Roasted Goose
As they say, there is a first time for everything, and such it is on this occasion of preparing a Roasted Goose over the holiday season.
There is also the old Chinese Proverb that everything is not as it seems, though sometimes it can be.
Reasons for having never before prepared a Roasted Goose include considerations, one being like the Cratchit family in “A Christmas Carol,” that the dining toast might infer being a stingy host due to lack of ample provision, despite its incredibly delectable flavor and golden browned crispy topped skin.
Following removal of two plump, juicy legs, Roasted Goose portions don’t quite measure to an ample bounty of plated sliced fowl meat. My after thought for not missing out on this delightful dining experience in the future included procuring a larger, 10 pound goose with the idea of holiday season preparation for a more intimate occasion of perhaps just 2-4 diners.
Another reason for never having prior prepared a Roasted Goose was the fear of grease splattering everywhere, in uncontrollable amounts, which turned out to be like an unfounded rumor, nothing as it seemed. Armed with 2 cans of oven cleaner set for the following day, it wasn’t nearly as excessive as I’d heard, and um, sans the urgency, though a little embarrassing to admit, I’ve still not gotten around to the oven cleaning, and at least one of those cans is already in the far back of the cabinet.
A pleasant solution to the potential grease splattering challenge was avoided simply using a deep roasting pan with a rack insert which effectively collected drippings of luscious goose fat rendered straight to the bottom of the pan. The technique generally calls for a light scoring all about the goose, or very light knife indentations before roasting. Thinking I was ever so clever, I instead used the sharp needle tip of an injection bottle pulled from the kitchen drawer whose main purpose involves injecting juice flavorings insuring moisture, such as when cooking a whole pig last prepared at a field hockey team dinner here some years back. The needle tip worked exceptionally well, all but creating some random spotted dripping spots upon the skin top which as it turned out was difficult to camouflage even with repeated basting, so this technique is fine to use so long as your aim is to create a spectacular tasting Roasted Goose rather than a professionally styled photo op.
A first time for everything, a uniquely delicious Roasted Goose, with the double bonus of treasured goose grease now stored up and readied for perhaps another first, maybe some crusty topped Popovers?
Whatever it is you prepare, I’m wishing you many delightful savoring moments and shared tables of joy throughout the holiday season.
Roasted Goose
Notes
A specially delicious holiday treat. A 6 pound goose will serve 3, lightly, depending on the fowl. A ten pound goose is recommended for 4.
Rendered Goose Fat is Perfect for Preparing Rosemary and Goose Fat Popovers (recipe may be found on the Bread and Muffins Section of the blog)Ingredients
- 6 pound fresh goose
- coarse kosher salt and cracked black pepper, enough to season goose all around, and inside cavity if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove any giblets from inside goose, clean and dry well. Set dried goose on top of inverted rack placed inside a deep roasting pan. Aerate the goose for even grease rendering by lightly scoring goose all around, or using a knife to make small markings across goose skin being careful not to poke skin underneath, or, using the needle tip of a cooking injector, Sprinkle salt and pepper all about, and inside cavity if desired.
- Roast goose for one hour before reducing the temperature to 325 degrees then further cooking another hour or longer, until goose is deep golden brown and the internal temperature registers 170 degrees. Baste goose with grease each half hour. Transfer Roasted Goose to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest twenty to thirty minutes before cutting. Remove roaster rack from pan and pour rendered goose fat into a heat proof container. Refrigerate grease up to five days or freeze for future use.
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