Recipe From Brian Hall with From The Blind
www.fromtheblind.com
The season is done, freezers filled (hopefully), and it is time to figure out what to do with all your spoils before it spoils! I absolutely love eating all types of wild game, and I don’t think I have purchased meat from a grocer more than a handful of times in the last few years. With that being said, I have to be honest. Goose is probably my least favorite meat to eat. It can be tough, gamey, and dark. These are not typically the flavors and textures that come to mind when enjoying a savory dinner. Have no fear though! After being exposed to the idea of BBQ pulled goose by FTB Owner Bill Hoffman, I have found a simple, sure-fire way to make your goose breasts not only endurable, but delicious.
Ingredients
2 Goose Breasts
2 Cans of Chicken Broth
1 Large Onion
Colored Peppers (optional, but awesome)
Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
Buns
Step One: Prepare the Breasts
One large goose is usually plenty of meat between the two breasts. Be sure to trim any fat or lingering skin off and really rinse out that blood. If you accidentally pre-tenderized the meat by sending some steel through it, make sure to look for any hidden BB’s. Trust me, your dentist will be thrilled if you make this mistake. I like to sear the breasts before putting them into the crockpot. Usually I will just heat up some olive oil and brown each side for about two minutes. This step can be skipped, but it does a nice job of burning out some of the extra juices that give that gamey taste.
Step Two: Prepare your Veggies
I would do at least one onion chopped up, and as listed above, I enjoy chopping up some peppers, too. These ingredients help to add in some external flavors to give your meat a little more robust taste. I have also seen garlic and celery added in recipes like this, so feel free to go wild. This recipe is simply a baseline.
Step Three: Crockpot Time
Throw the breasts, cans of chicken broth, and veggies into a crockpot. 2 cans of broth are usually enough for me, but you want enough to pretty well cover up the breasts. Go ahead and add more broth if necessary. Now the fun begins. Planning on making it in the morning before a hunt and returning to it for dinner? I’d probably go with the high setting in this case. For an overnight session, try low. Really, there is no tried and true way to guess how many hours it will take. This is very dependent on how tough your breasts are and how big they are, too. My experience says about 6-8 hours on high and 12 on low, but that is a very rough idea. Trust me, you will know when they are ready (read on!)
Step Four: Test the Meat and Drain the Fluids
It is extremely easy to tell when the meat is ready. Simply stick a fork into the breast and twist it. If the meat falls apart pretty easily, you’re in business. Not so easy means you’ve got some more time to enjoy the amazing aroma filling your home or hunting camp. When the meat is tender to the point of falling apart, drain off a bunch of the chicken broth. I usually drain into a strainer in order to catch all the little veggies that inevitably try to sneak out with the broth. You can leave a little bit of broth for moisture in the bottom.
Step Five: BBQ Time!
BBQ sauce is like bacon. It never seems like you can have too much! Dump in a bottle off your favorite sauce or homemade blend and mix it up with all your shredded goose. Put the lid back on, and it won’t take long for the blend to be heated together.
Step Six: Slap that Goose on a Bun and Enjoy
Like pulled pork or a sloppy joe, just throw it on a bun and you are good to go. Of course, you can put some cheese or onions on top to garnish it if you want to really make things interesting. This meal is very satisfying when returning from a long, cold hunt. Once prepared, it is easy to reheat and use for leftovers (although there likely won’t be much left to fight over).
So give it a whirl, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Got other ideas how to make this recipe better? Share your thoughts, and I’d love to try them in my next batch. Ultimately, I hope you enjoy this recipe and gain a well-deserved tasty ending to your hunting experience!
Live life at full draw and fully loaded… doctor’s orders.
