how to pluck a goose?

E

ed gagne

Well-known member
well i got a decent goose this morning and i plucked it but i dont know how to get all the little "pin" feathers out. i thought you were suppose to boil it but i guess your suppose to do that before you take most of the feathers off.

my question is, is there an easy way to get all the tiny feathers off, some sort of trick or do i have to just sit for a few hours and pick them out?

thanks

eddie
 
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I prefer to just breast them out. Much easier and cleaner. Chunk them up and stir fry 'em. But that's just MHO. ;) I have plucked before and won't ever do it again. Plucked a Sandhill Crane with a buddy once............not fun. ;)

Lou
 
If they are pin feathers then pick a different bird to pluck or you will have to pull them all like you have learned. Young of the year or adult that haven't fully molted aren't good ones to pluck. You have to be picky on what to pick. Early season ducks can be horrible.
I usually dry pluck them and then singe like Eric, just don't have the torch or burner too hot. Dipping for a few moments in not quite boiling water (I'd say 170ish) with a few drops of dish soap in it will wet them and make the feathers pull easier. Make sure the water gets into the feathers but don't let the bird heat up in the water.
I've always been going to try melting wax on top of water and dipping the ducks in that. It is suppose to work well and taking off all of the feathers.

Not much is as good to eat as a nice fat roasted duck or goose... but not all of them can be plucked.

Tim
 
I've always been going to try melting wax on top of water and dipping the ducks in that. It is suppose to work well and taking off all of the feathers.
Tim
Click to expand...


I've heard of the wax idea, but haven't done it myself...Ususlly skin the geese, leave back whatever fat I can if I intend to roast it, to hold in moisture, then cover the bird in the roaster with a layer of bacon...bacon makes everything taste better.

Chuck
 
Wax (parafin) works extremely well.

Dip the goose in boiling water for a sec... parafin is on top.

Cool for a minute or two. peel the wax off... it comes off in chunks and the feathers come off with the wax. Skin is totally clear of feathers.

A.
 
thanks guys. this is the first goose i shot this year and my mom got a new smoker for her bday and was after me to get a goose to try so i figured id pluck one up when i got one. she actually sprayed it with cooking oil and put it on the grill real quick and singed them off.

yea lou im not a big fan of plucking either but for the sake of having smoked goose i try it today.

eddie
 
Ed
keep plucking.
Nothing is better than a nice roasted or smoked bird that you put all your time in for.
Sure it is a little work but so is hunting prep for the rest of the year.
Just like any game, it always tastes better if you really had to work for it.

Yukon Mike had some awesome pictures of birds he plucked and maybe he will put you on to them.
 
I'll 2nd that dipping it in melted wax works. The 'ol man did this often. After melting parafin wax in hot water, take it off the stove - obviously the wax/water mix needs to be in a wide pan to dip in the bird. Let wax cool on the bird then pull off the wax with the pin feathers.
 
I just dry pick birds that I pluck. Breast out the birds with lots of pin feathers. I singe the birds after plucking with my propane torch. The only reason I pluck is to deep fry. I love ducks and geese deep fried, but it is a lot of work. Usually due to time contraints, I breast geese and take the thighs and drum sticks.
 
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