Goose Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Goose Pastrami at Home (2024)

Home | Wild Game | Ducks and Geese | Goose Pastrami

4.95 from 58 votes

By Hank Shaw

January 27, 2017 | Updated June 18, 2020

Comment

Jump to Recipe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Goose Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Goose Pastrami at Home (2)

Goose pastrami is what I do with most of my Canada goose breasts. It is an easy project that makes the most out of these often-tough slabs of meat.

Why geese? Well, Canada and snow geeseare very close to grass-fed beef in flavor (they eat the same thing), they have large, easy-to-work-with breasts, and they do have a tendency to be tough, which means that any way you can cook them that lets you slice the breasts thinly is a good thing.

Pastrami, in case you’ve never had it, is a cured meat from Eastern Europe or Turkey — remember the Ottomans ran Eastern Europe for a while — that’s normally beef or mutton. Although here’s an interesting tidbit from Wikipedia: “Among Jewish Romanians, goose breasts were commonly made into pastrami because they were inexpensive.”

So there ya go. This is traditional!

To make pastrami, you dry cure (sometimes brine) the meat for a few days, dry it a bit, coat it in the characteristic black pepper and coriander and then smoke it. Sliced thin on a sandwich, it’s God’s gift. Good pastrami at a Jewish deli is something you must eat at least once before you die.

If you have any goose breasts in your freezer, go for it. A pastrami on rye with good mustard, a slice of cheese and maybe some sauerkraut, and you got yourself some awesome there!

Once you make your pastrami, it will need to be eaten within a week or two, or you’ll need to vacuum seal and freeze it.\

4.95 from 58 votes

Goose Pastrami

I specifically call for Canada goose breasts here because they're the only ones I think are large enough to make this with, although domestic goose breasts will also of course work, if you have them lying around. Ditto for swan or sandhill crane breasts. Could you do it with snow goose or speck breasts? Yeah, but they'll be a lot smaller, and I'd only cure them for 24 hours instead of 24 to 36.

Save RecipePin RecipePrint Recipe

Course: Cured Meat

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 8 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 skinless Canada goose (or domestic goose breasts
  • Kosher salt see recipe notes
  • 3 grams Instacure No. 1, good for up to 3 pounds of goose
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed juniper optional
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper plus 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup brandy red wine, vinegar or water
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander

Instructions

  • Weigh your goose breasts. For every pound of goose, you'll need 10 grams of kosher salt, which is about a tablespoon. It's OK if you are a little off on this measurement. Mix the salt, curing salt, sugar as well as the thyme, celery seed, caraway, juniper and the teaspoon of black pepper and grind them all together in a spice grinder. Pack the goose breasts with this mixture, massaging it into the meat. Put the goose into a closed container in the fridge for 24 to 72 hours.

  • When you are ready, rinse off the goose and pat it dry. It's fine if you have a little bit of the cure stuck to the meat, but you don't want too much. Put the goose breasts on a rack in the fridge and let them dry uncovered for a day.

  • Dip the goose into the brandy -- or really any other liquid you want -- and then coat thoroughly in the remaining black pepper and ground coriander seed. I like to grind this myself so the texture is a little coarse, a little fine.

  • Smoke the goose breasts until the interior hits 140°F, which takes me about 3 hours.

  • Let the goose pastrami cool and eat as lunch meat, or on crackers or whatever.

Notes

A word on the Instacure. The 3 grams I call for will actually be enough to cure up to about 3 pounds of goose meat. A general rule is about 1 1/4 grams of Instacure per pound. Do not use more than I call for, though. You can buy curing salt No. 1 online.

Be careful when you are smoking your goose, as the internal temperature can skyrocket in such small pieces of meat. They'll be ready in 90 minutes in a hot smoker, which to my mind isn't enough time on the smoke. Try to keep your smoker at 200°F or cooler; I like to keep it at 160°F, which lets me smoke the goose for a solid 3 to 4 hours.

What wood? Your choice. I prefer oak, maple or hickory for this, followed by walnut, pecan or cherry.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Charcuterie, Ducks and Geese, Featured, Recipe, Wild Game

You May Also Like

British

British Game Pie

How to make hand-raised pies with game. This one is a huntsman’s pie, an English classic hand pie made with a hot water crust.

Ducks and Geese

Seared Canada Goose Breast

This is the best Canada goose breast recipe if you want to eat it like a steak or a London broil. Reverse seared goose breast sliced thin and served simply.

Charcuterie

Duck Terrine

Making a duck terrine is not as hard as you might think, although you do need some equipment. Why bother…

Asian

Duck Noodle Soup

A Cantonese duck noodle soup recipe that works with wild or farmed duck. Roast duck with noodles, a duck broth, mustard greens and ginger. Simple and refined.

