This Snow Goose Soup Recipe makes a delicious and aromatic goose broth that’s packed with snow goose, lo mein, bok choy, and Asian flavors making it our favorite snow goose recipe.
Snow Goose Recipe
When it comes to making the most of wild game, snow geese don’t always get the love they deserve. Yet, these birds offer incredible culinary potential, especially when you focus on the legs and thighs. Too often discarded, the snow goose legs and thighs are perfect for slow cooking, transforming tough meat into tender, fall-off-the-bone bites.
Today, I’m excited to share a snow goose recipe that celebrates these underrated parts: Snow Goose Soup. This goose broth is rich, nourishing, and infused with vibrant Asian flavors - a perfect way to feed your family on a chilly evening like we are having right now here in Fargo, North Dakota.
Keep Those Snow Goose Legs and Thighs
Snow geese get a reputation for being tough, but that’s all the more reason to appreciate their legs and thighs. These cuts are packed with flavor, making them ideal for soups and stews. As I always try to emphasize, it’s important to harvest and utilize every part of the animal. By slow cooking the legs and thighs, we break down the connective tissue, creating a goose broth that’s deeply flavorful and nutrient-rich.
For this goose soup recipe, we’ll pair tender snow goose meat with ingredients like baby bok choy, oyster sauce, and lo mein noodles. The result is a hearty soup that’s both comforting and delicious.
Tips For Preparing Goose Broth
To build layers of flavor in this goose soup, we start by browning the snow goose legs and thighs in sesame oil. Browning caramelizes the meat’s natural sugars, adding depth to the goose broth. Adding fresh garlic and ground ginger gives the soup a bright, aromatic base, while chicken broth provides the liquid foundation. The slow-cooking process allows all these elements to meld together beautifully.
Using snow goose in this recipe also brings a sustainability angle. Harvesting these abundant birds helps maintain ecological balance, and by using the legs and thighs, you ensure no part goes to waste.
How To Make Goose Soup
1. Rinse the snow goose legs and thighs under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Heat sesame oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the goose pieces and brown on each side for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir everything together.
5. Cover the Dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes. When the meat is tender and falling off the bone, it’s ready.
6. Remove the lid and use tongs or forks to pull the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and return the shredded meat to the soup.
7. Add the green onions, bok choy, baby corn, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and ground ginger. Simmer the soup over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables.
8. Stir in the lo mein noodles and cook according to the package directions.
9. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and drizzle each serving with about 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
Serving Suggestions & Variations
This snow goose recipe is a meal in itself, but you can serve it alongside steamed rice or crusty bread to help fill up everyone at the table after a long day of works, school, and other activities. I made this goose soup with our young daughter in mind, but if you’re looking for more spice, try adding a splash of chili oil or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. For those who prefer a slightly sweeter broth, a touch of hoisin sauce can round out the flavors nicely.
More Waterfowl Recipes
Here on the website, you'll find plenty of great recipes using duck legs and goose legs from our Cajun Goose Pot Pie to Greek Nachos to Quesadillas to Tacos to Fettuccine Alfredo.
Come Goose Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota waterfowl season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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The Best Snow Goose Soup
Ingredients
- skinless legs and thighs from 2 snow geese
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 Tablespoons sesame oil + more to drizzle on top at the end
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 green onions, sliced into rounds
- 3 baby bok choy, quartered
- 1 15-ounce can cut baby corn
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 8 ounces lo mein
Instructions
- Rinse the goose pieces and pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat sesame oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown the goose pieces on each side for about 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté another 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth and stir together.
- Cover and cook for about 2 hours over medium-low heat, stirring every 20 minutes. At this point, the goose meat should be falling off the bones. If they aren’t, cook a little longer.
- Remove the lid and use tongs or forks to shred meat off the bones. Discard the bones.
- Add the green onions, bok choy, baby corn, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and ginger. Simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to soften vegetables.
- Add the noodles to the soup and cook according to package directions.
- Season soup with more salt and black pepper if needed. Divide among warm bowls, drizzle each bowl of soup with about 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and serve immediately.
Trevor says
I made this for my wife and daughter with some snows I brought back from South Dakota hunt and they loved it. I didn't have bok choy so used baby spinach I had in the fridge instead. Everybody loved it! Great flavors
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Trevor! It's great to hear everyone enjoyed the soup. Great idea using the spinach that you had on hand!