Alternate Christmas Poultry for a newbie?

[mtigges]

GOOSE!!!

I'm a member of german family, and it has been our traditional christmas dinner. If you can get a good local goose you absolutely must do goose. If you like duck you should love goose. I know at least one person on this thread says they prefer duck, but I suspect that is the minority.

A friend I used to work with looked at me sideways when I told her that we always ate goose. She's a little bit of a fussy eater, but knowing I like to cook asked me to roast one and show her what the fuss was. Now, I had once roasted a duck the german way (stuffed with apples, garlic and sundry dried fruits), and had helped my mom a few times, but I was still a little hesitant. It's really not a big deal. We got one from Armando on GI, organically grown in the Fraser Valley. Just stuff the bird, poke the crap out of the fat, salt and pepper, sew up the cavity, roast! Poor off the fat every 20 minutes and poke it some more. Keep roasting until the legs wiggle nicely. My friend was over the moon, it was two years ago, and she still talks about it, she wants it again this year.

And, while you're plating it make sure to snack on those luscious crispy fatty bits around the back end, mmmmmmmmmmm.

Also, as mentioned, save the fat, buy some local ducks and use the fat for confit. You should get around a litre of fat.

Edited to add: If you're thinking of goose, decide soon and order it. Don't count on getting a good one last minute.

Edited December 1, 2009 by mtigges (log)

[agray]

Well, we did it. Thanks for all the suggestions. We bought a lovely 10 lb local goose and roasted it for dinner yesterday. I followed the Cook's Illustrated suggestions for prep and roasting and it turned out great.

I gave it a quick dip in boiling water and then left it in the fridge for 2 days, uncovered, to dry out and tighten the skin. I also pricked the skin all over with a skewer to allow fat drainage. I cooked it at 325 for about 3 hours (flipping it over half-way through) and draining the fat from the roasting pan several times during the process. Then I took it out, turned the oven up to 400 and popped it back in to crisp up the skin for 15 minutes.

As it rested I used some of the goose fat to roast some Yukon Gold potatoes (450 degrees for about 40 min).

We served it with the potatoes, braised red cabbage, a rice pilaf and some simple green beans with butter and sea salt. Everyone loved the goose (and the potatoes too). And I have a lovely jar of goose fat left over. It was the most expensive poultry we've had for Christmas ($66 for the bird), so I don't think we'll do this every year, but it made for a memorable feast indeed.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Nicely done!