Roast Crown of Goose
Goose will always be a celebration dish – the bird itself is large and its meat is very rich, so it lends itself to feeding a big table full of family. The reason for removing the legs is that they always overcook and dry out; here you have the perfectly roasted breast and you can use the legs to make a delicious confit another day. Prepare with the stuffing recipe below.
Recipe from Gubbeen Farm: The Story of a Working Farm and its Foods.
Roast Crown of Goose & Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 crown of goose (about 9 pounds)
- Salt
Equipment
- Digital temperature probe
Goose Stuffing
- 1 pound russet potatoes, cut into evenly sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- Large bunch of fresh sage
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6–8 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
SERVINGS: 5-6
Preheat the oven to 110 C/gas mark 1⁄4 (225 F).
Prick the goose skin all over with a needle. Sprinkle salt over the skin and rub it in. Place the goose, skin-side down, in a large frying pan or roasting tray and start to render the fat by cooking over low to medium heat. The goose will start to cook in its own fat, but if the heat is too high this won’t happen and the skin will burn. You’re looking for an even golden colour all over, so do move the bird around the pan to achieve this.
Place the browned crown on a rack in a roasting tin and transfer to the oven. Roast for up to 2 hours before probing with the thermometer. How long the goose will take to cook depends on the performance of each individual oven, the weight of your bird and what temperature the crown is when it goes into the oven – a digital temperature probe is essential for this method. Probe the breast at its fattest point, stopping when you think you’ve reached the middle spot between the bone and the skin. If you estimate the breast is 1 1/2 inches at its fattest aim to take the reading from a depth of 1 inch. If the probe reads 55–56 C (130-133 F), it’s ready. At this point remove the bird from the oven, cover and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
Serve with stuffing, Brussels sprouts and proper roast potatoes.
Goose Stuffing
This is a traditional West Cork stuffing for the Christmas goose. It really complements goose because the potatoes soak up some of the wonderful fat from this rich bird. It is simple and, like many great simple dishes, it is authentic. The sage and thyme travel through the potatoes and lift the whole roast to another level.
Instructions
SERVES 8
Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onions until transparent, not browned. Chop some of the sage leaves and add to the pan (keep the rest of bunch because it will go into the cavity). Season the goose cavity.
Chop the potatoes, which should still be firm, until semimashed, and mix in the onions and chopped sage. Season well.
Push the remainder of the bunch of sage and the thyme to the back of the goose cavity. Put in the potato stuffing, leaving a good amount of air space at the top of the cavity, which acts like an oven, while the stuffing is a sort of sponge for the goose juices and some of its lovely fat too.
ABOUT GUBBEEN FARM
Gubbeen is a 250-acre, traditional farm on the most south-westerly tip of Ireland and is renowned for its award-winning cheese (called Gubbeen) and its smoked meats. This book encompasses the four voices of the farm – Giana, Tom, Fingal and Clovisse – and what they do, from looking after their animals (poultry, pigs and cows), to cheesemaking, smoking meats and growing biodynamic vegetables.
Giana manages the dairy as well as keeping a keen eye on the poultry; Tom has worked the land all his life, following the old farming traditions of his forbearers; their son Fingal creates his own salamis, chorizo, hams and bacon in the Smokehouse while their daughter Clovisse, a cook, tends to the Kitchen Garden, feeding the family, guests and local restaurants with her salads, herbs and vegetables.
Nothing is wasted and the circle of life sustains the family whilst creating the highest quality products for specialty shops around the world. In this insightful book they share their stories, practical advice and delicious recipes for you to enjoy.
