Cleaning/plucking/dressing geese

Generally, just breast & legs

... unless it's aparticularly nice bird like a Can or Red that I'm pretty sure has been feeding on wild celery for a while - or big grain fed Malards or Canadas... they are worth picking/dressing for the occasional roast.

To help with picking, submerse the whole bird (before dressing it) in some very hot water that has a little detergent mixed into it. Doesn't hurt the bird whatsoever, but breaks down the "oily" feathers so that they peel off like a lot of wet kleenex. A good rinse in lukewarm water, then dress as usual.

I like to run-up each side of the back bone, stem to stern ... out comes the neck, lungs & everything else ... somewhat easier & more thorough than through a body cavity opening ( i.e., vent to breast bone) Leaves the entire breast intact ... and the interior of the bird is much easier to clean up.
 
Big Game said:
Early season birds I breast out and take the legs. After the pin feathers are done I like to pluck and wax birds that aren't too shot up. DuxWax works better than straight parrafin and you can reuse it. We had a pretty good shoot this morning(17 Canadas), and I even kept the livers,hearts and gizzards. Has anyone ever made goose liver pate?
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I tried a recipe from another website a couple of weeks ago, and it came out great. The coles note version:

Few liver and hearts.
1 can of beans, I used fava, but I"m sure chick peas or other canned beans will ork.
1 pack of cream cheese.
Garlic to taste.

Fry the garlic with liver and heart in a little olive oil.
Fry beans, and pinch to skin.
Throw the entire thing in a food processor with cream cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

I like to drizzle some hot sauce and olive oil on top of the dip when it's packed in a bowl.

Eat warm or chilled.
 
My wife plucks them.

She puts them in the sink and pours boiling water over the bird, then turns it over and repeats. She has it timed just right so the feathers come off without taking the skin off too.

She can do three ducks in the time it takes me to take down, dry, oil and reassemble my 870.

When there's a mess of birds everyone available pitches in (that usually means me, but can be a hunting partner once in a while too).
 
I always pluck canvasback and redheads. they make fine eating this way, roasted in a hot oven to medium rare. Rough pluck birds and wax them. Boil a big pot full of water and toss a couple paraffin wax chunks in. The wax will melt and float to the surface. Dip the plucked duck into the water and the wax will stick to the birds skin. Allow the wax to harden for a bit and peel it off. All the remaining feathers, quills, down stay with the peeled wax leaving your bird spotless.

I breast out most mallards and other smaller puddle ducks...except for the real fat prime ones.
 
Fremen said:
Whats the wax for. (New to this)
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The wax sticks to the skin when it cools. Peeling of the solid wax from the duck or goose skin ... kind of like peeling an orange ... will remove all the down, remaining feathers and quills. No burning with a torch will be required. Birds will be as clean as chicken in the store.
 
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