Wild goose burritos

Roasting a wild goose can certainly be risky. It can be dry, tough or very strong. However, there are some foolproof recipes that can turn any goose into a delicious meal. I have decided to cook this goose using a low-and-slow method, coating it with Mexican spices and cooking it with stock until it shreds apart. For this recipe, I used goose breasts, but the legs would be even better.

It is no secret that I love spicy Mexican food. I love the depth of flavours and the variety. One of my favourite handheld foods when at an event, or in need of a quick fix, is a burrito. It’s a whole meal in a wrap that is filling and incredibly tasty — and goose is a perfect alternative to traditional chicken.

Wild goose burrito

Ingredients

• Wild goose legs or breasts
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp cracked black pepper
• 1½tsp smoked paprika
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1tsp garlic puree or powder
• ½tsp cayenne
• 1tsp cumin
• 2tsp chipotle paste
• 2 ½tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp lime juice
• ½tsp brown sugar
•  1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 450ml beef stock
• 400g cooked rice
• 200g tomato salsa
• 200g guacamole
• 150g grated cheese
• 10 30cm tortilla wraps
• Sour cream or mayonnaise (Optional)
• Hot sauce (I use cholula)
• Handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Place all the spice rub ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. After removing the skin, score the jointed meat with a knife so the flavours penetrate deep into it. Liberally coat the goose meat with the spice mix and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes, or longer for a deeper flavour.
2. Brown the meat in two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Then add the onions, peppers and garlic and cook on a medium heat for five to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the beef stock, stir and cover with a lid. Cook in the oven at 150°C for three to four hours, turning the meat every hour and adding a little water if needed to stop the dish drying out. While waiting for the magic to happen in the oven, prepare the rest of the assembly ingredients.
4. When the meat is ready, remove it from the pan and shred it by scraping two forks across the flesh. The remaining liquid should coat the back of the spoon. If it is too thick, add a little water. If it’s too thin, reduce it on the stove to achieve the right consistency. Mix the shredded meat back into the pan to create an unctuous mixture ready for assembly.
5. Assemble the burritos. There is no hard-and-fast rule. I like to add the rice first and then the shredded meat with all the toppings on one half of the wrap. Then, I fold in the two ends and, starting from the side with the filling, roll tightly.

Thoughts on cooking goose

I don’t often go goose shooting, but here in the south-east, we are blessed with some exceptionally good marshes that are home to an abundance of wildfowl.

There are plenty of Canada and greylag geese, but wild goose is one of those quarries that I don’t get to cook enough. I love the richness and variety you get with it.

However, the thought of cooking goose can fluster people. Many think, incorrectly, that you can cook it as you would a normal farmed goose, but it has less fat content, making it tricky to get right.

The thing is, it’s difficult to age a goose. Like most animals, an older goose is tougher and stronger, whereas a younger one is more forgiving.