Goose Tacos

Goose gets a bad reputation because people overcook it. The breast meat is dark, rich, and beefy — and when you braise it low and slow with chipotles, it shreds apart like the best barbacoa you've ever had. Pile it on warm corn tortillas with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro and you've got tacos that'll convert anyone who says they don't like wild game.

Ingredients

• 4 Canada goose breast halves (about 2 lbs)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Corn tortillas
• Fresh cilantro
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Lime wedges

For the pickled onions: - 1 large red onion, thinly sliced - 1 cup apple cider vinegar - 1/2 cup warm water - 1 tbsp sugar - 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Make the pickled onions first: combine vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt in a jar. Stir until dissolved. Add the sliced red onion and press down to submerge. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (the longer the better).
• Season the goose breasts with cumin, oregano, and salt on all sides.
• Sear the breasts in a hot skillet with a little oil for 2 minutes per side until browned. Transfer to a slow cooker or Dutch oven.
• Add the chipotles, adobo sauce, chicken broth, orange juice, and garlic to the pot.
• Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours in a slow cooker (or 2.5 hours at 300 degrees in the oven) until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
• Shred the goose directly in the braising liquid using two forks. Let it sit in the juices for 10 minutes to absorb the flavor.
• Warm corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame.
• Build the tacos: shredded goose, pickled red onions, cilantro, cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime.

Tips

Don't skip the sear. Browning the breast meat before braising adds a layer of flavor that the slow cooker alone can't create.

Orange juice is the secret. The acid tenderizes the meat and the sweetness balances the smoky heat of the chipotles.

This works with any dark-meat waterfowl — Canada goose, specklebelly, snow goose, or even diver ducks. The long braise tenderizes even the toughest birds.