Roast goose - how long

hibby

I can't understand all the different advice I'm finding on how long to cook a goose. For example (all times are for a 10 lb bird):

Darina Allen (Simply Delicious Christmas, Festive Food of Ireland, Irish Traditional Cooking): 2 to 2.5 hours @ 180C
Terence Conran (Classic Conran): 30 mins per 500 g @ 200C = 270 mins (4.5 hours!)
Mary Berry (complete cookbook): 50 mins @ 220 + 20 mins/lb @ 180C = 250 mins (4 hrs 10 mins)

roastgoose.com : 1 hr @ 400F + 2 to 3 hrs @ 325 F = 3 to 4 hours
gourmetsleuth.com : 2 hours
eatwell.gov.uk : 2 hours 40 mins @ 220C
greatbritishkitchen.co.uk : 15 mins/lb + 15 mins = 165 mins (2 hrs 45 mins)

What's going on? They can't all be right, can they? If Darina's goose is cooked after 2 hours, Conran's must be burned to a crisp after 4 and a half at a higher temperature!

I need to narrow this down by Christmas day or Christmas dinner could be a disaster. Thanks in advance for any help!

bryaner

I'd work on the 2.5 hours sounds about right..

neuro-praxis

I've had the exact same problem. I also don't know how much my bird is going to weigh because my butcher doesn't know! If anyone can advise timings per pound/kilo that would be great.

nosietoes

not sure about exact cooking times per pound but here is fantastic method that tends to keep the goose a little moister as long as you don't over cook it!

http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/936/1994/12/18/Roast-Christmas-Goose/recipe.html

the beer revolu

Damn it.
I roast a goose almost perfectly last year.
But did I note the cooking times I used??
No.
Guessing again this year:eek:

duploelabs

try at the lowest temp and at the shortest time. Then take it out, stick the tip a metal skewer into the thickest part of the bird (usually the thigh or the mid part of the breast) and leave it there for 5 seconds. Take out the skewer and touch it to your lip, if it's just a bit too hot to hold against your lip then it's done, cold enough to hold it there then it's not done enough

muckety

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas-feast-1314528.html

Simon Hopkinson's roast goose stuffed with mashed potato is a fantastic recipe. He roasts a c. 10lb goose for 30 mins on a higher heat, then 2 to 2.5 hours on a lower one but then he has stuffed the cavity with a lot of potato! Also - your goose will most likely be within a couple of pounds of 10lb, they are usually around 10-12 lb maybe because they are naturally 'free range' so they don't get as fattened up as other birds...

hibby

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to follow the recipe linked to by Muckety - it looks like that writer really knows what he's talking about.

huskerdu

I cook roast goose every year and I agree with Muckety about Simon Hopkinsons recipe, but I would tend to turn the heat down a bit.

2.5 hours total is loads, I think.

My stuffing, is from Myrtle Allen and is ever better than plain mashed spuds.

2lb mashed potato
1lb chopped apple
1lb thinly sliced onion.
thyme
a few tbsp orange jucie ( freshly squeezed)
Lots of seasoning

Stew the apple, onion in the orange juice until soft, Mix with the potato, add thyme and seasoning and stuff it up the goose.