Roast Goose
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 10 lb goose, fresh or frozen & thawed
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
- 4 apples, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled & diced
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 3 celery stalks, washed & diced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups water
Pan Gravy
- pan drippings with vegetables
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup port wine
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 thyme sprigs & leaves
- 2 tbsp butter
Special Equipment
- larding needle
- butcher's twine
- roasting pan with rack
- instant read thermometer
- fine-mesh strainer
How-to
Trim & Wash Goose
- Remove neck bone, excess fat and gizzards from the goose cavity and remove neck skin
- Wash inside and out under running water, pat dry and place uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to dry
Season, Stuff, Truss & Roast
- Preheat oven to 350º
- Sprinkle the goose cavity generously with salt and pepper
- Put apples, thyme leaves, and half of the onions, celery and carrots into the cavity, reserving the other half of the vegetables for the pan gravy
- Tie cavity closed with a larding needle and twine
- With a small sharp knife or larding needle, prick (score) the skin all over; be careful not to pierce the flesh, only the skin and fat. This will allow the fat to drain during the cooking process
- Place the goose, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; keep at least 1" off the bottom. Season outside with salt and pepper
- Add 2 cups of water to the roasting pan
- Roast at 350º for 3 - 3½ hours until an internal temperature of 165º - 175º
- During the last 45 minutes of cooking time, remove roasting pan from the over and carefully pour off the goose fat into a container (and save for other cooking uses if desired). Add the remaining celery, onions, carrots, thyme and garlic, continue roasting
- Remove goose from roasting pan and set aside to rest for 25 minutes
Make Pan Gravy
- Using a wooden spoon, stir the vegetables around the pan to free up any baked-on juices and add the wine
- Scrape the vegetables from the roasting pan into a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until just about dry
- Stir in the flour and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon
- Strain the pan gravy and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finish with 2 tbsp butter for a velvety texture. Pour into a gravy boat to bring to the table