Goose slaughtering is an unpleasant but inevitable process for any farmer. The meat of this bird is considered dietary, but it is extremely tasty. To preserve its best taste, you need to learn how to properly hammer, pinch and cut it into portions.
How to score a goose
An important factor for the correct slaughter of the bird is the farmer's psychological attitude. You also need to choose a goose ready for slaughter. It is believed that readiness occurs before or during the molting process. Depending on the breed of bird, it begins at the age of 9 to 10 months.
If you notice that feathers fall during grazing, the goose is ready for slaughter. It can also be determined by the stumps under the wings. If, having passed a hand against the growth of feathers, you did not feel the stumps, then the goose is ready for slaughter. Otherwise, it is better to wait until the next molting of the bird. Of course, the bird needs to be prepared.
Goose preparation
Preparation consists in the process of so-called sitting down. Sitting is a process when the gander is isolated in a separate room without food for 10-12 hours (if you sit longer, the taste of meat worsens). This is done to cleanse the bird's gastrointestinal tract from feces.
In order for meat to be stored longer, you can water a gander with slightly salted water before slaughter. Slaughter is best done before lunch.
Did you know? Geese have a keen ear: they can hear sounds at a distance of up to 50 meters.
Slaughter methods
There are several ways to slaughter a goose: external and internal. We will analyze each of them.
Outer
For this method, you need to buy or make yourself a special cone of metal or polymer with a cut off top. You will also need a large, sharpened knife.
Further actions are as follows:
- Place the bird upside down in a cone. The gander’s head should stick out sufficiently from the bottom of the cone.
- Stun, inflicting a strong and sharp blow to the goose on the head. This procedure is carried out to alleviate the suffering of the animal and the safety of the farmer.
- Holding the gander’s head with one hand, make a large incision near the earlobe. After a sharp and clear movement of the hand, cut the neck completely.
- Leave the body in a cone, wait until all the blood flows out.
Interior
In this case, you need a rope and sharpened scissors (they can be replaced with a sharp knife):
- Hang the gander upside down, before tying its legs.
- Tie the rope with which they are tied to a nail sticking out of the wall.
- Open the beak, enter the scissors inside. With a sharp and confident movement, cut the jugular and bridge veins (they are located nearby, so it will not be difficult to do this).
- Without removing the scissors, pierce the palate of the bird. After that, you need to damage the cerebellum (you do not need to completely get it out).
- Leave the goose so that all the blood glass.
How to pluck a goose
After slaughter, the time comes for an easier procedure - plucking. There are several ways to quickly rid the gander of feathers.
Dry way
After the blood flowed out, you need to start plucking the carcass. The bird is placed on its knees and first manually pulled out large feathers, and then small ones. Begin the process with wings and tail. They pluck out slowly and in the direction of growth of the feathers to preserve the presentation of the goose carcass.
Scalding
To pluck a bird in this way, you need to dip the carcass in boiling water or simply pour it over it. The temperature should be around +85 ° C. After that, briefly wrap the gander in the fabric so that the skin is steamed.
Important! Using this method, be sure to tie the gander's neck to prevent the ingress of hot water into the carcass.
Proceed with manual plucking as described in the dry method. The main difference and advantage of scalding is the ease with which feathers are pulled out.
Delicate feather collection
Within 3-4 hours, you need to cool the carcass. After that, proceed to the usual plucking with your hands. Performing plucking in this way, you will notice that the gander's skin is much less injured, while maintaining its presentation. In addition, feathers are easily pulled out.
How to carve a goose at home
Butchering this bird is not at all complicated, as it is almost completely done along the joints. Due to this, it is not necessary to apply a lot of force to cut pieces. Of course, before cutting, the goose carcass must be gutted.
What is required
To cut a goose carcass it will take quite a bit.
All this can be found in every hostess:
- large sharp knife;
- board;
- a knife with a point in the form of a nail file (for cutting bones);
- goose carcass.
How to make a goose into pieces: video
Cutting stage
After preparing the cutting tools, you can proceed to the process itself.
It is carried out in stages:
- With a regular knife, cut off the wings, capturing part of the brisket.
- Cut the shin, grabbing the underbone, rib and thigh. Do the same with the second, but grabbing the remaining tail and back. When cutting the ridge, use a nail file.
- Separate the tibia from the hips along the joint line, leaving the tail part on one as well (this piece must be divided into two more parts). Thus, only the upper part of the bird will remain to be cut.
- Cut the carcass along the line between the brisket and the ribs.
- Use your fingers to separate the lungs and heart from the ribs (you can help yourself with a knife). Cut the heart into two parts. Throw away the lungs.
- On one side, along a line near the spine, walk with a knife, separating the ribs. Cut the rest into two approximately equal pieces.
- From the brisket, separate a portion equal to approximately one-third of it with a transverse section. Divide the second piece into three equal parts.
The resulting pieces are ideal for stewing.
How to store meat
Gusyatin should be kept in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before cooking. But before that, it is necessary to wrap it with parchment, foil or cloth dipped in vinegar. Meat should not touch other products. It is stored for about 2 weeks at a temperature of 0 ° C. It can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
Additional tips
Below are some tips for storing and making goose meat:
- With long-term storage of meat, you can improve its taste by rubbing it with salt before sending it to the refrigerator.
- To store goose meat without using a refrigerator, you can rub it with your own fat.
- To make goose meat softer, marinate it overnight in water with a little apple cider vinegar.
Observing all the above rules, you will receive the most delicious and high-quality product. There is a lot of goose meat dishes, it remains only to choose to your taste.
