Jaeger-Style Goose Meatballs

This recipe features Canada Goose meat in a rich German-style bacon, mushroom, and cream sauce. No goose meat? Substitute ground venison or beef.

jaeger_style_meatballs_girlgamechef

Serves:  6

Time:    1 hour 15 minutes

1/3 c. half & half

½ tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. garlic powder

¾ tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ground dry sage

½ tsp. ground black pepper

½ sleeve saltine crackers, finely crushed

1 ½ lb. ground goose breast

¾ lb. ground pork

½ lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, finely diced

½-lb. bacon, crisply fried and crumbled, drippings reserved

2 (10.5 oz.) cans Campbell’s beef consommé or equal amount of beef or goose stock

2/3 c. water

½ c. dry white wine

1 bay leaf

½ - ¾ c. all-purpose flour

2 c. half & half (or more)

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first seven ingredients into a panade then gently mix in the goose and pork by hand and shape into walnut-sized balls. Heat half of reserved bacon fat in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown meatballs in two batches, deglazing the pan after each batch with some of the consommé. Transfer meatballs and pan juices to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

 While meatballs bake, brown mushrooms in remaining bacon drippings; set aside. Using the same pan (without cleaning), sweat onions until tender, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the skillet with the wine and remove from heat.

 Remove meatballs from baking sheet and pour one can of consommé onto the sheet and scrape to remove the browned bits. Strain and set aside to cool.

 Make a slurry by putting the flour in a medium bowl and whisking in the strained broth, remaining can of consommé, and the water until no lumps remain. Return skillet with wine to medium heat, whisk in the slurry and heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Reduce heat to low, stir in the 2 c. of half & half, mushrooms, bacon, and meatballs. Heat over low 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over plain buttered egg noodles or Sour Cream and Horseradish Noodles.

Sour Cream & Horseradish Noodles

8 oz. dry wide egg noodles

½ c. sour cream

1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

Salt and pepper to taste

 Cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Combine sour cream and horseradish in a large bowl. Toss noodles with sour cream mixture and season with salt and pepper.