I really wanted to include this recipe in my Favorites post under the Wild Game category for our 10 year anniversary but unfortunately I hadn’t posted it yet. This recipe I believe I’ve made three or four years running during early goose season in late August/early September. Normally, I try to bring a new recipe to hunting camp each year, in an effort to challenge myself to expand my personal repertoire of wild game recipes and also to keep things interesting for those I’m cooking for too. This recipe has been just so darn good though that I’m a little bit stuck on it.
The goose breast is first soaked in salt, then buttermilk which are steps I take to both tenderize and remove some of the irony/gamey taste from the goose. Then it’s marinated in a garlic, herb and red wine vinegar mixture to season it. The goose breast is then wrapped in bacon and grilled until it’s a nice medium rare – you’re cooking and treating this kind of like a steak and it does have a beefy-ish flavor to it. Finally, we top it off with a pomegranate-craisin reduction! YUM!
The ingredient pictures for this recipe are split up a little bit first the goose and then the sauce. For no other good reason that this is how I ended up getting everything out and doing it at hunting camp and when I did the marinade the day before, I wasn’t thinking of the sauce yet.
Here’s what you need for the goose marinade:
Not pictured are the goose breasts, bacon or kosher salt and buttermilk that we start with. Taking the time to soak the goose in the salt and buttermilk will add a day to your preparation and isn’t 100% necessary especially if you don’t mind the taste of wild game on its own. But if you’re cooking for more sensitive palates or people who don’t like gamey flavors it’s really worth the time.
Trim the goose breasts, taking care to remove any silver skin.
Start by mixing salt into cool water until it tastes salty like the sea. I like to do this in a plastic bag. Soak the goose in the salt water brine for approximately 12 hours.
Remove the goose from the salt brine and cover it in buttermilk in a plastic bag or other container. Let the goose soak overnight. The buttermilk will tenderize the meat.
Remove the goose from the buttermilk, rinse and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
The marinade we use for the final soak was modified from this recipe from Jones Dairy Farm. To make the marinade you will want to combine minced fresh rosemary, thyme and a couple cloves of garlic with some red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Place the seasoned goose breasts in a plastic bag and pour over the marinade.
Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. When we’re hunting this means put the goose in the marinade before the morning hunt and take it out when we get back to make for lunch.
Remove the breasts from the marinade and pat dry. Using center cut bacon wrap it around the goose breasts. You can secure it with toothpicks or cooking twine. I like to use twine because the toothpicks can char while you are grilling it. It typically takes us two slices of bacon per goose breast.
Start the coals for your charcoal grill. My uncle has a charcoal starter that’s slightly smaller than the standard charcoal starter I use at home (#Earnscommission). This results in a bit more moderate of a fire, which works out well for the goose and bacon. You can 100% cook this on gas too if you like.
While the coals are getting hot, make the sauce. Here’s what you need:
My sauce recipe is a bit to taste and not very specific. You remember when I said I’ve been repeating this recipe? Well, this is the first time I’m writing it down and somehow it still comes out great. I’m usually very disciplined when I write blog recipes to measure, I’m going to blame the different environment at hunting camp. But it highlights how you can learn to trust yourself and your taste and allow yourself the flexibility to just change things up to your taste.
Start by pouring about half a bottle of pomegranate juice into a saucepan and adding in a couple handfuls of craisins (probably about a cup). Note: depending if your juice is sweetened or unsweetened you might want to add a little sugar too. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Bring the sauce up to a boil and allow to simmer. You’re looking to reduce the sauce by about half.
When the sauce is reduced and the craisins are pump, I stir in a slurry of about 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a couple tablespoons of water. Allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.
You’ll have to forgive me, I forgot to take a picture of the sauce until it was on the goose.
Keep the sauce warm and cook the goose.
Pour the coals out and allow the grates to heat up for about 5 minutes. Put the goose breasts on the grill.
Cook for about 6-7 minutes until the bacon begins to crisp and then flip and continue cooking on the second side for another 5-7 minutes.
This is where you want to use your digital thermometer and take the goose off when it reaches 120-125 degrees F. The meat will come up to about 130 when it rests. When you’re cooking with charcoal feel free to rotate the breasts around the grill -if the coals aren’t perfectly evenly distributed.
Allow the goose to rest for about 5 minutes. Slice into strips.
My favorite way to serve this is with fresh sweet corn because we’re nearing the end of the season during our Early Goose hunts and I have to get in as much as I can! And also with my mom’s hashbrowns. These aren’t shredded hashbrowns but rather leftover boiled potatoes fried with onions and butter until there are some crispy bites and some tender bites and all full of yumminess! These are on my list to post as well.
- 4 wild goose breasts, cleaned with silver skin removed
- Kosher salt
- Buttermilk, approx. 2 cups
- 2 T fresh thyme, minced
- 2 T fresh rosemary, minced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ½ c red wine vinegar
- ¼ c olive oil
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1 package center cut bacon
- Pomegranate juice, approx. 2 c
- ¼ c craisins or dried cranberries
- 2 T red wine vinegar
- sugar, optional
- 1 T cornstarch
- Mix salt and enough water to cover the goose, until salt is dissolved. Taste and add salt until its salty like the sea. Add goose and refrigerate for approximately 12 hours.
- Remove goose from brine and cover in buttermilk. Return to the refrigerator overnight. Remove from buttermilk, rinse goose and pat dry.
- Season goose breasts with salt and pepper.
- Mix together the thyme, rosemary, garlic, ½ c red wine vinegar and olive oil. Pour over goose and marinate for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove goose from marinade and pat dry.
- Wrap each breast with two strips of bacon and secure with a toothpick or kitchen twine.
- Light coals for charcoal grill.
- In a saucepan combine pomegranate juice, craisins, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer until reduced by almost half. Taste and adjust seasoning, you may want to add sugar depending on the sweetness of your pomegranate juice. Mix cornstarch with about 3 T water into a slurry and pour into sauce. Return to a simmer and cook until slightly thick. Keep sauce warm.
- Grill for approximately 6 minutes per side until the goose reaches 120-125 degrees. Move the goose around as needed if there are hot spots in your coals.
- Allow goose to rest for 5 minutes and slice into medallions. Serve with the pomegranate cranberry sauce.
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