Help with cooking a goose please!

Pink.

I don't think that there is as much meat on a goose as a turkey, so there may not be a lot left over....I suppose it depends on the size of the goose and how many people are eating.

I had a look on google and found some recipes for leftover goose, here and here.

Pink

jan59

If you mash swede in flavoured vinegar - I use tarragon vinegar - then that could be quite a different tasteto accompany the goose?

Was just talking to OH the other day about possibly having a goose for Christmas. Neither of us have, but I think we will be breaking our duck.........er, if you know what I mean!!

These Eastern European geese - do they fly them in?? :rotfl:

Louisa_2

Thinking of having goose for Christmas lunch this year. A family friend is a butcher so we will be able to get a good deal I hope!

A couple of recipes I've seen suggest allowing around 3lb of uncooked bird per adult (obviously this doesn't mean everyone will get 3lb of meat!) and a bit less for tiddlers. I want to check if you all think this is right.

We have 6 adults and 3 children for Christmas lunch this year and as I'd like to allow a little over for the obligatory Turkey (Goose) curries etc a la the OS ways I try hard to follow, this means I should order a 28lb-ish bird (allowing 3lbs per adult, 1.5 per child and 2 adults-worth extra)

Does this seem right to you? Are geese like ducks in that a fairly large bird doesn't really contain that much meat?

Now I know geese are big but a) do they even grow that big? b) how large would a 28lb bird be- I have a large oven but 2 stone of christmas chook sounds like I won't fit it in! and c) is gas mark 4/180c for 15 mins per lb (after an initial 220c gas mark 7 blast for 20 mins) about right

I'd be grateful of your advice on this one, I might just get a normal turkey if it looks like too much hassle. I love turkey too but Goose just sounded like a nice change.

Thanks
Lou

MadCowMan

One of the things about goose is that it has a lot of fat ( think of it as a wacking great big duck ) so you wont need to add any fat to the roasting tin.

Cook it on a trivet to help the fat drain off.

I think you can use the same trick you use with ducks to try and get teh fat loosened and distributed over the back by pouring a kettle of boiling water over it and giving it a bit of a "massage" before it goes int he oven ( upside down ) - this shoudl help it from drying out.

Thats about all I can remeber for the moment.

I'd say its worth the hassle for the goose , its got so much more flavour unlike turkey which is little more than an edible pallet for all the nice trimmings !

dannahaz

Hi, I don't think you will get a goose anywhere near that size.

I buy mine from Donald Russell. They are usually 3-4kg (so about 6.5 to 8.5 pounds), and will feed 4-6 people. We don't get much in the way of leftovers: as they aren't meaty birds and they are so delicious we eat them in in one sitting.

Toxic_Lemon

Geese are anything between 6 and 14lbs. Average weight 10-12lbs. A 10lb goose should feed about 8 people.

thriftlady_2

My butcher recommends 2lb per person. I'm feeding 7 so have ordered a 14 lb one. They look pretty big, but the frame is quite open. By that I mean, there's quite a big empty space inside goosey. I love goose but it's disadvantage is that there isn't much left over. There'll be enough though to feed everyone handsomely for Christmas dinner.

MadCowMan

makes a cracking stock though !

thriftlady_2

MadCowMan wrote:

makes a cracking stock though !

True;) and don't forget to save all the fat - keeps for ages.

Toxic_Lemon

Yes, goose fat is famous for making the best roast potatoes! Goose is my favourite bird for roasts, too!

I'm actually having a royal goose this Saturday. A goose stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a pheasant. I cannot wait!!!