I’m certain we have all seen at least once on TV, the Christmas Classic Movie by Charles Dickens
“A Christmas Carol” about Scrooge, and at the end of the movie the mother serves up a traditional Christmas Goose.
Pun definitely intended, When Jesus arrives, satan’s goose is definitely cooked.
Here I will share with you my Christmas Goose Recipe. Here’s what you’ll need.
Ingredients:1 10-12 pound Goose
2-1/2 cups pitted cooked prunes
6 Apples peeled, cored and quartered
6 Apricots pitted and quartered
1/2 cup pitted dates
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup chopped salted cashews
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
Note: For people with nut alergies omit the cashews
Place all fruits in a bowl and add brown sugar and cinnamon toss and let sit for about 1 hour allowing cinnamon and sugar to infuse the fruits.
Roasting Preparations:If Goose is frozen allow to thaw according to package instructions.
Clean and remove any layers of body fat from inside the cavity and openings. Remove the neck but not the neck skin, and giblets from goose.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut three or four shallow slits into both sided of the breast skin allowing for skin fat to melt and self baste the bird while cooking. Season the outside with Salt, cracked black pepper fresh ground, and poultry seasoning to taste.
Gently rub the inside of the bird with a handful of kosher or table salt, and lightly sprinkle inside cavity with poultry seasoning or sage.
Lightly fill the body cavity with your infused fruits. To close the cavity either sew or skewer it closed. Skewer the neck skin to the back of the goose and tie off the legs tying them together with butcher twine.
Roasting Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 325 -F Total roasting time should be 25 minutes per pound
Using shallow roasting pan with rack place goose breast side down on pan and roast for 3 hours uncovered.
At the end of 3 hours dump out the rendered fat juices.
Turn Goose breast side up place giblets and neck in bottom of roasting pan, and continue roasting another 2 hours approximately. Testing for doneness, grasp the end of a leg bone and wriggle gently. Drumstick and thigh joint should move easily. Outer skin should be browned and crispy.
When cooking is completed, remove from oven and permit to rest for about 10 minutes. Remove skewers and ties. Arrange on your serving platter and arrange fruit stuffing around the goose as a garnish. You are ready to serve.
If desired, peel and half 4 carrots, also cut into 1/8ths 5 potatoes and quarter 2 sweet potatoes and lay them in the bottom of the roasting pan, to cook as the goose is cooking.