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

FAQs

How many people does a roast goose serve? ›

Choose goose of weight you need - 4.5kg (10lb) goose will feed 6-8 people, 6kg (13lb) goose 8-10 people. 2. Make sure the oven and roasting tin will accommodate the bird.

Ditch the turkey and go for goose instead – you can use every piece of the bird to create the best-ever Christmas lunch by incorporating the legs into the sprouts, the fat into the roast potatoes and the carcass into a knockout gravy, leaving the easily carved roast breasts as the stunning centrepiece.

SAVE THE FAT

Prick the skin, pour over boiling water and cook covered in foil initially to allow the fat to be released into the roasting tray. Save the fat for roasting potatoes and cook the goose uncovered for the last 30 mins or so to crisp up.

The final price will be determined at the time of sale. Birds are $15/pound, and geese range in size from 8-13 lbs.

Goose Side Dishes Inspiration

Goose's natural pairing is with something acidic to cut through its fattiness. So, think acidic fruits like apples, cherries or citrus. Cherries can make delightful sauce that adds brightness to rich goose meat.

You can even do it the day before if you like – once cooked just shred the meat from the bone and breast, place it all in an earthenware dish and toss through the gorgeous fat from the bird along with a squeeze of clementine juice and a handful of sage leaves.

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.

One legend has it that Queen Elizabeth I was gobbling up goose when she heard the British had defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, ordering all of England to mimic her dinner at Christmas. The tradition then presumably spread from England to Germany, where it stuck.

Germany. In Germany, roast goose is a staple for Christmas Day meals. A traditional German dish is Gefüllter Gänsehals, a dish of goose neck stuffed with a mixture of goose liver, bacon, bread, and herbs which is sauteed, simmered, and sliced for serving.

Which is more expensive, goose or turkey? ›

A goose, then, can be more costly investment for your Christmas table. But by dint of this fact, the quality and texture of the meat is always good, with plenty of flavoursome marrow in the bones.

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.

A litre of cold water mixed with ¼ cup of coarse salt and¼ cup of brown sugar makes the perfect waterfowl brine. Soak duck and goose meat in the brine for 8 to 12 hours, and you'll see the difference in color. Much of the blood stored in the meat is drawn out by the brine.

Wild geese and ducks fly great distances and there is very little fat on a wild bird. Extra fat has to be added to ensure a moist and tender bird. The liquid that's cooked from the bird can be made into a gravy by thickening with a cornstarch or flour and milk roux.

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.

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.

A big goose gives 8-10 people a slice or two, leaving some left for cold, but then that's subsidised with a big turkey, or a bit of beef, for those who demand tradition, meat, and huge portions. Oh, that'll be me, then. There's a lot of fat, and a lot of bones on any goose.