Duck and goose breasts

Started by BBQ_Ben, December 11, 2014, 06:23:13 AM

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BBQ_Ben

I have a few wild duck and goose breasts and need some advice on what to do with them.  They're skinless, so I'm concerned about fully cooking them in the smoker for fear they'll dry out.  I'm thinking about curing them and then smoking, but do I hot smoke then thin slice to serve like pruscuitto (I know that's not usually smoked) or cold smoke and then give it a quick pan cooking ala bacon?

Thoughts? Advice? Past experiments good or bad to share?

TIA!


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tailfeathers

I also have quite a bit of waterfowl breast meat. I recently made goose jerky with some of it and it turned out very well. I used 5# of 1/4" sliced meat, a tsp of cure 1 and a pint of smoking gun marinade (thanks again ragweed) with a tsp of cayenne added for some kick. Soaked it overnight, smoked with hickory for a couple hours and finished in the dehydrator. I also used some to make Grizzly Island sausage from Len Poli's recipe site and that also is delicious. Good luck and let us know how you turn out!


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Where there's smoke, there's HAPPINESS!!!

ragweed

Talked to a guy today that tried smoking a whole goose, w/skin, but said it was too greasy.  He thought a skinless breast would be just fine.  I'm heading to western Nebraska tomorrow to try to gather raw materials for my own goose smoking experiments.  If successful, most will be breasted out by the guide, but I hope to bring a few back to be picked and smoked whole.  I'm going to try smoking the skinless breasts, no cure, like turkey or chicken being careful not to over cook.  Might put some bacon on them.  Good luck and let us know how they turn out.  I'll do the same.

(Tailfeathers, Good to hear the Smoking Gun worked out.  You know that's what I'll be using if I get the chance to make "goose wafers".)


BBQ_Ben

Good luck, Ragweed! Thanks for the ideas. Reading the forums, I'm going to run a few different experiments if I can get enough space in the fridge :). I'll let you know how they turn out!


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ragweed

The raw material gathering trip was tremendously successful!  I have 5 lbs of goose wafers in the final stages of drying as I type.  Searching for recipes but I think my first attempt will be goose breasts in the BCS with a little Jan's rub.  WLYK how they turn out. 

pikeman_95

I am going to run this buy you guys again as this recipe works just great for Duck of Goose breast.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=21110

Some of other guys have tried this recipe and it is just great. I suppose you could give them a quick smoke before they are pickled but I have never tried that. It is good just out of the jar.
KC

ragweed

Thanks for reminding me, Kirby.  I follow your recipe using deer hearts and they are wonderful.  I will definitely make a batch using goose breasts.

tailfeathers

I'm thinking I'll give these a try as well. Thanks!


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BBQ_Ben

Went a different way with the duck, but turned the Goode breasts into pastrami while also smoking some bacon that I had curing. Did the goose pastrami with a dry cure using MTQ. Found directions advising anywhere from 24 hours to a week of curing. I went with about 48 hours and it came out too salty, even after steaming. Next time out, I think I'll go with the wet brine corned beef-style approach. Thanks for the help!


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Habanero Smoker

Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been following this thread. If you cured them by applying the TQ, 24 hours would have been more then enough for duck breast to be cured. If they come out too salty, prior to smoking/cooking you can always soak in cold water for about an hour, changing the water and the position of the breast after the first 30 minutes.

For wet curing using cure #1 is much better, you can control the salt and the amount of cure. Using TQ you can't control either, and you have to use way too much in a wet brine. Using TQ in a wet brine can be very expensive. Making your own cure mix cost much less.



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