A Holiday Dinner of Charles Dickens Fame
We realize we’re a little bit down to the wire here…4 days before Christmas and all, but I actually just made this recipe in our kitchen approximately 3 hours ago (we had this baby for a pre-Christmas test lunch, and are now all languishing in a major living room sofa food coma), and I had to post it immediately. We’re SO excited about this one, guys. When you think about a Christmas dinner, what comes to mind? Turkey? Prime Rib? Roast Pork? Ham? Maybe a porchetta? We have recipes for all of them! As we contemplated what to put on our holiday menu this year, the general consensus was that we needed a change from our usual go-to choice of a prime rib roast. Our turkey fix was definitely satisfied by our recent Thanksgiving turkey recipe. But perhaps the most idyllic Christmas meal might be a roast goose! Goose is not a bird you see often in American grocery stores, but if you’re looking for a show-stopping meal, it might just be the ticket! Goose is incredibly fatty and rich. Taking the rendered fat to make crispy potatoes? Game changer. These days, you may be able to order your goose online, or find it in a specialty grocery or butcher at holiday time. As a seasonal item, you may even find it in your regular grocery store!
Masters in the Art of Roasting Goose
While it may not be common here in the U.S. goose is really popular in China, especially at Cantonese restaurants. In Southern China and Hong Kong, they really know how to cook this bird. In our humble opinion, Cantonese folks have mastered the highest arts of roasting goose. If you’ve ever had a plate of roast goose in Hong Kong—a place famous for it—I’m sure you’re in agreement. As a lowly human who can never hope to reach the heights of the Cantonese goose-cooking gods, I decided to do a somewhat traditional Western roast goose. Something I imagine Tiny Tim was probably chowing down on after Ebinezer Scrooge left his “bah humbug” days behind. (Or as my mother put it, through large mouthfuls of goosey goodness: “I feel like tiny Tintin!” Kaitlin: “You mean Tiny Tim…?” Mom: “Yeah that!”) The flavors in this roast goose recipe, however, are similar to what you’d find in a marinade for a Cantonese roast goose (orange peel, ginger, soy, five spice, garlic, etc). A lot of those ingredients are classic holiday flavors! Five spice in particular includes: cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and fennel. And how about we roast potatoes in goose fat? Yep. So if you’re still waffling about what to serve this year, give this recipe a go and we promise you will learn how to cook a goose for the holidays. You’ll be happy you did! We went to our local market and picked up a 10 pounder, which cost gasp! $60 bucks. Yes, at $5.99/lb, it’s a pricey dinner. But hey, it’s Christmas. And this is the best holiday meal I’ve eaten in a long time. Maybe ever.
Roast Goose Recipe Instructions
Get your goose ready for roasting by removing the giblets and neck from the cavity. Use a sharp knife to trim any large pads of fat from the inside. Give the goose a really thorough rinse (including the cavity), and pat dry. Do not remove the flap of skin at the neck, just tuck it underneath the goose to keep it sealed. If the goose is trussed, remove the string and pull out the legs and wings slightly, which will help with more even cooking. Place the goose in a foil-lined roasting pan. You definitely want there to be a sizable rim around the pan, as the goose will release a lot of fat as it cooks. Zest the oranges, making sure to avoid getting any of the white pith. Mix the zest with 1½ teaspoons salt, pepper, sugar, five spice powder, shaoxing wine (or sherry), and soy sauce. Set aside. Season the goose cavity with salt, and rub the minced garlic all throughout the cavity as well. Stuff the ginger slices and scallions into the cavity, along with the zested oranges, cut into quarters. Rub the orange zest and five-spice mixture all over the goose, and set it aside for 30 minutes (you can also marinate it overnight for optimum results). During this time, preheat your oven to 450°F/230°C. Place the goose in the oven and cook for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F/230 degrees C. Reduce the heat to 350°F (190°C) and cook for another 10-12 minutes per pound (about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours for a 10-pound goose. If your goose is larger, increase the cooking time accordingly).
Feel free to adjust cooking times depending on your desired doneness, but don’t dry it out! When a meat thermometer in the thigh reads 165-170°F, it’s done. Every 30 minutes, baste the bird with the fat in the pan. About halfway through cooking, tent the breast loosely with foil and spoon out 3 tablespoons of goose fat. Take this fat and toss it on a roasting pan with the potatoes, salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs—thyme, rosemary, whatever. Throw those into the oven with the goose in its last half hour and roast. Once the goose is done roasting, take it out of the oven and cover with foil. Give the potatoes a stir and crank the heat up to 400°F (205°C) to finish roasting. Let the goose rest for 20 minutes while the potatoes finish cooking. Once it’s all done… Serve the goose with the roasted potatoes. (Note: you can keep the rendered fat in a mason jar in the fridge and save it for roasted vegetables, beans, and stews. See our Instagram page for a photo!). There are no other words to describe how epic this was. It was Sunday lunch for us, but as a Christmas dinner, it’d be amazing. It may be making another appearance on the table this Wednesday.
If you’re serving this for a small gathering, all you really need is a salad to go alongside it, and a dessert to enjoy afterwards. Done and done. Here’s what you do: put the carcass in a soup pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for a few hours. Skim off the fat/foam. Apply resulting stock in whatever application you like! We’re thinking about tofu napa cabbage soup. Eyes on the prize, people.
