# Late Season Goose



## mtnlakeman (Jan 8, 2020)

We still have a couple weeks of waterfowling left so I made it out the other day and had a low flying flock right on top of me. I got a double, and by the looks of it, this one must have had a heart attack because there isn't a BB to be found.

I typically don't pluck them, but couldn't stop pulling feathers since he wasn't shot up and has a nice layer of fat.

I brined him for 3 days in 1 gallon of orange juice, 1/2 gallon cranberry juice, 1.5 cup salt, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup soy sauce, 3 tsp cure.

After the soak he's been air dying for 24 hours and here's how he looks.







Going to try a 4 hour light smoke then a pepper rub and onto the rotisserie just in time for dinner. It might be a good one.


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## oberst (Jan 8, 2020)

A fat bird like that is outstanding!  Let us know how it comes out. I typically smoke mine 7 hours but 4 should give a good flavor too.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 8, 2020)

oberst said:


> A fat bird like that is outstanding!  Let us know how it comes out. I typically smoke mine 7 hours but 4 should give a good flavor too.


Thanks Oberst,

I would finish it in the smokehouse, but I'm hoping I can crisp up the skin by using the rotisserie and still have some smokey orange flavor.


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## jcam222 (Jan 8, 2020)

That’s one big goose! I’ve never hunted them. When I see them in the store at Christmas they are around $70 for a much much smaller bird than that.


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## BandCollector (Jan 8, 2020)

Wow!

You actually plucked it by hand!. . . . Good for you!

So much effort and time plucking Canada Geese by hand that I actually considered buying an automatic plucker. . . Then I discovered I couldn't afford it. . . .LOL!

Nice bird.  I hope it came out as you expected.

John


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 8, 2020)

Righ out of the smokehouse. Orang glaze coming.  5.5 hours Alder/Apple. Goose 135. Kind of want to chomp a bite of it now.


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## fivetricks (Jan 8, 2020)

That is sex on a cooling rack....








I'd hit it.

Twice.

At least.

Edit: God I wish I hunted.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 8, 2020)

Simple glaze. Butter, orange, honey, Westlake, orange zest, pepper, Italian seasoning. Rotisserie skewer for finish.


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## pc farmer (Jan 8, 2020)

Looks great.  We need cut pics thou.    Ok we dont, I do.  LOL


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 8, 2020)

Oh Boy! I really don't know what else to say. Going to rest for 20 mins.


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## fivetricks (Jan 8, 2020)

I just wanna destroy that thing.....


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

Yesum! I don't know how to live stream like I see the crazies on the internet, but this is a quarter turn from the previous picture which is as exciting as I can get.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

Maybe I should have waited for a full turn.
Tahbarnak - I don't know what that means, but in honor of this honker I Google searched worst Canada curse word and that's what I'm saying from now on.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

Maybe I should have waited for a full turn.
Tahbarnak - I don't know what that means, but in honor of this honker I Google searched worst Canada curse word and that's what I'm saying from now on.
View attachment 427470


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

So much for crispy skin, however,  I was literally going for a platter and oven mitts so i wasn't too worried.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)




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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

Tenderness test:
Mashed potatoes- 3 votes 
Honker - 2 votes  (spoon tender)
Green Beans - 0
Yes, we still have our Chistnas lights up too to go along with our dinnerware.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 9, 2020)

WOW!
What a great looking meal!
That goose looks awesome!
Al


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## sawhorseray (Jan 9, 2020)

That's a beautiful looking goose, and a very fine plucking job! I'd imagine you used a torch on the pin feathers. That's the best lookin goose I've ever seen on a plate, nice piece of work, Like. RAY


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## uncle eddie (Jan 9, 2020)

I think I clicked like about 6 times on the way down to here.  Never cooked a goose...always made jerky out of it...but after reading this thread, I will have to give it a try.

Congrats on making the headline too!

Time to get the layout blind out...


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

BandCollector said:


> Wow!
> 
> You actually plucked it by hand!. . . . Good for you!
> 
> ...


Yes, it is time consuming and my neighbors think I'm half crazy as I do a lot of talking to myself and the bird during the process.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

sawhorseray said:


> That's a beautiful looking goose, and a very fine plucking job! I'd imagine you used a torch on the pin feathers. That's the best lookin goose I've ever seen on a plate, nice piece of work, Like. RAY


Thanks Ray, I use a poor man's torch of a length of lit newspaper, and a dunk in scalding water. It's not easy or convenient, but this one deserved the extra effort.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

uncle eddie said:


> I think I clicked like about 6 times on the way down to here.  Never cooked a goose...always made jerky out of it...but after reading this thread, I will have to give it a try.
> 
> Congrats on making the headline too!
> 
> Time to get the layout blind out...


Thanks Uncle Eddie,
If you get a nice fat one give it a try. A lot of people think they taste like liver, but when they try mine they all want me to pluck theirs and duplicate the recipe.

Thanks for the congrats on the headline, my kids aren't making as much fun of me today.


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## Omnivore (Jan 9, 2020)

This looks incredible!!! That glaze sounds so good I think I going to pull some ducks out of the freezer to try it on. 

