Holidays
How to Cook a Holiday Goose
Few people in the United States cook goose these days. But there once was a time when this large white bird with its dark rich meat was the centerpiece of the Christmas table.
Goose remains a part of our vernacular even if we don’t eat it. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” we say to advocate equal treatment. “His goose is cooked,” we say when someone faces doom.
Goose occupies a very different status in Europe, where it very much remains a holiday delicacy. Once associated with the celebrations of Michaelmas (September 29) and St. Martin (November 11), roast goose shows up on the Christmas table—especially in Denmark, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
How to Cook a Holiday Goose
I must confess, my first attempt at cooking a goose was not a success. I roasted it in the oven the way I would turkey. The meat came out tough; the skin was fatty; and I had to face a table full of disappointed dinner guests. Not to mention that the experience set me back over $100, which 20 years ago was a lot of money.
I was curious how Europeans cook goose and manage to make it palatable. So I reached out to my friend Tomas Dytrych in the Czech Republic. I first met Tomas at a trade fair in Cologne, Germany, and I’ve watched with awe as he became the #1 grill master in the Czech Republic.
If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@stevenraichlen—if you don’t, you should!), you’ve surely encountered Tomas. He’s a frequent contributor to my social media, barbecuebible.com and the Barbecue Bible 500 Club Facebook page. His videos are works of art, and you can learn a lot from them—even if you don’t speak Czech. His website is https://www.grilovani.cz/recepty/ and his YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/grilovani. Check them out.
If anyone knows the proper way to cook a goose, it would be Tomas. And great news for us: Tomas’ preferred method involves—you guessed it—a grill.
My crash course in goose took the form of a Q & A. Christmas, Hanukkah (yes, goose was a popular Eastern European Jewish holiday dish, too), and New Year’s Eve are fast approaching.
Now you know the secret to cooking goose for your holiday centerpiece.
How big is a typical goose and how much does it serve?
The weight varies from 8 pounds, which will serve 6 people, to 10 pounds, which will serve 8
What’s the best way to cook goose?
The traditional way to roast a goose with tender, juicy meat is in a dutch oven or covered roasting pan in the oven. But if you can regulate and maintain the temperature well in your grill, you can indirect grill a goose that’s every bit as tasty.
How do you season the goose before grilling?
Here in Czech Republic, we use only fine salt and cumin seed. We start by piercing the skin with the tip of a sharp knife. Pierce only the skin, not the meat beneath it. Piercing helps the seasonings flavor the meat and helps drain out the excess fat during cooking. Then we brush it with olive oil and generously sprinkle the bird with salt and cumin, rubbing them into the skin.
Which grill should we use and how should we set it up?
You’re going to cook the goose by indirect grilling. A Weber kettle grill or Smoky Mountain works well. So does a Big Green Egg or other kamado. You can also use a pellet grill, but I find that the internal blower tends to dry out the meat. So when I cook goose in a pellet grill, I place a bowl full of hot water next to it to add extra moisture. Set the goose on the grate with a large foil drip pan under it to catch the fat. (A goose emits a lot of fat.) Note: Don’t forget to strain and save the fat. You’ll spoon it over the finished goose and it’s excellent for roasting potatoes.
Do you add wood smoke or use simple indirect grilling?
I don’t add wood chips or chunks to the fire, because the goose would be too dark at the end. (Goose is a dark meat.) A smoky flavor is not typical for a goose here.
What’s the cooking temperature and how do I know when the goose is cooked.
I start the goose at 320°F (160°C). I roast it until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. For an 8-pound goose, this will take 3 to 3-1/2 hours. At that point, I increase the heat to 400 to 425 degrees F and continue roasting to brown the skin and raise the internal temperature to 190 degrees F. The high heat phase takes about 30 minutes, for a total of 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Note: the cooking time matters less than the internal temperature. You need to reach 190 degrees F so the meat will be fall-off-the-bone tender. Make sure you use an accurate instant read meat thermometer.
How do you carve your cooked goose?
Use poultry shears to cut the goose into serving portions. Using your fingers is permissible too.
What sauce do you serve with goose? What other accompaniments?
No BBQ sauce!!! The classic side dishes we serve with goose here in the Czech Republic is sauerkraut or braised sweet and sour cabbage. And houskovy knedlik, bread dumplings, of course. By way of a sauce, we pour the cooked goose fat over the meat and dumplings. Yum!
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