A Roast Goose Recipe fit for the Christmas Table (2024)

FAQs

Why pour boiling water over goose before roasting? ›

To achieve crisp fat, I recommend starting the day before roasting. Scald the bird over a sink on a wire rack with 2 or 3 kettles of boiling water slowly poured over the bird, pat dry, then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.

Although many of us associate a traditional Christmas dinner with a roast turkey, Christmas goose is becoming a more popular option amongst families and chefs alike. Its tasty, darker meat yields the most wonderful rich gravy and let's not forget the unbeatable crispiness of those golden potatoes roasted in goose fat.

Goose for the Perfect Holiday Meal

Carving the goose tableside and serving it with the stuffing on the side also adds to the visual appeal. Hearty, pan-roasted potatoes or a rich chestnut stuffing soak up the goose fat drippings, while tangy cranberry sauce provides the perfect counterpoint on the plate.

When buying whole duck or goose, allow about one to 1 1/2 pounds of raw weight per person. Raw boneless meat yields about three servings per pound after cooking. Estimate three to four-ounces per person for fully cooked products.

Choose goose of weight you need - 4.5kg (10lb) goose will feed 6-8 people, 6kg (13lb) goose 8-10 people.

Put some water in roaster if fat begins to smoke. next turn oven down to 175 , open oven door to let out hot air, then roast breast side up for 6 to 7 hours, or, when thickest part of meat reaches 158 degrees. note. Oven temps vary as does goose weight so total roasting time will vary.

Like duck, it's also a red-meat bird and goose breast is meant to be cooked medium-rare. You'll want to watch the cooking closely, the overcooked goose isn't like overcooked chicken or turkey. Instead of turning dry and stringy, it will become tough and chewy and taste like liver.

But because geese are more expensive and difficult to raise, other meats were deemed more acceptable to serve during the holidays as time went on.

Christmas Tradition: Weihnachtsgans. The rest of the world waxes poetic about Christmas goose. Germans actually eat it, anchoring the Christmas table with a golden brown Gänsebraten that would make Dickens proud. Sure, duck is widely popular and perhaps even more common.

The most flavoursome birds derive from free-range, slow-growing turkeys – especially bronze varieties – which have had time to mature and produce some lean fat. Goose, on the other hand, has a much stronger, more 'gamey' flavour, a little like duck.

Does anyone still eat goose for Christmas? ›

While goose was once a common Christmas dinner in the United States, it is now less popular as the meal's centerpiece than turkey, prime rib, roast beef, steak, chicken, brisket, pork, ham, lamb, fish, or duck.

The Goose is Back – Long Live Tradition

Goose, the most traditional of Christmas poultry, is regaining its place on more and more festive dinner tables.

Best wine pairings with goose

A dry spätlese Riesling would be ideal, cutting through the fat and providing a subtle touch of sweetness. The drawback is that your guests may well expect a red - but there's no reason why you can't serve both. A bolder choice still for Christmas.

An 11-12 lb (5-5.5 kg) bird is the ideal weight, and will serve eight people quite generously. Although (like ducks) geese have a substantial layer of fat under the skin, this melts during the cooking and acts as an excellent internal basting process.

This roast goose recipe should feed 6-8 people and you need: 1 goose, approx. 3.5kg - 4.5kg (8-10lb) 750 g / 1 1/2 lb Bramley apples (or other cooking apples)

When deciding what size goose to get you should allow for 1-1/2 to 2 pounds per person (unless you have big eaters). An 8-pound goose will serve 4 to 5 while a 12-pound goose should feed 6 to 8. You can always get two smaller geese and roast them together. There are a number of ways to prepare goose for dinner.