Did you try the leg meat? Last time I did a bunch of goose legs I had soaked in salt water for a few days and they were still so gamey, we could barely eat them.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 9, 2020)

The legs are actually my favorite. Lunch coming up soon so will post another pic. I don't know if it matters, but I think the 3 day soak in orange juice is the secret. I think the acid breaks down things, but I don't know for sure.

 I'll also say I typically skin and quarter them, but this one was too perfect so I had to pluck it. I've had lots of bad legs that were shot up. Those typically go to the grinder to make sausage.


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## Omnivore (Jan 9, 2020)

Thanks I'll definitely try the orange juice!


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## uncle eddie (Jan 9, 2020)

mtnlakeman said:


> Thanks Uncle Eddie,
> If you get a nice fat one give it a try. A lot of people think they taste like liver, but when they try mine they all want me to pluck theirs and duplicate the recipe.
> 
> Thanks for the congrats on the headline, my kids aren't making as much fun of me today.



I think it is a similar taste as compared to dove...which is also delicious with a nice wrap of bacon and a short time int he smoker :-)


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## BandCollector (Jan 9, 2020)

mtnlakeman said:


> Yes, it is time consuming and my neighbors think I'm half crazy as I do a lot of talking to myself and the bird during the process.



Each time I attempted to hand pluck a Canada for Christmas dinner there were choice words as well!

Then I remembered it was Christmas,  so I calmed down and just cursed to myself. . .LOL

Great looking bird.  I hope it tasted as good as it looked on the carousel.

Happy New Year,

John


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## forktender (Jan 10, 2020)

sawhorseray said:


> That's a beautiful looking goose, and a very fine plucking job! I'd imagine you used a torch on the pin feathers. That's the best lookin goose I've ever seen on a plate, nice piece of work, Like. RAY


No doubt that his plucking skills far exceed mine, I have a nice pair of Canvasbacks that I got yesterday hanging in the garage that I'm planning on doing up in a few days. I'm not sure if it will involve my smoker or not yet, if it does I'll post up some pictures.


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## forktender (Jan 10, 2020)

mtnlakeman said:


> So much for crispy skin, however,  I was literally going for a platter and oven mitts so i wasn't too worried.
> 
> View attachment 427472


Damn, that looks amazing, what internal temp did you pull it off the fire?


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## hoity toit (Jan 10, 2020)

just like prime rib,, good looking goose and nice job using the rotisserie.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 10, 2020)

Ha, I hope I'm not the only one who's ever made a bird torch. I didn't probe it after pulling it, but I had 30 minutes on the rotisserie so guessing it was close to 145. 

I know most only use the breast, but I'm an almost head to tail hunter. More like neck to ankles so I look more forward to left overs than the roast. I can make one goose stretch into 4 meals.
We had taco's last night, and one of my favorite meals for a duck or goose is a North Idaho version from the French. French onion soup, and French Dip.
I think they're better with homeade sourdough bread, and goose broth. We're in the middle of a blizzard right now expecting 20" of snow,  but it's hard to get too excited about the weather when I got this in front of me.











Thanks for everyone's good comments and I'll be headed out on the lake tomorrow to see if I can't get a quality whitefish smoke for once.


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## crazymoon (Jan 10, 2020)

MLM, Multiple likes as I love goose and yours looks excellent! Nice pelletless bird, musta been a head shot or like you said a heart attack! :)


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 10, 2020)




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## Hennessy (Jan 14, 2020)

Nice job! I've often wondered about smoked water fowl. I'm always scared the smoking process would somehow enhance the chance for gameyness.  I've always done a milk brine before we oven roast, but I might have to try the OJ like you did. Thanks for posting this.


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## mtnlakeman (Jan 16, 2020)

Omnivore said:


> This looks incredible!!! That glaze sounds so good I think I going to pull some ducks out of the freezer to try it on.
> 
> Did you try the leg meat? Last time I did a bunch of goose legs I had soaked in salt water for a few days and they were still so gamey, we could barely eat them.





mtnlakeman said:


> The legs are actually my favorite. Lunch coming up soon so will post another pic. I don't know if it matters, but I think the 3 day soak in orange juice is the secret. I think the acid breaks down things, but I don't know for sure.
> 
> I'll also say I typically skin and quarter them, but this one was too perfect so I had to pluck it. I've had lots of bad legs that were shot up. Those typically go to the grinder to make sausage.



So this is the grand finale of my goose and I wanted to close out this thread with the full picture spread of how I enjoy all parts of a perfect bird. Not only is this my favorite part of the goose, but it's one of my favorite meals. It's so simple if you have a slow cooker, and basically it's a  smokey, buttery, orange  pearl onion confit.  I spooned this over some store bought canned biscuits and now I can't move off the couch I'm so full.


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## Omnivore (Jan 17, 2020)

Wow that looks amazing!!! I love when you can turn "leftovers" into a brand new restaurant quality meal like that - especially with a part of the goose that is often overlooked. Thank you for the great ideas :)


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