Canada Goose Pastrami
How to Make Pastrami from Canada Goose Breast
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If you're a goose hunter - you know that we end up with a lot of goose meat at the end of the season. Transforming Canada Goose breast into pastrami is a great way to enjoy the rich, dark meat. Pastrami made from goose (or any dark wild game meat) has a unique flavour that's bold, smoky, and perfectly spiced. It makes an excellent snack, charcuterie board addition, or sandwich ingredient. Here's a guide on how to make goose pastrami.
This is how I enjoy goose pastrami:
- As a snack: Simply enjoy slices of this pastrami on its own. It's a great snack to take fishing or hunting.
- On a charcuterie board: Add it to a board with cheeses, crackers, pickles, and other cured meats.
- In a sandwich: Use fresh bread, Swiss or provolone cheese, mayo, mustard, and butter to fry it up. Toast it until the cheese is melted.
Ingredients:
- 4 Canada Goose breasts (skinless)
Initial Rub:
- 1 tsp pink Instacure #1 (curing salt)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp black pepper (ground or whole peppercorns)
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp dried thyme
Final Rub:
- 2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions:
1. Brine the Goose Breasts
Start by brining the goose breasts in cold salt water for 8 to 24 hours. This helps to draw out excess blood before the curing process. After 8 to 24 hours, remove the breasts from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Apply the Initial Rub
Mix the ingredients for the initial rub in a small bowl. Coat each goose breast generously with the rub, massaging it thoroughly into the meat. Once coated, place each breast into its own ziplock bag, seal tightly, and lay flat in the refrigerator. Let the breasts cure in the fridge for 72 hours, turning the bags over once or twice a day to ensure an even cure.
3. Rinse and Soak the Meat
After 72 hours, take the breasts out of the bags and rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove any excess cure. You can soak the meat in cold water or cold red wine for one hour to further remove any extra salt or curing agents.
4. Apply the Final Rub
Pat the goose breasts dry with paper towels again. Mix the ingredients for the final rub and coat the breasts generously. The spices in this rub will build that classic pastrami flavour.
5. Smoking
Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Place the seasoned goose breasts on the smoker and smoke for approximately 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 140°F. The smoking process infuses the meat with that rich, deep smoky flavour that's essential to pastrami.
6. Cool and Slice
After smoking, allow the breasts to cool completely. For the best slicing experience, freeze the breasts for one to two hours. This firms up the meat, allowing you to slice it thin and evenly. Be sure to slice the breasts against the grain for tender.
Enjoy Your Goose Pastrami
Canada Goose Pastrami
Equipment
- 1 Smoker
Ingredients
- 4 Canada Goose breasts skinless
Initial Rub
- 1 tsp pink Instacure #1 curing salt
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp black pepper ground or whole peppercorns
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp dried thyme
Final Rub
- 2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Start by brining the goose breasts in cold salt water for 8 to 24 hours. This helps to draw out excess blood before the curing process. After 8 to 24 hours, remove the breasts from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Mix the ingredients for the initial rub in a small bowl. Coat each goose breast generously with the rub, massaging it thoroughly into the meat. Once coated, place each breast into its own ziplock bag, seal tightly, and lay flat in the refrigerator. Let the breasts cure in the fridge for 72 hours, turning the bags over once or twice a day to ensure an even cure.
- After 72 hours, take the breasts out of the bags and rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove any excess cure. You can soak the meat in cold water or cold red wine for one hour to further remove any extra salt or curing agents.
- Pat the goose breasts dry with paper towels again. Mix the ingredients for the final rub and coat the breasts generously. The spices in this rub will build that classic pastrami flavour.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Place the seasoned goose breasts on the smoker and smoke for approximately 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 140°F. The smoking process infuses the meat with that rich, deep smoky flavour that's essential to pastrami.
- After smoking, allow the breasts to cool completely. For the best slicing experience, freeze the breasts for one to two hours. This firms up the meat, allowing you to slice it thin and evenly. Be sure to slice the breasts against the grain for tender.
Notes
- On a charcuterie board: Add it to a board with cheeses, crackers, pickles, and other cured meats.
- In a sandwich: Use fresh bread, Swiss or provolone cheese, mayo, mustard, and butter to fry it up. Toast it until the cheese is melted.
