Canada Goose, Beer & Aged Cheddar Soup

Name: Canada Goose, Beer & Aged Cheddar Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 4 unit Canada goose legs 3 to 4 legs, cooked confit-style then shredded; 2 unit Leek white and light green parts, finely sliced; 2 unit Potato peeled and diced small, to thicken; 150 g Smoked bacon cut into lardons; 1250 ml Wild game bird stock 1.25 L, goose, duck or pheasant; 500 ml Stout or brown beer 400 to 500 ml, one bottle; 150 g Shredded sharp cheddar the oldest you can find, ideally 3 years and up; 125 ml 15% cream 1/2 cup, adjust to taste; Salt to taste; Ground black pepper to taste; Canada goose legs extra shredded meat for the maple glaze; 75 ml Maple syrup 4 to 5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup; Chives finely chopped, for finishing; Garlic croutons optional, for crunch

The name says it all: Canada goose, bacon, beer. In a spoon.

Prep25 min

Cook1 h

Yield3 to 4 servings

DifficultyEasy

theuplandcook.com/en/recipes/canada-goose-beer-bacon-soup

Ingredients

For the soup

4 — Canada goose legs (3 to 4 legs, cooked confit-style then shredded)
2 — Leek (white and light green parts, finely sliced)
2 — Potato (peeled and diced small, to thicken)
150 g — Smoked bacon (cut into lardons)
1250 ml — Wild game bird stock (1.25 L, goose, duck or pheasant)
500 ml — Stout or brown beer (400 to 500 ml, one bottle)
150 g — Shredded sharp cheddar (the oldest you can find, ideally 3 years and up)
125 ml — 15% cream (1/2 cup, adjust to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

For the garnish

Canada goose legs (extra shredded meat for the maple glaze)
75 ml — Maple syrup (4 to 5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup)
Chives (finely chopped, for finishing)
Garlic croutons (optional, for crunch)

Steps

01Prep the ingredients
Finely slice the leeks, keeping the white and light green parts. Peel and dice the potatoes small (smaller cubes cook and thicken faster). Cut the bacon into lardons. Shred the already-confit goose legs and set aside a good portion separately for the garnish.
02Render the bacon
In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the lardons over medium heat until well browned and crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels. Keep the fat in the pot — that's what's going to flavor everything that follows.
03Sweat the leeks
Add the sliced leeks to the bacon fat and lower to medium-low heat. Sweat gently 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, without browning. The leeks should turn translucent and tender. Season with a little salt.
04Deglaze with the beer
Pour the dark beer over the leeks. Raise the heat and let it bubble for 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol and concentrate the malty flavors. You'll smell the kitchen fill with pub aromas.
05Cook the potatoes
Add the diced potatoes then pour in the wild game bird stock. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and starting to break down.
06Blend for a creamy texture
With an immersion blender right in the pot (or in batches in a stand blender), blend the soup until smooth and silky. If you prefer some texture, blend only three-quarters of it and leave some visible leek pieces.
07Stir in the sharp cheddar
Lower the heat to minimum. Add the shredded sharp cheddar in batches, whisking constantly so it melts smoothly without breaking. This matters: if you push the heat too high, the cheese will split. Stir in the cream, adjust salt and pepper.
08Add the shredded goose and bacon
Stir the shredded goose and half the crispy bacon into the soup. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes so everything warms through and the flavors come together. Save the rest of the bacon for the garnish.
09Caramelize the goose in maple syrup
In a separate nonstick pan, pour the maple syrup and heat over medium until it reaches a gentle boil. Add the reserved shredded goose and stir constantly for 30 seconds, just enough to coat the meat without drying it out. It's quick but critical: any longer and you get hard caramel.
10Serve and garnish
Pour the piping hot soup into preheated bowls. On top, drop a spoonful of maple-glazed goose, scatter the rest of the crispy bacon, add a few garlic croutons, finish with a swirl of cream and some chopped chives. Serve right away.

Bowl of creamy Canada goose, bacon and sharp cheddar soup, drizzle of cream, crispy lardons, maple-glazed shredded goose

Canada Goose, Beer & Aged Cheddar Soup

The name says it all: Canada goose, bacon, beer. In a spoon.

Prep25 min

Cook1 h

Yield3 to 4 servings

LevelEasy

Ingredients

For the soup

Canada goose legs, 3 to 4 legs, cooked confit-style then shredded4
Leek, white and light green parts, finely sliced2
Potato, peeled and diced small, to thicken2
Smoked bacon, cut into lardons5.3 oz
Wild game bird stock, 1.25 L, goose, duck or pheasant5.2 cups
Stout or brown beer, 400 to 500 ml, one bottle2 cups
Shredded sharp cheddar, the oldest you can find, ideally 3 years and up5.3 oz
15% cream, 1/2 cup, adjust to taste½ cup
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

For the garnish

Canada goose legs, extra shredded meat for the maple glaze
Maple syrup, 4 to 5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup⅓ cup
Chives, finely chopped, for finishing
Garlic croutons, optional, for crunch

Steps

01
Finely slice the leeks, keeping the white and light green parts. Peel and dice the potatoes small (smaller cubes cook and thicken faster). Cut the bacon into lardons. Shred the already-confit goose legs and set aside a good portion separately for the garnish.
02
In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the lardons over medium heat until well browned and crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels. Keep the fat in the pot — that's what's going to flavor everything that follows.
03
Add the sliced leeks to the bacon fat and lower to medium-low heat. Sweat gently 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, without browning. The leeks should turn translucent and tender. Season with a little salt.
04
Pour the dark beer over the leeks. Raise the heat and let it bubble for 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol and concentrate the malty flavors. You'll smell the kitchen fill with pub aromas.
05
Add the diced potatoes then pour in the wild game bird stock. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and starting to break down.
06
With an immersion blender right in the pot (or in batches in a stand blender), blend the soup until smooth and silky. If you prefer some texture, blend only three-quarters of it and leave some visible leek pieces.
07
Lower the heat to minimum. Add the shredded sharp cheddar in batches, whisking constantly so it melts smoothly without breaking. This matters: if you push the heat too high, the cheese will split. Stir in the cream, adjust salt and pepper.
08
Stir the shredded goose and half the crispy bacon into the soup. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes so everything warms through and the flavors come together. Save the rest of the bacon for the garnish.
09
In a separate nonstick pan, pour the maple syrup and heat over medium until it reaches a gentle boil. Add the reserved shredded goose and stir constantly for 30 seconds, just enough to coat the meat without drying it out. It's quick but critical: any longer and you get hard caramel.
10
Pour the piping hot soup into preheated bowls. On top, drop a spoonful of maple-glazed goose, scatter the rest of the crispy bacon, add a few garlic croutons, finish with a swirl of cream and some chopped chives. Serve right away.

Waterfowl Canada goose British Upland game birds

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