Goose I have never cooked or smoked a goose

Goose is wonderful. It's all dark meat, so it cooks and tastes more like duck than turkey. Farm raised is quite fatty, wild is quite lean.

I've had good experience with both Grimaud Farms and Schiltz Farm brands. Both are excellent.

You'll have the same problem smoking goose as most any other poultry. If your temp is too low the skin won't be very good. Anything below about 300 F is a problem, and even at 300 the skin won't be very crispy.

I do a two stage cook. 250 F in the smoker, then 400 F indirect on the grill or in the oven. You can reverse that, first high heat then low heat. Your final internal temp should be about 180 F in thigh. I always brine, but it's not an absolute requirement because it's all dark meat.

It will throw off huge amounts of fat, especially farm raised, so be prepared for lots of run off. Save it if you can and use it to cook potatoes or for confit.

This Xmas I held one after cooking for 90 minutes in a warm oven and it came out great. Not at all dry.

Goose have a gigantic cavity so they're a natural for stuffing. You'll actually end up with enough stuffing in proportion to the meat, unlike chicken or turkey. This year I did a cornbread and cranberry stuffing. I hear it was good, but it was long gone before I got to it.

So to answer your main question, Goose is worth the extra money, especially when feeding a large crowd and on special occaisions. They're festive and they taste great.

Mango - I think Joseph sums it up very well. Follow his instructions and you can't go wrong.

If you like dark meat you should like goose. In my experience, those who say that they really don't like goose (or duck) are those that prefer all white meat, usually on the bland and somewhat dry side.

I've done goose for special occasions 4 or 5 times on my 008. All were Grimaud Farms and were unstuffed. I did the first one entirely in the smoker at 225F. It came out well except, as to be expected, the skin was rubbery. Since then I've done them in 2 stages the same way I now do turkey. Smoke them at 250F to an thigh internal of 140F. Finish on a rotesserie. Perfect.

Though I never have done it, you can brine if you want to. A simple water, salt, and sugar brine should be all you need.

As Joseph mentioned, definately save the fat. I put the goose on the lower rack in the 008. I then balance an unused rack with a disposable aluminum pan below it on the woodbox to collect the fat. Ditto when I switch to the rotesserie.

Yeah, goose appears to be expensive but no more so than a good rib roast or tenderloin. We seem to live in a land that birds (of any quality) should be cheap but it's acceptable for quality beef to be expensive.

You owe it to yourself to try it at least once.Who knows, you might really like it.

quote:

Originally posted by dls:
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I've done goose for special occasions 4 or 5 times on my 008. All were Grimaud Farms and were unstuffed. I did the first one entirely in the smoker at 225F. It came out well except, as to be expected, the skin was rubbery. Since then I've done them in 2 stages the same way I now do turkey. Smoke them at 250F to an thigh internal of 140F. Finish on a rotesserie. Perfect. [/qb]

Hey now, that's an idea. Start it on the smoker and finish on the rot. I may try that one.

quote:

Originally posted by dls:
[qb]
As Joseph mentioned, definately save the fat. I put the goose on the lower rack in the 008. I then balance an unused rack with a disposable aluminum pan below it on the woodbox to collect the fat. Ditto when I switch to the rotesserie.
[/qb]

Goose fat is definitely a nice little extra that you get along with your goose. I especially like it for making confit.

I noticed Dean and Deluca is selling an 11 oz portion for 10 bucks.

This is encouraging, I will stop by the store later find the brand name and report my findings see what you say.

My brother is an avid (or rabid) goose hunter (I know...hide behind corn stalks and call them in...wait..jump up, shoot like mad and wait for the next batch to fly by) Sporting!

Anyways, specifically...how would you prep - season - smoke it. I have a 50. would you do it whole, in pieces, ???

Thanks!

Go to the FIND at page top,open all forums,and you should get several of our old threads.

Most will be wild geese,although we have discussed domestic.