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Original poster

Considering goose

25 replies

boogeek · 18/10/2008 14:39

We always have turkey for Christmas Day. But it's our turn to have the ILs this year and I happen to know goose is FIL's favourite meat, which he hasn't had for years. I've never tried it and am a bit nervous about doing something new on the day itself! But am not sure you can get them in advance to have a trial run so think I will be brave and go for it. Now, though - questions:

  • What sort of size goose do I buy (5 adults, 2 children)
  • Do I want to have leftovers? Is cold goose as nice as cold turkey?
  • Do I stuff it?
  • What do I serve it with - the usual turkey trimmings or something different?
  • anything else I need to know?
  • it won't be greasy and stringy will it?
TIA!
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katch · 18/10/2008 15:00

Nigella Lawson in How to Eat says a 41/2 kg goose for six people, so maybe a bit larger, especially if you want leftovers.

Her recipe is for Christmas Eve, and the goose is stuffed with mashed potato, served with extra fried spuds. Gorgeous.

For Christams Day, I'd probably do the usual, maybe replace bread sauce with apple sauce.

It won't be greasy or stringy, but you do have to tip a lot of fat out of the tin at intervals while it cooks.

Imo, leftovers are as nice as turkey - a bit like duck but not quite as rich.

(Have just read in my Aga book, two smaller, 10 - 12lb geese, are better than one large, but you might not have a big enough oven).

Uriel · 18/10/2008 15:03

It is a fatty meat. Dh did it for Christmas one year and wasn't that impressed by it. It also didn't go as far as you might think from the size of the goose.

Could you do a goose and a duck/or beef joint and give people an option? Duck's a great favourite here.

Original poster
boogeek · 18/10/2008 15:07

Thanks! What is it like - I could certainly consider doing a goose and a duck (or one of those medieval things with all the birds inside each other??? Maybe not ) if they contrast a bit?
If Nigella says 1.5 kg for 6 people, that will probably feed about 8 normal people quite comfortably . I have done duck stuffed with mash before (Nigel Slater recipe) and it is lovely so that could work well.

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Lizzylou · 18/10/2008 15:10

We did that bird in a bird in a bird thing and it was lovely.
We were eating leftovers for a loooong time though (and it fed 5 adults and 2 DC on the day), but they were lovely.

Original poster
boogeek · 18/10/2008 15:14

What birds did you do? Did you stuff it yourself or buy it pre-done? Am intrigued.

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ComeOVeneer · 18/10/2008 15:17

I did it for the first (and last) time last year. Was really disappointed, and it made a right mess of the oven (the next time I used the grill huge plumes of smoke came of the elements because of the amount of fat from the goose. I think duck is much tastier really.

Lizzylou · 18/10/2008 15:18

We got it from a local butcher, you can get 3 bird/5 bird and 7 bird roasts.
IIRC, we had Pheasant/Duck/Chicken/Goose/Turkey. It cam ready stuffed (you could choose the stuffing).
The meat was great cold (we froze some for DH's sandwiches for work, made a curry, a pie and ate cold cuts for ages).
It wasn't that pricey either, not considering we could have fed a street!

katch · 18/10/2008 15:26

That was 4.5 not 1.5 kilos. Hopefully you made a typing error - I don't think you can buy goslings for roasting!

unclefluffy · 18/10/2008 16:17

We did a goose the last two years. The best bit is roasting the veg in the fat that comes off it (so don't trim the goose too much - fat is good!). We roasted it according to Prue Leith's recipe, stuffed with an apricot and pistachio stuffing and served with Cumberland sauce (I cheated and bought it, but it can't be hard to make if you want to). It was really tasty, but I am a dark meat kinda girl. If you only really like to eat turkey breast I wouldn't go down this route, but if you have a family who fight over the drumsticks it's entirely the way forward. Do get a baster to suck up the fat, though - we accidentally melted ours the second year and it made everything much harder. We were following katch's example and tipping fat out of the pan, but we're very inaccurate fat-tippers, it turns out!

pofaced · 18/10/2008 16:33

You need to keep pouring the fat off as it cooks (every 30 mins or so) as your oven will be filthy. But keep the fat (pour into a bowl and keep in the fridge) to use for roast potatoes through the year.

We recently had a frozen goose from Lidl and it was fantastic! I'm normally very fussy about meat (never from supermarket, only good butcher etc) but MIL had bought this for lunch so I couldn't be too snooty and it was far nicer than the £70+ one I had bought from swanky W London butcher. We also had a goose breast cooked separately as one goose isn't quite enough for 6 greedy adults

Stuff it with potatoes and apples and serve with red cabbage, apple sauce, roast potatoes and a green vegetable (peas!)

