Roast Watertown Goose Food

ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• Place the honey, vinegar, and water in a pot large enough to hold the goose, submerged. Bring the liquid to the boil and add the raw goose to the pot. Return to the boil, reduce the heat and cook the goose at a strong simmer for 20 minutes to render some of the grease as well as begin to tenderize the normally chewy bird. Remove the goose from the liquid and allow to cool at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prick the goose skin all around the carcass. Season the cavity with half of the salt and pepper, add the herbs, onion and garlic. Truss the legs and season the outside of the goose with the remaining salt and pepper and the olive oil.
• Preheat a heavy roasting pan for 10 minutes. Place the goose, breast side down, on a rack in the roasting pan and roast in the oven, skimming the fat and reserving it for another use, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn the goose breast side up and roast, basting it with pan juices and skimming the fat, for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours more, or until the juices run clear when the fleshy part of the thigh is pricked with a fork and a meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy part of the thigh registers 165 degrees.
• Transfer the goose to a platter, remove the trussing string, and keep the goose warm, covered loosely with foil. Skim off all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pan juices, add the flour, and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring, until it has browned slightly. Add the stock in a stream, whisking, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and strain the gravy into a heated sauceboat.

ROAST WATERTOWN GOOSE

Steps:

• For the wild rice stuffing: Wash rice thoroughly and steam in the water to which 1 teaspoon salt has been added, about 40 minutes.
• Drain and add remaining ingredients; toss lightly.
• For the apricot stuffing: Cover apricots with cold water and cook until tender; drain and chop finely.
• Combine crumbs and seasonings, celery and parsley; stir in butter and add apricots.
• Mix well.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Clean goose; wipe dry but do not stuff.
• Place in an open roasting pan, prick through the skin into the fat layer around the legs and wings, and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature; repeat this procedure 2 more times.
• Reduce oven to 325°F.
• Rub goose with salt.
• Fill fruit stuffing in the neck cavity and rice stuffing in abdominal cavity.
• Truss; weigh to estimate cooking time.
• Place breast up on rack in an uncovered roasting pan and place in oven.
• Allow 25 minutes per pound (If the goose weighs less than 8 pounds, roast at 375F, allowing 35 minutes per pound.).
• Basting is unnecessary, but if desired, the juice and grated rind of one orange and lemon juice may be sprinkled over the breast during the baking period.

GORDON'S CHRISTMAS ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• Calculate the cooking time: cook for 10 mins at 240C/fan 220C/gas 9, then reduce to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and cook for 20 mins per kg for medium-rare, 32 mins per kg for more well done, plus 30 mins resting.
• If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little - this helps the bird cook better.
• Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.
• Grate the zest from 4 lemons and 3 limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder and pepper, to taste.
• Season the cavity of the goose generously with salt, then rub the citrus mix well into the skin and sprinkle some inside the cavity.
• Stuff the zested fruit and a small handful of parsley, thyme and sage sprigs inside the bird and set aside for at least 15 mins. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• If you want to give the bird a nice golden skin, brown in a large frying pan (or a heavy-based roasting tin), using a couple of tbsp olive oil. Holding the bird by the legs (you may like to use an oven glove), press it down on the breasts to brown.
• Once browned, place the bird in the roasting tin. Drizzle with 3 tbsp clear honey and sprinkle with 1 tbsp thyme leaves.
• Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.
• Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl. You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat - save this for the potatoes and other veg.
• At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 mins, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the goose, rub it inside and out with salt and refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The next morning, rub goose well with paper towels, then allow it to sit on a rack in the kitchen for about an hour, to come to room temperature. Trim wing tips and excess fat from goose and reserve for another use.
• Preheat oven to 325. Using a clean needle or sharply pointed knife, prick the skin of the goose all over, to allow the fat to run when it roasts. Stick the skin at an angle, so as to pierce just the skin and not the meat of the bird. Season the goose with salt and pepper, then place the rack in a deep roasting pan, and cook for one hour.
• Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and reserve the potatoes.
• After an hour's roasting, remove the goose from the oven, and pour off the fat from the pan, reserving for another use. Put the goose on its rack back in the pan and add the potatoes. Roast for another hour.
• After the goose has roasted for 2 hours total, reduce oven to 275 and continue roasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes, about 15 minutes per pound total, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees at the center of the breast. Remove goose to a carving board and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. The bird may be served at room temperature if you like.
• Remove potatoes from pan and keep them warm under foil until ready to serve.