Keeping a Fresh Goose

[mikeycook]

I went to Citarella on Friday, just to see if they had fresh goose. I found that they did, so I asked the man behind the counter how long I could keep it in the refrigerator without freezing it. I asked if I would be ok until Christmas day. He said it was not a problem. He only recommended I remove the bird from its plastic bag and leave it in its deli paper. I was surprised it could keep this long, so I asked the question again and got the same answer. So I bought one (12 lbs.)

Does anyone know if this is ok? I know duck can stay longer in the fridge than, say, chicken, and I have seen recipes that call for leaving the duck in the fridge uncovered up to 3 days to dry it out (such as Terrance Brennan's Duck l'Orange). Would a goose be the same? Is 6 days in the fridge just too much?

This is my first goose and any help would be appreciated. I can always get another if need be.

Edited December 22, 2003 by mikeycook (log)

[fimbul]

Six days does sound a bit long to me, but I've kept fresh ducks in the fridge that long (due to circumstances beyond my control) which turned out just fine. I do believe goose can keep a bit longer than chicken, but I don't know the exact numbers.

I guess it depends on what risks you're willing to take. I like to throw my immune system the occasional curveball to keep it on its toes, and I (usually) trust poulterers and butchers not to give me advice that might make me sick, so, were I in your shoes, I'd likely keep the bird and cook it on Christmas. I'd smell the goose before I cooked it, though.

On the other hand, more cautious types might reasonably state that *nothing* should be kept in a home refigerator for more than a day or two, and I've even been told (with great certainty) that no meat, fowl, or fish should ever be kept longer than a single day. *shrug*

All this, of course, is assuming you're not feeding the very young, very old, very ill, or very frail, etc. etc. I usually serve people in their late 20s, and they can damn well take their chances.

edit: typos

Edited December 22, 2003 by fimbul (log)

[budrichard]

By plastic bag, I assume the goose was not in any type of shrink wrap. Don't panic, 6 days should be no problem at close to 32F. So maybe turn up/down? your fridge. Go back after Xmas and they will still be selling those fresh geese until they freeze them. Many stores have a sell by date. I picked up a fresh Muscovy duck Saturday and will disassemble it tomorrow, Tuesday. The sell by date is 12/29. No problem. Also saw fresh geese at about $7 something a pound. Just didn't have a use for one this Xmas. Enjoy! -Dick

Edited December 23, 2003 by budrichard (log)

[fresco]

I'd think that the sheer amount of fat in a goose would be some bulwark against spoilage, but maybe the food science experts have more definitive answers. Not encasing it in plastic sounds like a good idea.

[mikeycook]

I appreciate all of the replies. The refrigerator is pretty cold. If it has an discernably bad smell I will obviously throw it out, but I will report back.

[Ruth]

If a goose is freshly killed it is even advisable to keep it refrigerated and loosely wrapped for a few days. I remember once buying one from a live-poultry market, cooked it three days later and wished I had waited another three days. If the butcher at Citarella tells you it will be fine until Xmas I would go a long with that and the goose will be all the better for it, especially a 12 lb. bird

[Fat Guy]

If you shoot a wild goose, you might hang it for a week. This doesn't seem to present a safety problem. I wonder if the rules are different for farm-raised geese.

[budrichard]

Again I must disagree on hanging wild game. Hanging is a hold over from when refrigeration was not available and market hunting supplied much of the meat eaten. Since delivery was slow, the aging associated with wild game occured. Some found that the decomposition associated made the game more tender and acquired a specific flavor that was attractive/addicitve. I'm sure that the health problems associated with this era never got documented. I have found no wild game that needs to be hung before being palatable and that includes wild geese that I have been hunting and eating for 30+ years. What i have found is that inattention to strict cleaning, temperature control and storage, lead to wild game that is not palatable. Most of the time when individuals give wild game away, especially venison, it is becuase they have not properly prepared the game and found it inedible.

For many years I purchased our farm raised goose for XMAS dinner from a local farmer. Slaughtered two days before XMAS, the goose needed no aging and was ready to go on XMAS day. -Dick

Edited December 25, 2003 by budrichard (log)