Goose Breast Pastrami

Although these goose breasts require multiple steps—brining, smoking and circulating—trust us in saying the process is more than worth it! The final texture is perfection. Enjoy. Recipe courtesy of Matthew Batey, chef at Teatro in Calgary. This recipe was initially published in City Palate; check out www.citypalete.ca for more great recipes and food ideas!

Ingredients:

  • 2 goose breasts, rinsed and patted dry

Brine

  • 8 cups water
  • 9 oz brown sugar
  • 5 oz salt
  • 1 oz instacure no.1 (curing salt)
  • 2 tsp toasted coriander
  • 2 tsp toasted crushed black pepper
  • 2 tsp toasted fennel seed
  • 2 tsp toasted anise seed
  • 2 tsp mustard seed, crushed
  • 2 tsp chili flakes

Dry Rub

  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup black peppercorns
  • ⅓ cup toasted coriander
  • ⅓ cup toasted fennel seed
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp chili flakes

Directions:

  1. Combine the brine ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  2. Place the goose breasts in the brine, ensuring they are completely covered, and let stand for 4 days.
  3. Remove the breasts from the brine, rinse in cold water and pat dry.
  4. Smoke the breasts gently at 180°F for 3 hours, using a combination of cherry and apple woods.
  5. At this point, your goose is fully cooked. However, it's highly recommended to use a circulator. Place your smoked breasts in a vacuum seal bag with enough brine to surround the breasts, but not too much that you can't seal the bag. Put into an immersion or sous vide circulator at 58°C for 36 hours. Once again, this is an optional step, but it creates a fantastic texture.
  6. Chill the breasts in the fridge overnight. Thinly slice and serve with your favourite garnishes. A portion is about 2 oz--a very tasty 2 oz!