Roast Goose with Stuffing
Submitted by PeggyJM
Roast goose stuffed with cornbread, Granny Smith apples, dried figs, and savory, then slow-roasted three hours with the fat poured off as it renders. The traditional centerpiece for an old-fashioned Christmas dinner.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
5 hrsREADY
5 hrsA traditional roast goose recipe for Christmas, Boxing Day, or any winter holiday that calls for something more dramatic than turkey. The cornbread, apple, and dried fig stuffing pairs beautifully with the rich, dark goose meat. Sweet figs and tart Granny Smiths cut through the natural fattiness while the cornbread soaks up the juices.
The technique that makes or breaks a roast goose is fat management. Geese are extraordinarily fatty birds, and unrendered fat becomes greasy meat. The recipe handles this by starting breast-down, which lets gravity help drain fat away from the lean breast meat, then drawing off accumulated fat as it pools. Save that liquid gold for roasting potatoes; the resulting duck fat potatoes -style result is unmatched.
The long simmer of the neck and gizzard for the gravy stock is doing essential work. Two hours of simmering pulls all the savory depth from the bones, creating a stock far richer than chicken or beef base could provide.
Fresh savory is the herb that ties this together. It pairs naturally with goose the way sage pairs with turkey. Don’t substitute thyme; the flavor is similar but not the same.
Pro Tips
- Prick the goose skin all over before roasting (avoiding the meat) to help fat render out. Don’t skip this step.
- Roast breast-down for the first 90 minutes as the directions specify. The fat drains away from the breast, keeping it moist.
- Skim accumulated fat from the roasting pan every 30 minutes during the cook. Save it in jars; rendered goose fat keeps for months in the fridge.
- Test for doneness by pricking the thigh joint. Juices should run clear; pink juice means more time needed.
- Let the bird rest 20 minutes before carving. Cut too soon and the juices run out instead of staying in the meat.
Variations
- Substitute prunes or dried apricots for the figs for a different sweet note in the stuffing.
- Add ¼ cup brandy or Calvados to the stuffing for boozy depth.
- Glaze the goose during the last 30 minutes with honey and orange juice for a sweeter finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Remove the neck and gizzard and place in a saucepan with about 1 quart of water and let simmer lightly for several hours while partially covered.
Reduce to about 2 cups and season with salt.
Mix remaining ingredients, except for gravy (reserved goose fat), together and adjust seasoning by tasting.
Stuff, lace, and truss the bird and roast in a 325 degree F oven, breast down, for 1½ Hours.
Draw off fat as it accumulates.
Turn and roast another 1½ hours (or longer for a larger bird) until juices run clear when pricked where the thigh attaches to the body.
Remove when done and let rest on a heated serving platter while you prepare the gravy.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and sprinkle with the flour.
Set the roasting pan over low heat and stir for one minute while scraping up all the brown bits.
Add the broth and stir until smooth.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve in a boat with goose.
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