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

FAQs

Why pour boiling water over goose before roasting? ›

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.

Roast goose isn't as popular as turkey for the Christmas feast - supermarkets sell just a few thousand geese per one million turkeys - but it's really worth considering if you fancy a change. It is truly delicious!

There isn't as much meat on a goose as you might expect when you look at the size of it, as the cavity-to-meat ratio is much higher than in a turkey or chicken. Bear in mind that even the biggest goose is unlikely to feed more than eight people generously.

Jamie taught me the best way to cook a goose. 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.

Always Brine Ducks and Geese

Soaking waterfowl in a saltwater solution replaces blood with brine. The process also adds flavor and moisture. Once brined in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, the meat will be paler in color, giving it less of a livery look and more the appearance of domestic meat.

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.

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.

I know Butterball is mass-produced and all, but turkeys are usually probably 1/2 to a 1/3 the cost of geese for roughly the same size.

This goose recipe goes especially well with spiced red cabbage and hasselback potatoes for the ultimate crowd-pleasing festive centrepiece. Debbie Major's maple-glazed roast goose recipe is served with a chestnut stuffing and sticky apples and pears, which add a lovely sweetness to this rich bird.

Is goose an expensive meat? ›

Goose has generally been replaced by the turkey in the United States. In the United States, the high price per pound of goose, coupled with the large size of the bird and low yield of meat to bone and fat, makes a goose more expensive per serving than Turkey.

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

Rinse goose inside and out with cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim as much of the excess fat as possible from the opening of the cavity. Remove the first and second joints of the wings, and set them aside for use in making the stock.

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.

Turkeys began to appear on some European tables during the 16th century. King Henry VIII of England was the first monarch to indulge in a turkey for Christmas dinner and kicked off the trend in his country. The turkey was seen as a luxury bird because it had to be imported and wasn't as readily available.

The boiling water helps pull the skin taut, making it easier to score in a crosshatch pattern. That, in turn, allows the fat to render out as everything roasts.

In theory, water in a covered pot should boil faster because as water changes to steam, it absorbs energy, which it carries away from the pot as it vaporizes. In a closed pot, most of the steam is trapped so it condenses (or turns back to water) on the lid and releases its captive energy inside the pot.

But as long as more energy is being added to the water than is being lost with the vapor, the temperature will continue to rise until the water boils. Covering the pot prevents water vapor from escaping, enabling the temperature to rise more quickly.

Baste the goose frequently whilst roasting; basting will keep the breast meat moist and flavourful to wow guests at the table. Choose the right accompaniments to enhance the natural beauty of the goose.