Dressing A Goose

[sailaway2000]

I was given two Geese two days ago, male and female, dead having been killed by the owners dogs. They have been on ice for the past two days.

The owner, understandably, does not want to eat them. They are organically fed rice and corn and should taste pretty good.

But I have not idea how to de-feather and gut the poor things. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

[LJW]

And the Killers? Any diseases??

[bangkokcitylimits]

Please make a video when you de-feather or un-feather a goose for the first time, and post it here. It might be very funny for us to watch !

Thanks.

Edited December 11, 2010 by bangkokcitylimits

[newbie001]

first if the ducks have been sitting with the guts in for 2 days, you will have to be careful. If the bile has been exposed the meat is ruined.

If you really want to have the whole bird roasting then you will need to grab hold of the feathers and pull. It is relatively easy but takes about 15 minutes of straight pulling. Basically you pull hard and fast and twist your hand while pulling. Then dress it out like you would any other animal. cut up from the lower cavity.

I would suggest bypassing all of that work and just take out the breasts. Saves a lot of work.

[IanForbes]

I've killed, cleaned and cooked hundreds of geese. A lot depends on what the final results you want. Personally, I would just take the breasts. There isn't a lot of meat on a goose back or legs. Just cut off the wings so you can get at the breast and rough pluck along the edges to get a sharp knife past the feathers. Pluck the fluff around the anus/ vent as well. That lets you get a knife into the soft part under the breast. You can actually feel the edge of the breast where you need to make the cut. That method leaves all the messy plucking and the entrails behind with the back. Once the breast is off you can pull off the skin and remaining feathers. Then you have the choice of filleting off the breasts and preparing them any way you wish.

If the geese were on ice for the two days it shouldn't bother the meat.

[slapout]

If they have been dead for two days (48 hrs+) and you have neither picked nor gutted them I would give the local cats a treat. They are easy to gut after picking, which I have only observed being done or done myself, on day they are killed. Normally within 4 to 6 hours in temperatures of 60 degree F or higher. A unpicked bird on ice is a new one on me so do not have a clue if they are safe to clean and eat after this long a time, I would not but the aging process used for fowl in some countries can be longer.

[teletiger]

Prepare to be astonished at how many feathers come off of 1 bird. Ours were grass fed, with the odd bit of corn and pilfered pig feed and were as tough as old boots. They may improve with aging.

Regards.

[Beetlejuice]

I prefer to be undressing my fresh young birds on Christmas day and spending most of the evening on the nest.

[473geo]

Fill a tub with boiling water, dip them in for a minute or so, take hold of the feathers and pull against the lie for smaller, and with the lie for the larger feathers, some you may require pliers to remove. Singe off any feather fluff with a naked flame after the main plucking is complete.

The hot water I understand sofens the tissue, makes them easier to pluck. I used to pluck both pheasants and turkeys straight after death when still warm.

Game birds are hung for 3-4 days minimum so I doubt you will have any adverse effects if they have been on ice for a couple of days.

[bangkokcitylimits]

I've killed, cleaned and cooked hundreds of geese. A lot depends on what the final results you want. Personally, I would just take the breasts. There isn't a lot of meat on a goose back or legs. Just cut off the wings so you can get at the breast and rough pluck along the edges to get a sharp knife past the feathers. Pluck the fluff around the anus/ vent as well. That lets you get a knife into the soft part under the breast. You can actually feel the edge of the breast where you need to make the cut. That method leaves all the messy plucking and the entrails behind with the back. Once the breast is off you can pull off the skin and remaining feathers. Then you have the choice of filleting off the breasts and preparing them any way you wish.

If the geese were on ice for the two days it shouldn't bother the meat.

OK we know now who we need for this job !

[WinnieTheKhwai]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Ljruzi7KFgM

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=5RfuJzTZvBo

Those are for ducks; but how different can it be.

Youtube is your friend.

[grimleybob]

Start with the legs move to the back, clear the back down to the neck. you should be practiced enough now to make a better job of the breasts.Leave the wings till last and use pliers for the hard stuff. Singe the hairy bits and gut

Put your hand inside feel for the stomach, tug firmly, leaving the heart and liver to remove and save. Before you put in the oven pour a kettle of boiling water over the bird, it will open the pores and make a crispier skin.Dont overcook it and leave it to rest 30 mins before eating

[fruity]

As has been previously stated; basically the only good meat is the breast. Much easier to just skin & fillet out the breasts.

In another life, each year we reared & killed lots of Geese for the Xmas trade. Of course, the birds had to be dressed correctly for market. Easiest to remove the primary feathers when freshly killed, rough pluck elsewhere & finish off with a blow torch, scorching the soft down feathers off. Much the same method with Ducks.

[IsaanAussie]

As has been previously stated; basically the only good meat is the breast. Much easier to just skin & fillet out the breasts.

In another life, each year we reared & killed lots of Geese for the Xmas trade. Of course, the birds had to be dressed correctly for market. Easiest to remove the primary feathers when freshly killed, rough pluck elsewhere & finish off with a blow torch, scorching the soft down feathers off. Much the same method with Ducks.

