Corned Goose

The second half of waterfowl season is in full swing until January 9th in Seneca County. There is a daily limit of 3 Canada Geese and 25 Snow Geese per day (hunting of this species is obviously encouraged, and you can read more about this in an earlier post, "Snow Geese Abound"). What to do with all this goose meat? You can freeze some for later use with a vacuum sealer or butcher paper, smoke some, make jerky, and you can corn it, along with many other possibilities. Corning meat is a relatively simple process, consisting of placing the meat in a brining solution, similar to preparing meat for smoking, though for a longer period of time, about 5-7 days, and then slow cooking the meat in water for 3-5 hours with or without cabbage. Here is the recipe...

Corned Goose (or venison)

4 goose breast pieces (from 2 birds) or a 3-5 lb venison roast

2 quarts water

1/2 cup canning or pickling salt

1/2 cup tender quick salt (this is a curing salt which contains nitrates and should not be substituted for food safety reasons, color and taste. A common brand is Morten Tender Quick)

5-6 whole peppercorns or 1 T. cracked black pepper

3 T. sugar

2-3 T. pickling spice

6 crushed garlic cloves

1 T. thyme (optional)

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Bring the water, salt, sugar, and spices to a boil for a few minutes (all of the ingredients except the goose!) and then remove from heat and allow to return to room temperature or colder. Place the boneless, skinless goose breasts in a glass, ceramic or plastic container that is large enough to hold the goose with a few inches of head space. Do not use a metal container. Pour the cooled brining liquid over the goose meat to cover it. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, turning the meat occasionally. Remove the goose meat from the brine and cook it in a crock pot or dutch oven by covering the meat with clean water and allowing it to simmer for 3-5 hours until tender. Cut it into thin slices for serving with mustard or sauerkraut.

Note: The same recipe can be used for a 3-5 pound venison roast.

Wild Turkey

The fall season for wild turkey is only two weeks long in Seneca County and ended November 5th. However, it is still open in neighboring counties to the east (i.e. Cayuga) and to the south of Seneca (i.e. Tompkins). Check out NYS DEC's website for a map of turkey hunting seasons. The NYS DEC website also has tips for successful and safe turkey hunting.

Wild turkey is an awesome part of our Thanksgiving feast. However, it cannot be treated the same way as a domestic bird. I learned this the hard way, when the first year I simply roasted it like a typical Thanksgiving turkey and everyone pretended to like it while they chewed each tough bite for a long time! Here are some tenderizing tips for wild turkey:

1. Hang the bird to age and tenderize the meat-Start by field dressing your turkey (remove organs, entrails, and crop then rinse and pat dry these cavities). Hang the turkey by it's neck for 3-7 days in a cold location (35-45 degrees) in it's feathers.

2. Soak the turkey meat overnight in lightly salted, cold water- Once the turkey has aged, pluck the feathers and prepare it for a whole roasting turkey, or breast it. Place either the whole turkey or the breast meat in cold water that is lightly salted for about 8 hours or overnight. If you are just using the breast meat, soak it in the water in the refrigerator. If using the whole bird, a clean cooler with ice water works well. This has a similar effect to brining, though less salt is used (only 1-2 T per quart of water). Rinse the meat and wrap it tightly in butcher paper to freeze or cook it from here.

3. Cook properly- A roasting bag can help keep the turkey moist, along with basting or braising techniques. Do not overcook the turkey, but make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. USDA has a helpful fact sheet for safe turkey preparation.