An Absolutely Perfect Roast Goose!+

By deanarrca

Ingredients

• A Goose

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from astray.com

Preparation

Step 1

A frozen goose is perfectly adequate. Have thawed 24 to 48 hours before the meal (48 is better.) Prick the goose well all over, especially on the breast and on the upper legs, holding the skewer almost paralel with the bird so as to avoid piercing the flesh.

Fill a very large pot 2/3 full of water (pot should be large enough to almost accomodate the bird) and bring to a boil. Using rubber gloves submerge bird (neck side down) for 1 minute (till goose bumps arise.)

Repeat the process (this time with the tail side down.) Drain the goose, breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan and set in the refrigerator, naked, to dry the skin for 24 to 48 hours.

When you are ready to roast the bird, on the big day. Make your favorite stuffing.
Here is a suggestion: I cooked 1 1/2 cups (raw) wild rice in about 5 cups of water. Drained and chilled overnight. In the morning I added soaked, cut up dry shitake mushrooms along with their soaking water with an egg beaten into it. A tablespoon of poultry seasoning, a sautéed onion, plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper. Set stuffing aside. We will stuff the bird later.

Now you salt and pepper the bird insdie and out, liberally.

Preheat oven to 375. Place unstuffed goose in roasting pan with large area for catching grease. Roast approx 45 min to an hour until slightly brown. Watch carefully This is only the first step in cooking so you don't want it to burn. You can optionally turn the goose over to brown both sides. Remove the goose from the oven. Allow the goose to cool so it can be handled comfortably. Drain the pan. Pat down the goose with paper towels to remove the grease. Pat both inside and outside. Now stuff the goose with your stuffing. Baste with the orange juice/honey mixture or some pan drippings. Preheat oven to 325 or slightly cooler. Place goose on a roasting pan back in the oven. Cook goose using the rule of about 25 minutes per pound but subtract 45 minutes because of the cooking done in the first step. Rebaste goose while cooking every half hour. It is not necessary to turn the goose over in this step. When done drumsticks should separate fairly easily from the goose. Use same rules for doneness as other poultry.

Best advice on checking for doneness, at this point, that I have ever seen.
With a piece of terry rag, squeeze the upper drumstick (not thigh) lightly. If it feels kind of squishy, like roast beef, it's done. Every bird is different so you must judge when it is done.

When meat is done (be patient, it may take a while), raise the heat to 400 degrees. Remove roaster from the oven and transfer bird (rack and all) to a jelly roll pan.

Put it back in the oven for 15 minutes to further crisp and brown the bird. Take it out and let it sit, uncovered for a half an hour.

Regarding the roaster, after you remove the bird to a jelly roll pan and put that in the oven, remove the fat from the roaster and put it over 2 burners adding about 2/3 cup of dry sherry and deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon. combine these drippings with your giblet broth either to make a gravy or to use later for goose carcass, slow cooker broth.