them. Deglazed the pan with plain old water (about a half cup) then mixed in the bottle of teriyaki sauce. Added the goose legs in and turned them a couple times to assure they were covered. Put the lid on and put into a 300 degree oven.

Hank suggests 3 hours for Canada goose legs, but you're gonna want at least 4. I tried them at 3 and they were still tough and rubbery. Called it quits at 3.5 hours and they were markedly better, but I think another solid half hour and they would have been perfect. Finish off on the grill to really seal in the flavor, then service with rice and veggies.

Holy balls. These were out of sight. My wife even liked them, and she has worse PTSD than I do about goose meat. My almost-3-year-old asked for seconds.

You gotta give these a try this early season. They're a new family favorite, and I'll never, ever throw goose legs away again.

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espringers

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I started keeping them a few years ago. Lots of meat in those legs. Like you said, there is no eating them until they have cooked a good 3 -4 hours though. If nothing else, it's extra sausage or stick meat.
 

Duckslayer100

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I started keeping them a few years ago. Lots of meat in those legs. Like you said, there is no eating them until they have cooked a good 3 -4 hours though. If nothing else, it's extra sausage or stick meat.


I've been keeping duck legs for years and years. I'm not kidding when I say they're one of my family's favorite meals. I usually save up a season's worth and we have them in one big feed. Finger licking good.

But geese have been different. I can honestly say my opinion has been forever changed. This recipe is that damn good.
 

NodakBuckeye

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Nice job! I like to save the legs and thighs and use them in many different recipes. If they have fat on them, it is worth the effort to pluck the legs and thighs and breasts and leave the skin on. I saved all the duck legs and thighs last year and made confit. Awesome stuff. I am planning on saving hearts, livers and gizzards and try a few recipes. Kids are down with the plan haha

I like Shaw's recipes but he can be a bit of a food snob like me. Haha
 
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Duckslayer100

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Nice job! I like to save the legs and thighs and use them in many different recipes. If they have fat on them, it is worth the effort to pluck the legs and thighs and breasts and leave the skin on. I saved all the duck legs and thighs last year and made confit. Awesome stuff. I am planning on saving hearts, livers and gizzards and try a few recipes. Kids are down with the plan haha

I like Shaw's recipes but he can be a bit of a food snob like me. Haha

I shot some big, fat American blackbucks in PEI Canada a couple years ago (dream trip...if you can go, GO).

Plucked a few after inspiration of Hank Shaw posts. Cooked up some on the grill. Some in the smoker. Some in a fry pan.

Know what I discovered? I don't care for duck skin. It doesn't get crips like chicken skin...just chewy. And duck fat...I've tried it a dozen times, and every time it's way, way too strong.

But that's just me. Honestly, I was hoping to do a confit with the goose legs as you mentioned, but just didn't want to go to the butcher to get all the pig fat and render it down and, well, too much $$$ and too many steps.

This was a poor-man's way of getting something that was edible and darn delicious. But please, if you confit up some goose or duck legs, LET ME TRY. I've heard nothing but incredible tales of this method, and my taste buds are mighty curious.
 

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This. This was wonderful.

Clearing out all wild game from the freezer before next season starts and found a big bag of goose legs. Did everything but the grilling in a big Dutch oven. I needed a lot of liquid to cover all the meat so my teriyaki was cut with quite a bit of water but it didn't matter. I used the braising liquid as an au jus for the final product. It was superb.

The older I get, the more I focus on using all I can from the game I kill. Will never throw away goose legs again.
 


Fly Carpin

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Nothing cheers me up like people discovering their inner chef and doing more with geese than sticks or tossing them in the deetch. Goose thighs are good for the soul
 

Duckslayer100

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Thanks for reminding me of this! I was just looking at a big bag of goose legs and wondering how I wanted to cook them. Can't wait to bust this out. Mouth is watering already....
 

snow

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Wow,everyone is getting birdie,huntin season is near...

So how many of you guyz/gals crack a tooth biting into steel shot? I have 4 crowns over 20 years and finally had a great idea wilst shopping at menards...hand held metal detector,neat little deal would've saved me $1000's over the years.At duck camp we pass that sucker around and it works great,the sneaky pellets usually are tight against the breast bone,leg or thigh bone.
 

KDM

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Goose legs and thighs around here get deboned and thrown in the pot to make jambalaya most of the time, but this has some promise. Might give this a whirl in a few weeks.
 

Duckslayer100

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I think bone-in is the ticket. Next time I'm sawing them off where the meat ends, though. The long "handle" was fun, but way more than necessary. Plus They took up valuable space in the pot.
 


DirtyMike

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I need to find the slow cooker recipe my mom uses on goose breasts. By and far, the best tasting goose I have ever had. Mainly because it doesn't taste like goose.
 

Fly Carpin

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I need to find the slow cooker recipe my mom uses on goose breasts. By and far, the best tasting goose I have ever had. Mainly because it doesn't taste like goose.
Who had #17 in the "how many posts before a doofus comment about a recipe that doesn't taste like goose" pool?
 

NDSportsman

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We cook the goose legs in a crock pot with some coke for 8 hours or so until you can debone them. Then shred the meat with a fork and mix in some BBQ sauce and it's just like pulled pork.
 


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