About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Goose Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Goose Pastrami at Home (2024)

FAQs

What is pastrami seasoning made of? ›

Pastrami Seasoning:

1/2 cup Corse Ground Black Pepper. 1/4 cup Raw Sugar. 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic. 2 Tablespoons Ground Coriander.

Should you brine goose before cooking? ›

Dry-brining the goose ensures that the meat remains especially moist and juicy. The added baking powder also helps it develop extra-crisp skin.

What is the best meat for pastrami? ›

Pastrami is made with point brisket, which contains more marbling and fat. Pastrami can also be made with other cuts of beef, such as deckle (a lean shoulder cut) or navel (aka beef belly, which comes from the plate, a juicy section just below the ribs).

How do you tenderize goose meat? ›

It's a cooking method that involves encasing seasoned meat in a vacuum-sealed or food-safe plastic bag and submerging it in a circulating hot water bath. Meats poach in their own juices, and even the largest goose breast fillets will be fork tender after several hours in 130-degree water.

How is pastrami made from scratch? ›

Pastrami is made from beef, usually brisket, that is wet-cured in a brine, then highly seasoned with a rub consisting mainly of black pepper and coriander, then smoked for flavor, and steamed to finish. It is often sliced hot and served as a sandwich, though it can also be chilled and sliced as a cold-cut meat.

What makes pastrami taste like pastrami? ›

The main difference here is that after curing in the brine, pastrami is rubbed with a flavorful spice mix made from fennel and mustard seeds, coriander, black peppercorns, brown sugar, and garlic.

Should pastrami be sliced thin or thick? ›

When you slice it, be sure to slice it against the grain. You can either do really thin slices and then you can build pastrami sandwiches on rye bread or you can do thicker slices and serve it with cabbage and potatoes.

What is the closest meat to pastrami? ›

Both pastrami and corned beef are made with beef, although pastrami uses the fattier end side of brisket while corned beef is made from the leaner flat cut. Pastrami is smoked while corned beef is typically steamed or boiled.

Is pastrami healthy? ›

Pastrami doesn't contain a healthy amount of minerals and vitamins; it includes a lot of salt (sodium). You can get more than 248 mg of sodium in each ounce. However, using one ounce of corned beef means consuming 4g of fats and 56 calories. You can get 4g of protein from one piece.

What do you soak goose meat in? ›

Soaking waterfowl in a saltwater solution replaces blood with brine. The process also adds flavor and moisture. Once brined in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, the meat will be paler in color, giving it less of a livery look and more the appearance of domestic meat.

What is the best liquid to tenderize meat? ›

Simply soak your beef cuts in these natural tenderisers before cooking, and we guarantee the beef will be fall-apart tender!
  • 1) Tea. Tea contains tannins, which are a natural tenderiser. ...
  • 2) Coffee. ...
  • 3) Cola. ...
  • 4) Pineapple, pawpaw, figs, kiwis. ...
  • 5) Ginger. ...
  • 6) Baking Soda. ...
  • 7) Vinegar. ...
  • 8) Beer or wine.
Nov 9, 2016

Why pour boiling water over goose before roasting? ›

SAVE THE FAT

Prick the skin, pour over boiling water and cook covered in foil initially to allow the fat to be released into the roasting tray. Save the fat for roasting potatoes and cook the goose uncovered for the last 30 mins or so to crisp up.

Why do Jews like pastrami? ›

Romanian Jews emigrated to New York as early as 1872. Among Jewish Romanians, goose breasts were commonly made into pastrami because they were available. Beef navel was cheaper than goose meat in America, so the Romanian Jews in America adapted their recipe and began to make the cheaper-alternative beef pastrami.

What part of the pig is pastrami? ›

The way Sax sees it, the main differences between pastrami and smoked meat come down to the cut of beef and the spice rub it's coated with. "Pastrami in the United States is almost always made with navel, a cut similar to belly, or what you would make bacon out of on a pig.

What is real pastrami made of? ›

This Jewish Deli is made from a fine brisket; however, you can make it from turkey or lamb as well. Generally, chefs use certain cuts, such as the deckle. It is a lean, wide, and firm shoulder cut for pastrami. Sometimes, they use the navel, juicier and smaller section just below the ribs for pastrami.

What are the ingredients in boar's head pastrami? ›

Beef,Coated With: (Spices,Natural Flavoring,Sugar),Cured With: (Water,Salt,Sugar,Sodium Phosphate,Sodium Erythorbate,Sodium Nitrite,Natural Flavors).

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6151

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.