Had some dry aged prime rib that needed to be trimmed out and going to do some smoked goose and turkey breast so they needed to get started also.
Dried meat-after 55 days Out Of The BagCut In HalfAll Trimmed UpClose Up-They got vac sealed and put away for the laterNow the Goose And Turkey.
Following this recipe from Hank over at honest-food.netMakes 2 goose breasts.
Prep Time: 3 days, curing time
Cook Time: 7 hours of smoking time
Skin-on breasts from 1 large goose, about 2 pounds
44 grams of kosher salt, about 4 tablespoons
3 grams of Instacure No. 1, about 1/2 teaspoon
25 grams sugar, about 2 tablespoons
4 grams crushed juniper, about 1 tablespoon
10 grams freshly ground black pepper, about 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup peaty Scotch whisky (optional)
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If you are using the Scotch, put the goose breasts in a bowl and coat them with the whisky. Put them into a closed container just about large enough to hold them and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Drain the goose breasts, or just pat them dry if you have not done the Scotch soak. Massage the spice mixture into the meat, making sure every bit of the goose is covered. Put the goose breasts into a closed container that just barely fits the meat. Pour in any excess salt/spice mixture, cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Every day during the curing process, turn the goose breasts over so they are evenly coated.
When the meat has cured, it will be dark red and slightly firm to the touch throughout. Rinse it off briefly under cold running water and pat it dry. Let the meat sit out in a cool place for 2 to 4 hours, preferably with some sort of breeze or fan on it. Or you can leave it to dry in the fridge uncovered overnight.
Truss the meat as you would a roast, or stuff it into sausage netting. If you do the netting, wear an apron, as you will need to manhandle the goose breast into the netting. Take your time and do it little by little. Tie off the ends of the string or netting, leaving enough at the end with the most fat — this should be the thick end of the breast — to hang. You want the fattiest part of the goose breast at the top, so the fat can drip down and keep the meat moist.
Hang the breasts in a cold smoker and smoke over beech, alder, oak or cherry wood. Apple is a good substitute, too. Start the smoke cold and gradually bring the temperature up. Your goal is to have the thickest part of the goose breast reach 140°F to 150°F by the end of cooking. Move the goose breasts out of the smoker and allow to return to room temperature before refrigerating.
The smoked goose will last 10 days in the fridge, or a year if well sealed and frozen.
So here they are trimmed out and waiting to get drunk on scotch. Doing a couple of goose drummys also:Some Cheap Scotch:All Bagged Up And In The Fridge Over Night Should Look Something Like This When Its Done