Goose Jerky
Making jerky from geese is a favorite around our house. The dense meat is ideal for taking a brine and smoking, and once you try it you’ll never have enough birds in the freezer to satisfy the jerky cravings. There are three easy ways to make goose jerky. Take goose breasts to your local butcher shop and ask them to make it, or easily make it yourself with a packaged kit or homemade brine. Once you start you’ll want to experiment with flavors. Place breast flat on a cutting board and use a fillet or boning knife to slice pieces off about¼-inch thick.

TheHi Mountain seasonings are by far the easiest way to brine your birds successfully. I’ve made their Original Blend, Cracked Pepper and Garlic, Cajun and Hunter’s Blend. Cut goose into strips or the full length of the breast, with the grain of the meat. Sprinkle with brine as directed on package and smoke at home the next day.

For those wanting to be more adventuresome, you can brine your birds and make everything from scratch. Basic brine is¾ cup of pickling salt and¾ cup of brown sugar. Mix the ingredients with 5 or 6 quarts of water and soak your goose strips overnight. Take them out of brine, and set up on smoker racks to air dry. It is important to let the meat dry until it develops a shine before smoking. If they are still wet the smoke won’t be able to penetrate the meat.

Smoke with alder, apple or cherry wood chips, which are mild and produce the best flavors. Smoking time will depend on the type of smoker you have and temperature settings. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to prevent over drying. If you don’t have a smoker you can dry the jerky in your oven by placing on racks and heating at 200 degrees. Turn jerky once or twice to ensure even drying. Jerky is done when it is dry on the edges and takes on a dark smoked color. When you squeeze the jerky it will have the consistency of licorice, firm but still pliable.