Lisa's Roast Wild Goose with Stuffing
Goose is a delicious and very traditional alternative to turkey on Christmas day. There’s not as much meat on a goose as there is on a turkey so we suggest you ask your butcher what size they recommend to feed your party. We love Lisa’s suggestion of wrapping the bird in pancetta or bacon, as many of the geese are quite lean (in particular wild birds), but if you opt for a farm-raised goose you may not need the bacon as they tend to be fattier. Lisa suggests a dried fruit stuffing but anything will work – email us if you’d like some ideas!
We got our goose from Wyndham House Poultry in Borough Market and loved it – they’ve got some fantastic free-range geese available for Christmas.
Ingredients
- Goose (approx. weight 4-5kg)
- 250ml chicken stock
- 250ml cider
- 60ml cold water
- 2 tbsp flour
- Stuffing
Method:
- Remove the neck and giblets from the goose and discard the fat from the body cavity. Rinse with cold water and pat dry
- Prepare your stuffing and fill the bird. Tie the legs and tail together
- Prick the skin and insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat between the breast and thigh (avoiding bone)
- Place the goose, breast-side-up, onto a rack in a roasting tin. Secure the neck skin to the back with a skewer and cover the bird with strips of pancetta (or streaky bacon)
- Roast at 160°C/140°C Fan/Gas mark 3 for approx. 3-4 hours or until the thermometer reads 70°C
- Remove from the oven and place a carving board covered with foil. Remove the string
- For the gravy, reduce the cider to about 1/3 (optional). Spoon the fat from the juices in the pan. Stir in the chicken stock and cider and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Mix the flour and water together in a measuring cup and gradually add to the hot mixture, whisking until thickened
