Raising geese for meat - doesn't mean you don't care about the animals

[CelticOaksFarm]

Tripell, yes carrots are a favorite here, as are apples. if I have ducks in the same yard I shred them, if not then leave them whole.

wild, no but there is often a misconception that those who raise meat birds dont love them as much as those who raise pets only. The same has been said of those who raise birds for breeding and sales as a business. I was just pointing out that they may be a food source or a business source but they are as loved and cared for as well if not better than pet forms of geese and ducks.

 

[flockman]

We roasted our first goose tonight. Wow that was amazing. Roasted goose with apple stuffing and gravy! I have to say that has become one of my favorite meals. The goose we roasted was one that we raised from a gosling. We knew what it was fed and that it was treated well. That makes the meal even better.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

flockman, sounds yummy! Maybe we will have to do goose for Christmas and not lamb stew like we have in the past. We have a couple who need butchered yet and could make a good dinner for the family.

 

[Triplell]

This spring I will be hatching out some geese and some of those will be for the freezer. How long do you raise them before you butcher? Is it like chickens at 6-8 weeks?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

at 6 or 8 weeks old they are still little fuzzy butts. You grow them out all year, thus the Christmas Goose label.

 

[Triplell]

Okay, next question.... If I have ganders that I don't know their age, would they be okay to butcher or would the meat be to tough?

 

[psue]

geese dont get tough with age... they'll be fine. We plan all butchering to be done before the end of October. Thats when the weather starts getting unpredictble for the start of winter.

 

[flockman]

The goose we butchered our goose in late September. It had been hatched in late April. 10.6 pounds after processing, raised on mostly grass with supplementation of course. I didn't try to fatten it up. There was still a lot of fat. Wow was it good!

 

[squirrelbug]

Flockman,

Can you tell me how you cooked it? I've looked up several recipes and it's kind of intimidating....I just thought I could roast it like a turkey, but it doesn't appear that that is the way to go?

Thanks!

Joanne
aka Squirrelbug

 

[psue]

Flockman,

Can you tell me how you cooked it? I've looked up several recipes and it's kind of intimidating....I just thought I could roast it like a turkey, but it doesn't appear that that is the way to go?

Thanks!

Joanne
aka Squirrelbug

you can roast it like a turkey BUT you must have it up on a rack so the extra fat will drain off and not get soaked back in. The best way we've found is over the firepit on a spit.