Grown geese go for meat in the fall. To properly slaughter a bird, you need to have an idea of the anatomy of these birds and choose the best technique for yourself. Getting ready to work, you will not doom individuals to prolonged torment and preserve the beautiful presentation of carcasses.
At what age is it better to slaughter a goose
The most valuable taste qualities of young meat at the age of 6–7 months, which is why slaughter of the bird is closer to the New Year (October – November). In winter, geese noticeably lose weight, which is why this time is not practical to choose. Slaughter in 3-4 months is allowed if the individuals received full-fledged food, gaining at least 4 kg by this age.
Slaughter preparation
Before you kill a goose, you must not allow him to not eat during the last 12 hours, otherwise from hunger he will start to eat feathers, garbage. The best option is not to give food 4 hours before slaughter to a young bird and 6 hours before an adult. To release the intestines from feces, table salt is added to the water, but 3 hours before the intended slaughter they stop giving the feathered drink. During this period, when the bird should neither eat nor drink, it is placed in a dark, dry place so that the feather remains clean. It is advisable to wash the goose before slaughter so that extra microbes do not get on the meat.
Important! If a bird is slaughtered without preparation, the intestines may break in the process. If the stool gets into the cavity of the carcass, it will not only be unpleasant, but also add work.
Slaughter technique
There are only two methods of killing geese: external (the most common) and internal. In both cases, the legs are first tied to the bird and wings are turned back. This is done for convenience, so that the individual does not interfere with work.
Outdoor method
He will need a sharp small knife. Goose is placed head down. It is advisable to stun him before with one sharp blow, for example, with a stick. Next, you need to take your head in your left hand and pierce your throat just below the earlobe. The deeper the knife is stuck, the better. After the puncture, the jugular vein and carotid artery are cut. Do not rush, wait until the blood completely drains from the carcass. If you hurry, the meat will lose its taste. You can start cutting the bird immediately after bleeding it.
Internal method
With this method, scissors are used. The goose with its legs tied is hung head down, after which it needs to unclench its beak, place scissors in it and cut the jugular and bridge veins with one motion. The next step is to pierce the palate. Without taking out the scissors, you need to move them in the direction of the far part of the skull. Then, similarly to the external method, there is bleeding and butchering.
Plucking technique
For plucking, you do not need to have any special tools, you can do it with one hand. Everyone decides what technique to choose: how it will be more convenient for you.
Did you know? Goose meat is very high in calories. People with diseases of the kidneys, blood circulation, digestive system, it is contraindicated and excluded from diet.
Dry way
This method is used only if you intend to pinch the goose immediately after slaughter, until it has cooled down. To make it more convenient, tie the wings and paws to the bird, lay it on a comfortable surface and manually pull out the feathers. Start with large ones that sit stronger, smoothly moving to smaller ones. Dry the bird from the tail and wings, then the neck, chest, legs. Pull the pen in the direction of its growth.
After scalding
In this case, the bird is first scalded with boiling water (water should be heated to a temperature of at least +80 ° C). After this procedure, the feathers become softer and easier to pull out.
- But this method has disadvantages:
- you need to pinch quickly until the effect has passed;
- keep such a carcass for a long time will not work;
- fluff and feathers become unusable even after drying.
Important! From carcasses for sale or for whole cooking, do not pluck feathers in bunches so as not to spoil the appearance of the goose.
If a feather with down is important to you, there is another proven method of plucking - using a pump, for example, for an air mattress. The tube is placed in the neck between the spine and skin, the goose is inflated, the throat is bandaged with a tight cord so that the air remains inside. Then the carcass is placed on its back, a clean rag moistened with water is placed on it, through which the bird is steamed for 8 minutes with steam. You can use steam from the iron. At the place of steaming, the feather leaves easily. In time it is a little longer, but down and feathers will be in perfect shape.
Proper cutting of goose carcass
When the bird is completely plucked, they cut it. The rules are as follows:
- Take a sharp knife and treat it with boiling water or disinfect it with an antiseptic (if you have special cooking scissors, work with them).
- Make an incision along the keel for the entire length, starting from the cloaca.
- Take out all the insides except the liver and muscular stomach, and fold them separately.
- Cut off the head at the level of the second cervical vertebra.
- Cut the wings along the elbow joint and the legs of the bird at the metatarsal level.
- Wash the carcass thoroughly under the pressure of running cold water, wash until clear water starts to drain from the goose.
- Remove goose fat (optional).
Video: how to cut a goose
If you do not want to store the whole bird, cut it to your discretion - wings, legs, neck, fillet. Separated from the loin portion of the bone can be used to prepare first courses (soups, borscht). At room temperature in the summer, the carcass is stored for no more than a day. For free storage, a temperature of at least -3 ° C must be set in the freezer.
Did you know? Goose fat is 50% of its weight. It has no cholesterol, while it has excellent taste. It is even used for cosmetic purposes.
To hack and slaughter a goose correctly, take your time and do the work carefully. The task is not difficult, but if you feel insecure, invite a person with experience.
