Grilled Goose Fajitas
Fire up the grill for this easy, flavorful recipe and let your guests customize their meal with loads of toppings.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus marinating time)
Cook Time: 30 minutes
3 Canada goose breasts
2 medium yellow onions, sliced ¼” thick
1 each green and red pepper, sliced ¼” thick
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Soy Marinade
½ c. fresh lemon juice
½ c. soy sauce
½ c. liquid vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. ketchup
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
½ tsp. pepper
Clean and trim breasts of all silverskin and fat, checking carefully for shot. Cut into pieces that will fit in the chute of a food processor and freeze until a knife can be inserted in the center with some resistance, about 2 hours. Using a thin slicing blade (2 mm) in a food processor, slice the partially frozen meat. (Alternately, slice partially frozen meat very thinly with a sharp knife.)
Combine all marinade ingredients, add sliced meat and toss well, separating the slices to coat all the meat. Marinade, refrigerated, at least 3 hours or overnight (stir occasionally if marinating overnight).
Combine onions and peppers in a microwave-safe container with a lid. Cook in the microwave on high 3-4 minutes or just until they begin to soften. Coat lightly with vegetable oil.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Using a grill wok or grill pan, cook onions and peppers until lightly browned and softened, or to taste. Set aside and keep warm. Using same wok or pan cook the meat in 2 batches, stirring frequently, just until cooked through (meat will toughen if overcooked). Heat tortillas (wrap in foil and warm in a 300° oven for 5-10 minutes, or place individual tortillas on the grill grate for 15-20 seconds on each side to create a light char, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm).
Build each fajita by layering meat, vegetables and cheese, drizzle with crema (and any additional toppings), and roll up to enclose fillings.
Cilantro-Lime Crema
½ c. Crema (or sour cream)
¼ c. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1 small clove of garlic
Salt to taste
Whole milk for thinning
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and add milk, a little at a time, until mixture is a drizzling consistency. Refrigerate until needed.
Extras
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 8” flour tortillas
(Optional):
Chopped fresh tomato
Diced fresh avocado
Fresh lime wedges
Shredded lettuce
Goose hunting conjures up different images for different hunters. Methods change greatly depending on where you hunt and the birds’ behavior. Corn fields in the midwestern states demand completely different tactics from tidal marshes, flooded timber, or a pond frequented by resident geese. Add to the equation weather, the lay of the land, food and water sources, or flight patterns and each hunt becomes a one-of-a-kind, unpredictable experience.
Blinds are often used to camouflage a hunter’s silhouette and take on many forms - portable pop-ups, lay-out blinds, boats, or simply a folding chair behind camouflage mesh. We hunt from a permanent stationary blind. These blinds are as unique as the “structural engineers” who build them and are usually framed walls of plywood and marsh grass with a hinged roof. Inside a blind, hunters can talk, fidget, hide a retrieving dog, bring a space heater for extra-chilly days, and even cook. Surprisingly, cooking breakfast in the blind is more common than you would think! We have a hunting buddy who brings a camp stove and whips up bacon and eggs with biscuits. Another has been known to prepare lobster bisque, home fries and sausage. (Beverage service is BYO thermos.) Goose hunting provides opportunities to spend time outdoors, enjoy the company of friends, and eat good food. Bringing home fresh goose is a bonus to the experience of a morning in the blind.
Both our girls have fond memories of goose hunting with their father and uncle. One of their favorite dinners as children were these fajitas.