September goose season, aka resident goose season, has generous bag limits and the potential for lots of goose meat for the larder!  Canada goose meat is very dense, flavorful meat that is full of iron.  A four-ounce portion of Canada goose breast meat has 28g of protein, 7 mg of iron, and only 4.5g of fat, making it a very healthy meat to consume.  However, since it is so lean it can be tough if not properly prepared and the meat has a strong flavor that some consider “gamey” again if not properly prepared. Marinating and braising work well to overcome toughness and/or strong goose flavor. Canning goose meat not only preserves it, but makes the meat tender, and Canada goose breast meat is also delicious and tender if corned.

To make sure goose shish kabobs are tender and tasty use these golden rules for game meat:   

1. remove all silver skin and fat from the cubes of meat (and shot pellets!)
2. brine the meat or soak in milk for 20 minutes up to an hour
3. pierce the meat all over with a fork to tenderize and allow the marinade flavor to infuse the meat
4. leave the meat in the marinade for a few days in the fridge
5. don’t overcook it!

Tangy Grilled Goose Shish Kabobs

Ingredients:

• trimmed and cubed breast meat from one Canada goose
• ~1 cup of Spiedie Marinade or a favorite red wine vinegar marinade with herbs
• optional: glaze of 2Tbsp butter, 1Tbsp honey or maple syrup, and a pinch of cayenne when grilling
• optional: veggies to add to the skewers such as onion, pepper, cherry tomatoes, squash

Preparation:

• Carefully remove silver skin and fat from the goose breasts and cut into cubes, removing any shot that may be in the meat.
• Soak the meat for about 20 minutes up to an hour in milk or a brine (2 Tbsp. kosher salt dissolved in 1 qt. cold water). Rinse the meat and place in a glass, ceramic, or non-reactive plastic container, pierce the meat cubes all over with a fork, and cover with about 1 cup of vinegary marinade, making sure the meat is submerged in the marinade. Add more marinade if necessary to coat the meat.
• Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for a few days, stirring the meat on occasion.
• Remove the meat and put it on a skewer (alternating with veggies if desired).The outside color of the goose cubes will look darkened from being in the acidic marinade.
• Cook the shish kabobs over a hot grill turning to lightly char all sides and putting the grill cover on for a few minutes to cook the meat all the way through.  Towards the end of cooking, you can baste the meat with a mixture of melted butter mixed with some honey or maple syrup and a dash of cayenne pepper. The meat should be nicely charred and still tender when done.