Magpie geese love hanging about in the long grass where they feed by stripping seeds from the stems. They also feed on crops and insects.
This month our resident butcher STEVE BAIN looks at processing poultry for meat without plucking.
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If you start from scratch to process poultry, then you have to deal with removing the feathers.
To do this without pulling off feathers and down (plucking), it basically involves skinning the bird.
A lot of diets these days recommend skinless poultry cuts. So, the non-plucking approach fits the bill.
This approach is also less messy in the field and the photographs are cleaner, too. With this visual appeal in mind (that is, less blood and gore) I’m mindful that the education can be achieved in a less confronting manner.
This story is about butchering and cooking (see page 36) magpie geese.
But I changed out my approach of using the wild bird and have used a store-bought chicken sample as my ‘mannequin’.
Magpie geese are a well-kept secret as Aussie bush tucker.
This wild goose is arguably some of the best meat that you'll ever eat.
However, no worries if you don't have magpie geese available for processing practice — any other small farm poultry like chooks, ducks or geese will make adequate substitutes.
Magpie geese can be legally hunted in the Northern Territory where the species is carefully managed. No worries if you don't have magpie geese available for this recipe — any other small-farm poultry like chooks, ducks or geese will make adequate substitutes.
Step 1: We start with a frame that has already been opened up (please note that in the ‘field’ the stomach cavity is not entered and would still be intact). Very importantly, the object of this demonstration sequence is to study how the maryland ‘leg’ (that is, the drumstick and thigh) is pushed upwards to release from the skin, rather than the skin being cut away from the meat. A locking-blade pocket knife will often be used in the field due to its portability.
Step 2: With your fingers, push forward on the end of the drumstick, while simultaneously holding the skin back from the thigh. The forces are in opposite directions. As you push forward, the skin will peel ‘backwards’ off the leg.
Step 3: Next push your finger through the underside of the leg between the skin and the leg. And pull the skin towards the ‘foot’ end of the leg.
Step 4: You now have a 90 per cent skinned leg that lays a little bit out to the side.
Step 5: Grab this leg and bend it backwards, against the underside of the frame in order to break/pop the ball and socket joint that connects the leg to the main body.
Step 6: Once you’ve snapped the joint wide open you can then cut the maryland away from the poultry frame.
Step 7: The maryland sectioned away from the frame.
Step 8: Cut the end off of the drumstick — you may also French the drumstick if you desire.
Step 9: The poultry maryland ready for the recipe.
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