This Cajun recipe for Wild Goose in Red Wine Gravy is crave-worthy in every way: Exotically rich and darkly delicious with a bone-sucking boldness that you will remember for a lifetime.
Wild goose stewed down in red wine gravy is a rich and hearty Cajun recipe. (All photos credit: George Graham)
It’s wild geese swimming in an aromatic stew of wine-infused flavor so soul-satisfying and filling that it will make your knees wobble, and your belt unbuckle.
Donnie and Dazzle–in the blind and ready.
And it all started with an invitation from my friend Donnie Bacque. Along with Darryl D’Avy and Chris Dautreuil, he invited me to join them for a morning goose hunt at our friend Stephen Abshire’s camp on Forked Island in lower Vermilion Parish. His lodge along the Intracoastal Waterway has perfect goose-hunting fields, and with the expert calling of guide Jeff Leblanc, we limited out on specklebellies in no time at all.
The first goose of the morning.
The high-pitched cry of the greater white-fronted goose (specklebellies in these parts) is highly distinguishable from its brethren, and hunting them takes expert finesse. Specs are more skittish, and to bag your limit is a challenge for even the most experienced hunters. Here in Acadiana, they are prized over all geese, and once you have your first bite of this goose and gravy recipe, you’ll know why.
Chris Dautreuil bags a specklebelly along with guide Jeff Leblanc.
So with two fat specklebellies in hand, it was time to fire up my black iron pot. I began to think back through my Cajun recipe memory bank and remembered a recipe for coq au vin—stewing down a tough old bird (rooster) in red wine—that results in a gravy that is as good as the meat itself. Yessirree!
Brining adds flavor and moisture.
The key to wild goose versus a store-bought domestic goose is the difference in the fat content; wild goose is surprisingly lean, whereas the goose you purchase in your supermarket has thick layers of fat to render out. In fact, in this Wild Goose in Red Wine Gravy recipe, I introduce fat from applewood smoked bacon to brown the goose and seal in the juices. Additionally, I find overnight brining with apple juice, salt, and sugarcane molasses brings moisture to the birds, and I urge you to take the time and brine.
This wild game dish is a hearty meal for big appetites, so make sure your guests are hungry when called to the table. But rest assured, the boldness of this Wild Goose in Red Wine Gravy recipe creates an aroma that is so spellbinding, you won’t have to call them more than once.
- 2 (4 to 5-pound) wild specklebelly geese, cleaned
- 3 quarts apple juice
- ½ cup sugarcane molasses
- 1 cup salt
- ½ cup black pepper
- 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine
- 6 strips smoked applewood bacon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
- 8 cups dark chicken stock
- 2 cups apple juice
- 4 tablespoons dark roux, such as Rox's Roux
- 2 cups sliced andouille sausage
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons corn starch
- 4 tablespoons cold water
- 8 cups cooked long-grain white rice, such as Supreme, for serving
- Rinse the inside cavity and the skin of the geese thoroughly with cold water. Inspect each goose carefully and with a pair of pliers remove any feathers remaining. If the head is still on the goose, remove it.
- Make a brine by adding the apple juice, molasses, salt, and pepper to a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until the salt dissolves, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
- In a large container, add the two geese and pour over the brine. If not totally cool, add some ice to cool it down. Add enough water just to cover the geese (you might need to weigh down the geese since they tend to float). Place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove the geese from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. With a butcher’s knife or heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut each goose into 6 or 8 pieces.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, empty the bottle of red wine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking the wine at a rolling boil until the alcohol cooks off and it reduces by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour off 1 cup of the wine for later, and reserve the remaining reduced wine for other cooking uses.
- In a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven with a heavy lid over medium-high heat, add the bacon strips and cook until the fat renders and the bacon begins to crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon, chop into pieces and reserve for later.
- Add the geese skin-side down to the hot bacon grease and brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat to a platter.
- Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the grease and cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, parsley, and Cajun seasoning, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the stock, apple juice, 1 cup of the reduced red wine, and the roux. Bring to a boil and stir to combine. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the geese back to the pot along with the andouille, chopped bacon, and bay leaves. Make sure the pieces of geese are mostly immersed in the liquid to ensure even cooking (add more chicken stock if necessary). Cover the pot and cook until the meat is tender, about 2 hours. Uncover and stir the pot every half hour and skim the grease from the surface.
- Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, taste the gravy, and season with salt and pepper to your taste. The gravy should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If needed, make a slurry with cornstarch and cold water, and add it to the pot (bring it to a boil) to thicken.
- Serve the goose and gravy over steamed white rice, and serve with the biggest, boldest Cabernet you have.
Wild goose in red wine gravy is served.
YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE: If you like this Cajun cooking story and Cajun recipe then accept my personal invitation to subscribe by entering your email at the bottom or top right of this page. It’s quick and painless. You will receive an email alert and be the first to see when new Cajun cooking stories and Cajun recipes are added. Thanks, George.
I love seeing the Phoenicia Grocery cracked black pepper in your picture. Their store is spittin’ distance from my house and an excellent source of groceries from around the world. I look forward to using your recipe on a couple Specklebellies real soon. Your baked eggs in tasso infused cream was a huge hit this past Saturday morning!
Hey Stephen-
I always stop at Phoenicia when in Houston; I am addicted to their house-made Greek yogurt. Glad your baked eggs in tasso cream was a hit. All the best.
Hey George,
Now where would a Baton Rouge transplant like myself find wild specklebelly geese and dark chicken stock in northern FL? Do you happen to know of anywhere in particular or would you be able to suggest a place to order these items from?
Hey Edgar- You cannot buy wild geese, but a domestic goose will work if you remove much of the fat. As for dark chicken stock, you can make your own with a little planning. It is one of the secret weapons that elevates home cooking to professional levels. All the best, and thanks for the comment.
George, as enticing as the meal itself, I truly enjoyed the hunting story experience. It adds a dimension that underscores the experience and brings the recipe to life.
Hey John – Thanks my friend. As you well know, Cajun cooking is all about the people and the stories around the dishes that make the culture so colorful. Some of my most vivid food memories take place on Oakview Blvd. with you and your family for Sunday dinner around the table. Your mother was a world-class cook that could work magic in an 8-quart Magnalite pot. All the best to you and the rest of the Schneider family.
Hey George: Really enjoy your cooking blog! This recipe speaks to me, but no geese. How do you think this would work for some wild blue wing teal I got from a friend recently? How would you modify? Hi to Rox.
Hey Mark- Great to hear from you, my friend. The key to cooking most wild game — waterfowl, for sure — is a long, slow, and flavorful braise. This recipe should work well with any ducks, teal included. Teal are much smaller than geese, and you will cook several birds to feed your group, so adjust the quantity of brining and cooking liquid accordingly to immerse the birds. Let me know how it tastes. All the best to you and Mindy.
George, I remember meeting you at the camp and the great memories we shared in the blind with Donnie, my friend since college and frat days. Your article, recipe, and pics are all memorable as well, and I love ALL your articles and recipes, also. Please keep me on your email list so I can continue to share with my cooking club, Ancient Order of Southern Gourmets, which I formed about 10 years ago here in Covington La. Respects, Chris
Hey Chris- It was a pleasure hunting with you, and I am so glad you enjoy the stories on Acadiana Table. All the best to you and the Ancient Order of Southern Gourmets.
I’m cooking this tonight. Would a dark chicken stock be better or making my own wild game stock? Have both your cookbooks and really enjoy them. I don’t remember seeing this recipe in either of them.
Hey Joey- With the long braise of this cooking method, a dark chicken stock will blend perfectly with the flavor of the goose; I recommend you stick with the recipe. Thanks so much for purchasing both my cookbooks, and I hope you’ve discovered many new and adventurous recipes. All the best.
Bonjour!
I’m a Cajun from Ville Platte, LA. I’ve lived in many state and Europe for years since then. I still cook Cajun and get my sausage there while visiting family in Lafayette etc.
I order seasoning & bbq sauce from Jack Miller’s in Ville Platte. They are a long time family friend! I cooked a Canadian goose killed by my husband and am following your goose in red wine! I’ll do that recipe with ducks next!
We live in Annapolis, MD surrounded by water, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay which is a flyway for ducks and geese! Our seafood is good also! It was delicious!
Hey Belinda= Great to hear from an Evangeline Parish girl in Maryland. With all the great seafood there, you need to teach them how to make a seafood gumbo. All the best.
Bonjour George,
I cook Cajun food for my friends! Including seafood gumbo!
Merci!