Fruity, mate,

For some reason I have this vision of you taking the most available option and placing a slatted pig floor panel between your ducks and their feed. Blow torch under the floor, webbed foot activated. So how do you turn a duck or a goose into a dog? Take it to Fruity's place and feed it, WOOF!

Isaan Aussie

[saintofsilence]

Fill a tub with boiling water, dip them in for a minute or so, take hold of the feathers and pull against the lie for smaller, and with the lie for the larger feathers, some you may require pliers to remove. Singe off any feather fluff with a naked flame after the main plucking is complete.

The hot water I understand sofens the tissue, makes them easier to pluck. I used to pluck both pheasants and turkeys straight after death when still warm.

Game birds are hung for 3-4 days minimum so I doubt you will have any adverse effects if they have been on ice for a couple of days.

also put some washing detergent in the water it makes the feathers easier to remove

[WatersEdge]

I've followed this thread for a while,

tempted to contribute,

but hesitant to be the spoilsport

I so want to hear the report

after opening the goose following several days on ice.

Waterfowl have a peculiar odor inside,

and you would not catch me anywhere near a long dead goose,

other than to boil it whole in a big pot

feathers beak the works,

simmering on steady boil for two hours,

shutting the fire off and allowing to cool a couple more hours

then dumping the whole mess to hogs,

who will rightly appreciate anything so prepared.

I am the king of road kill recovery,

lacking the next guy who disputes my claim to the title

I've picked up just about as much fine fresh meat as I've actually shot,

but fresh is the key.

There's stuff that just doesn't make sense,

and geese a couple days old sure enough doesn't

Please report the full details....

I'm due a hearty chuckle.

Would anyone consider any other animal that has been dead a couple of days,

safely preserved on ice?

Pig,

Chicken,

No Stinkin' Way.

So why should a Goose be different?

Congratulations to IanForbes on the pickup truck of ducks and geese.

Your dog earned his keep that day.

Must have been someone who can shoot in the group.

If you say a goose will be just fine after two days on ice,

then I must defer to your better experience.

I still want the report on how it all went.

[teletiger]

Would anyone consider any other animal that has been dead a couple of days,

safely preserved on ice?

Pig,

Chicken,

No Stinkin' Way.

So why should a Goose be different?

Quite right there WE.

Beef, after 2 days? No stinking way. It's still got another 19 days to go.

Regards.

[fruity]

As has been previously stated; basically the only good meat is the breast. Much easier to just skin & fillet out the breasts.

In another life, each year we reared & killed lots of Geese for the Xmas trade. Of course, the birds had to be dressed correctly for market. Easiest to remove the primary feathers when freshly killed, rough pluck elsewhere & finish off with a blow torch, scorching the soft down feathers off. Much the same method with Ducks.

Fruity, mate,

For some reason I have this vision of you taking the most available option and placing a slatted pig floor panel between your ducks and their feed. Blow torch under the floor, webbed foot activated. So how do you turn a duck or a goose into a dog? Take it to Fruity's place and feed it, WOOF!

Isaan Aussie

Isaan Aussie,

Don't know about turning Geese into Dogs? Much rather turn them into cash:)...Totally agree with the sentiments expressed regarding not eating the two day old deceased Geese, personally, I wouldn't be bothering with those in the OP other than cremating them. Nothing wrong with 'hung' game / poultry, it certainly improves the taste & texture, however, I would never dream of 'hanging' anything in Thailand ( Apart from a few of the wifes relatives that is:)

Had my fair share of khami khaze ducks who would pay a visit to a pen of young growing pigs never to be seen again apart from the odd feather:)

Fruity

[sailaway2000]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

As it turns out, the female was pretty well gutted by the dogs and though a later kill, it was a mess inside so we did not dress it out.

The male, which appears to have died due to a punctured lung and bled out....well, it too had begun to turn rancid so it was not viable to dress and eat it either.

Its really a shame as they were well cared for and fed with organic rice and corn. Fat and probably would have been delicious slow roasted.

Thanks again............

[WatersEdge]

So there I have my long awaited report.

Glad you got all that mess disposed of.

It brought up quite an interesting discussion though,

so feel free to tell us if you find a dead Possum?

It seems they would blend in so well in Thailand,

but soi dogs would have to find other employment.

There's nothing quite like a Canada Goose for New Year Dinner!

Thanks very kindly to the Canadians for growing the birds

and then sending them south over my waiting shotgun.

Thanks also for training them to be wily beyond compare,

so that it's an accomplishment to bring one home.

All of this brings fond memories of both ducks and geese,

slow cooked in many layers of aluminum tin foil,

all in the same slow cook pit with turkey, lamb, deer, ham and beef roast.

It was a smorgasbord of New Year Day feasting,

with something like 20+ guests expected around 1300

The flesh falls off the bones when slow cooked in its own juice for 15 hours