The Lidl one was cheap enough for you to check it out next week

Original poster
boogeek · 18/10/2008 16:48

Ooh, interesting. pofaced, did the goose breast come from Lidl too?

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Original poster
boogeek · 18/10/2008 16:52

katch yes, a typo but thanks for checking - would be bad to not have enough!
Lizzylou do you mind if I ask approximately how much?
Thanks everybody

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pofaced · 18/10/2008 16:54

Yes: it was in the adjacent freezer. The goose is oat fed and cooking instructions in German on the packet: v. easy to understand. Try it next Sunday: cheaper and tastier than an organic chicken! I've been meaning to email Nigel Slater in the Observer to ask about these but am am afraid he'll tell horror stories of what they are really fed on!

Original poster
boogeek · 18/10/2008 17:03

Ew yes. I am as fussy as you with meat - it all comes from our lovely local organic farm shop or if at an absolute push I have to get from the supermarket (the farm shop does not do nice sausages) then they are organic. Lidl is not usually on my radar .

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pofaced · 18/10/2008 17:10

Honestly, it really was good... and I don't even buy pre-packed cold meat in supermarkets!

Miggsie · 18/10/2008 17:17

I am a fusspot over meat and after several tries with various suppliers we now always get a goose from goodmansgeese (see their website).
The birds arrive dressed with herbs, giblets and a lump of additional fat for the roast potatoes and wrapped in greaseproof paper so NOT sweaty and it looks and smells divine even uncooked.
I then pop it in the garage for Christmas day while the cats sit with their noses glued to the garage door.

You can freeze them but they do take 3 days to fully defrost in the fridge!

My dad drives 300 miles to partake of the goose feast which I cook with apples saved from our tree in the autumn.
Yumptious!!!!!

Miggsie · 18/10/2008 17:18

...and it comes with a leaflet saying how to cook it.
Don't stuff with anything fatty!
I use apple and celery stuffing recipie from my mum.

redzuleika · 18/10/2008 22:30

My mother has done goose a couple of Christmases. Usually ordered in advance from a local goose farmer.

She serves it with prunes in armagnac. Really good. Made a few days in advance. Not sure where the recipe came from - could be Delia?? Wouldn't want to drive after eating them though - they're like little armagnac bombs...

Ah yes - Delia's prunes

Lizzylou · 19/10/2008 07:15

I think it was about £50/60, Boogeek, which considering amount of meat and preparation was very good.

Furball · 19/10/2008 07:24

appropriate thread for me as we too are considering goose this year. Will get a breast from lidl to taste it as even though we all fancy it we have no idea what it tastes like.

I make my own chestnut stuffing which is gorgous - would this go with goose or will the flavours not blend well?

ClaireDeLoon · 19/10/2008 07:34

Did Goose a couple of years ago - got it from a farm local to my parents that does the Norfolk Bronze turkeys. Think my mother deliberately chose the longest goose in the world. Had to trim it's legs to get it in my oven was lovely though, did gooseberry sauce with it and the goose came with a recipe book for the left overs - I did a golden soup which was delicious. And there was loads of fat left for potatoes afterwards! Mmmmm

thumbwitch · 19/10/2008 07:42

I had goose last year from local butcher - free range, came in at about £60 iirc; was very bloody lovely but a bit on the expensive side as we (4 adults of normal appetite) managed to pretty much finish it at one sitting. If only I could remember how much it weighed...
But it did come with a leaflet giving cooking instructions and a thermometer jobby came in the package too to make sure the insides were cooked properly. It was a Gressingham goose - see here for details.

Well worth it for a special Christmas - we thought then it would be our last in England, plus DS had just been born and it was the first without my mum so lots of reasons to be different.
Think we might just do duck this year though!!

redzuleika · 19/10/2008 20:24

I find goose a very dense meat - so, personally, would prefer accompaniments which contrast with this. Hence the prunes. I don't know about chestnut stuffing - nuts, generally, could be a bit heavy - but I guess it's a matter of taste.

Isn't there something about not cooking stuffing in the cavity due to the fat coming off the carcase??

MakemineaGandT · 19/10/2008 21:12

Hope you like cleaning ovens!

Original poster
boogeek · 20/10/2008 14:02

Ooh no, I don't like cleaning ovens!
Could I cook it in one of those big baggy things you see advertised for turkeys (have never tried one)?

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