How to Cook Your Own Goose

Who wants to cook a goose? The fear of a rubbery bird is enough to intimidate even the most accomplished cook. But I recently learned how to virtually eliminate this dreaded possibility.

It works with either fresh or frozen geese. If you’re planning on a fresh goose, plan on eating it soon: Geese are born in May, and by January they may no longer be tender. But I have found that frozen geese can be wonderfully tender (though those over 12 pounds were rather fatty).

The very best goose I ever had was a baby goose weighing less than 5 pounds. At the time my garden was full of thyme and sage, so I took large bunches of each and stuffed them into the cavity of the goose. Perhaps because the goose was so young and free-range, there was hardly any fat, and the herbs thoroughly permeated the flesh. The texture and flavor were extraordinary.

I now use this same method for roasting larger geese. The result is not quite the same but is still quite wonderful, and the goose makes a most impressive and unforgettable holiday dinner.

I prefer to leave goose unstuffed because in this fatty bird, stuffing soaks up too much fat. The fat is wonderful, though. I drain off goose fat every half - hour before it begins to brown and save it to use in frying later. Make sure to use a roasting rack, which makes collecting the fat easier. Dousing the goose repeatedly with boiling water helps to release the fat and keeps the breast moist.

ROAST GOOSE WITH THYME AND SAGE 1 (10- to 12-pound) goose 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon table salt Several grindings black pepper 1 whole head garlic, cut in half horizontally 2 large bunches fresh thyme 1 large bunch fresh sage

Thaw frozen goose in refrigerator 2 to 2 1/2 days. (Goose may also be thawed under cold running water in 4 to 5 hours. This is good to know in emergency but not recommended during water shortage such as California is experiencing.)

Remove goose from refrigerator 2 hours before roasting. Remove all loose fat from cavity and discard or render for future use. Remove neck and giblets from cavity and, if desired, simmer in water to cover 2 to 3 hours to make stock for gravy. Poach liver in broth 5 to 10 minutes as special treat for cook.

Pierce goose all over with sharp fork or skewer, being careful not to go deeper than fat layer. Sprinkle bird inside and out to taste with salt and pepper. Place garlic head, thyme and sage in cavity. Place goose on rack in roasting pan and tuck wings under back. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water on top of goose. Roast at 400 degrees 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and close door quickly so heat does not escape. Drain fat (reserve, if desired) and pour on another 1/2 cup boiling water. Roast goose 30 minutes longer. Repeat draining and dousing with water. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting, draining fat and dousing goose with boiling water every 30 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted in thigh, not touching bone, reads 175 to 180 degrees, 1 to 2 hours. When tilted tailward, juices should run dark brown, not rosy. Remove goose to serving platter and let stand 30 minutes before carving. Temperature will rise another 5 degrees on standing.

To prepare light gravy, pour giblet stock into roasting pan and reduce over high heat, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish goose with seasonal fruits and herbs. After presenting goose, carve in kitchen. (It is difficult to carve goose gracefully at table--joints do not separate easily.) Serve with gravy. Makes about 8 servings.

Note : To render goose fat, process 1 pound goose fat into small pieces or chop into small cubes. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water and cover tightly. Cook on lowest possible heat until fat is rendered, leaving only small golden bits, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Stir few times during cooking to prevent over-browning, which will give off flavor. Makes about 1 3/4 cups melted fat. Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator up to several months or freezer up to 2 years. Residual small golden bits can be added to grain dishes or kneaded into bread.