Goose or Duck or Crimbo dinner?

[inscotland]

So M&S have their food ordering book out now and I was looking at it last night. We're not big fans of turkey and have roast chicken most weekends so thinking of either Goose or Duck. Now the only duck I have had in the past is of the peking variety at the chinese and I don't think I have ever had goose.

Anyone had? Can you describe tastes to me?

Watching with intrest as I fanc either goose or duck for christmas .. and I've never tried either!

duck - very small. goose lovely, smaller than turkeys, bigger than ducks. (which come to think of it is probably stating the obvious assuming you have ever walked along a river or been to a park with a pond...)goose very oily but tasty. of the two I prefer goose. but what I really prefer for chistmas is venison. had it last year and it was brilliant.

I hadnt considered venison. Is it pricey?

There will be just the three of us of for christmas dinner (me, dh and young dd)

Just looked at your link LL, what joint did you have?

i've done duck lots of times, i roast a nice fat one here at home whereas my parents tend to do wild duck and allow one for every 2 people there. they'v also done pheasants loads of times which are also scrummy.

venison is divine if you get a good cut but might be nicer for boxing day or new years, that's when we generally use it.

goose i've never done and my parents keep putting me off the idea with their horror story of the goose they cooked the year they married.... apparently there's not alot of meat on a goose, you'd get more eating from a decent sized duck than rom a goose.

Last few years we've always done goose, and used Delia's cooking advice.

Get a medium sized one as you don't get a lot of meat but it's yummy.

Also, goose fat for roast veg is just

How many people would a 2lb vension joint serve?

Fab - I'll do that LL. Thanks

I really like goose, and as we're having a rare Christmas at home this year I expect we'll go for that. Mind you, I like duck and venison too, and we've had duck or venison the last couple of years. Which does't help you much, admittedly....

In your place I'd probably start with duck and maybe try goose next year

LL - Phoned and spoke to Nichola who was very lovely, she's sending me information about different joints that would be suitable and how to cook them. Dh thinks its too early and I'm crazy but I'm very exicited

Thanks for a great tip

we usually have goose and venison.

we ordered venison from our local butcher - he's great. it came from Balmoral dontchaknow. I did some googling and knew to ask for it tunnel boned and barded...good job he knew what that meant coz I didn't! but I think he was delighted to be taking an order from someone who sounded a bit like they knew what they were taking about. we had to have a crown of turkey for dds (their insistence)

We do goose - make sure you save the fat. It keeps well and you can use it for the best roast potatoes ever! Coming up to Christmas each year Lidl have frozen geese at good prices - I think they were £12 last year.

That's what we had last year. Probably not as nice as fresh but we couldn't really afford a fresh one.

Ducks don't feed many - biggest would prob stretch to 5.
Can you fit 2 ducks in your oven?

Goose very long - make sure your oven quite wide! Last couple of yrs had goose from butcher. My dad's 70th this year we're going for a Lidl frozen goose (got for £10).