So... I want to eat my geese--is there a sticky or link for processing

[saddina]

On birds we skin, I wrap them in bacon, salt pork or pruchetto to give the right amount of "crispy and it helps to keep it from burning (use the roasting rack!)

 

[goosedragon]

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They will be a huge help during the heat of the summer when you only mow to knock down the fast growing weeds that stick up above the grass since these fast growing weeds are tender and a goose favorite. Mine kept my lawn fairly neat without mowing during the hot dry periods. During the rainy season I would have to mow since they aren't that fond of grass once it it is grown out and gotten tough. The little buggers would eat their fill of the young tender stuff between the tall tough stuff. I would just set my blade a little higher to cut the taller grass, and they would work on it while it regrew and was tender I decreased my mowing time by 75% I estimate but it looked more like golf 'rough' than putting green.

 

[goosedragon]

CVM, you cut up the whole goose for stir fries? You must get a huge number of stir fries from each goose! The left overs from roasting I have used for stir fries and they work great! I love the crisp browned skin you get from roasting. I use a roasting rack and start off low and slow to render most of the fat from the goose and to be sure it gets cooked all the way through. I collect and save the goose fat to use like butter. Then I turn up the oven to 450-500 degrees to brown, goose is fatty enough so it doesn't dry out under high heat.

saddina, how many pounds of bacon does it take to wrap a skinned goose? To each their own but the chrispy skin is the best part in my opinion. Once you learn the tricks to scald and pluck waterfowl it isn't that bad. I do use the wax method after the birds are rough plucked and that helps a lot. Oh yes if you are going to send them to "freezer camp" they need to rest either on ice or in your refrigeratior for at least 24 hours first. It gives the muscles time to relax and makes a much more tender bird.(even the nasty biting kind)

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Wonderful and so helpful!! I think I may just eat one of the mean ones for now... I could use the extra beaks to trim the property.

The ladies are great, no problems with them but the two drakes... and one of them was hand raised but he is the worst. I have 8 young ones that I hatched out so maybe a few can stay. I like the Pilgrims they aren't as aggessive and noisy.

Is there a "best" goose to raise for meat. Pekin I have heard about, but what about the rest?

Thank you for the cooking tips-- it is great to get it from a source who knows and uses it. I have also heard raves about jerkey made from goose. Has anyone tried that?

 

[goosedragon]

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I haven't even heard of duck or goose jerkey, I would think the fat and oil content of the meat might make dehydration difficult. There are Native American (and French) preparations that use the fat of the birds to help preserve the meat. Can't remember their names. memory goes when you get older. ~gd

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I was going to tell you---get some Pilgrims or Sebbies...they are very friendly in my experience...as far as the poo...we have a HUGE yard & 10 acres and they don't make it near the house. I just hose off the lawn where do they make it and the poop dissolves. They do a great job at trimming the grass and eating some weeds. But they also get my young trees, roses, killed my clematis and have pulled up iris bulbs. LOL

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I would guess Toulouse for meat??? Pilgrims probably would be okay for that too, if you have extra males.

I have 10 Pilgrim eggs and a new trio (one of the geese is sitting on them) that I'm waiting to pick up. We don't want to move the broody goose--so I'm waiting until the goslings are hatched & a little established before I pick them up. I'm getting them in in exchange for hatching out 10 Light Sussex chicks for someone. She wants 9 hens and a cockerel but I told her they'll be straight-run and I'll hatch her out some extras.

Anyway, the other problem I've found is mine are just too nice & too personable. They are named pets and I don't like goose or duck meat...Besides, I cannot image killing a sebbie for meat!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

LOL Yes I know about memory loss! Well Goosedragon, I have skimmed quickly through the book link you sent and I want to thank you very much!

It gave me alot of important info and now I will go back and read more slowly. I will try the option of just standing still with my mean young gander. I was very surprised to read that his problem most likely stemmed from being in contact with us as much as he was. Too tame can get to thinking that they are top goose. If it doesn't resolve then he is the first to go.

I looked for that book in the local bookstore and even our local hatchery and that is one of the books that always seems to be sold out.

I feel so very much better now that I understand just why he is being such a jerk. The girls have gone missing most of the time now so I suspect they have a nest somewhere and are co-op hatching.

I caught them co-oping a month or so ago but then eggs started disappearing and or being broken open with just shells left. I thought perhaps raccoon but managed to catch the culprit on the spy cam.

It was a feral cat! I had seen it around but it was sneaky and quick. I never thought a cat could remove or eat a goose egg. So I baited a nest with both goose and duck eggs and caught it in the act. The cat is no more.

 

[jamesrm]

Rusty,
Any of the large breeds. Toulouse are famed for their force fed foir gras, that stuff sales for like 80 bucks a pound processed. Not my cup of tea, though

As far doing the deed, well, a .22 to the head would work but it would not give you the best result.

THE FOLLOWING IS GRAPHIC AND NORMALLY WOULD BE IN THE MEAT SECTION, TURN BACK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEEPS


You want a relatively painless death, while ensuring that the goose is completely drained out. Those of us who do this a lot use home made or stainless steel "killing cones" to invert the bird and allow it to drain. The simplest homemade cone big enough for a goose is a road cone. Go buy a large one, and cut the bottom so one side is off, so you can invert the cone and screw it to a tree, wall, wherever your going to process at. Take the live bird and place it upside down in the cone, so its head comes out the bottom. You might have to open the bottom hole a bit depending on your cone. Take a SHARP knife and hold the birds bill so its facing you. You want to cut the arteries in the neck while avoiding the wind pipe. Make fast and smooth cuts along the sides of the neck. That should sever both arteries and avoid the windpipe. By not cutting the wind pipe the bird does not panic and will bleed completely out in less than five minutes.

The rest is like any other poultry with the exceptions pointed out previously of down and pin feather removal. Get it cleaned and let it sit in the fridge 2-3 days before freezing if your going to freeze. This gives the carcass time to relax the muscles and to chill before going in the freezer. If your going to eat immediately its still best to let it sit a few days in the fridge. You don't have to, but it will be more tender.

PM if you need help.

James

 

[jamesrm]

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That would be an expensive meal! Now, one of your huge sussexs, hmmmm, there be a lot of meat there