What temperature should the goose crown and legs reach?

Cook the stuffed legs until the centre of the stuffing reaches 76°C (170°F), and the crown until the thickest part of the breast reaches 70°C (160°F) and holds there for 2 minutes. Use a probe thermometer, with Charlie held at 160°C (320°F) throughout.

How long should I brine the goose?

30 minutes per kilo of weight, in 10 litres of cold water with 100g of salt dissolved in it. Afterwards, pat the skin completely dry with kitchen paper, because wet skin will steam rather than roast.

How long should the goose rest before carving?

20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat, and it gives you time to render the goose fat for the roast potatoes.

What can I do with the rendered goose fat?

Use it for roast potatoes. While the goose rests, render the trimmed fat in a saucepan over a low heat until clear and golden. Serve the potatoes with the sliced stuffed legs, carved crown and winter greens.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Goose

Christmas BBQ Goose

Name: Christmas BBQ Goose
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 to 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 10 litres cold water; 100g salt; 500g sausage meat; 100g chopped chestnuts; 100g diced dried apricots; 100g dried cranberries; A good pinch of salt; 1 whole goose (around 4 to 5 kg); About half a football-sized pile of good-quality lumpwood charcoal

Goose makes a wonderful change from turkey, with rich meat and fat that deserves its own tray of potatoes. The stuffed legs and crown cook separately in Charlie, giving each the attention it needs. A festive roast with rather good benefits for the potatoes.

William PodburyChef

Roast

Prep45 minutes plus brining

Cook2 hours 30 minutes

Serves6 to 8

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

10 litres cold water
100g salt
500g sausage meat
100g chopped chestnuts
100g diced dried apricots
100g dried cranberries
A good pinch of salt
1 whole goose (around 4 to 5 kg)
About half a football-sized pile of good-quality lumpwood charcoal

Equipment

Charlie Charcoal Oven$6,400.00 View, Charlie Charcoal Oven

Method

1. Mix the salt into the cold water until fully dissolved. Submerge the goose and brine for 30 minutes per kilo of weight. Lift out and pat completely dry all over with kitchen paper.
2. Place the goose breast side up. Remove the legs by cutting through the skin at the joint seam, popping the ball joint and cutting through. Remove the backbone by cutting down each side close to the bone to leave a crown with breasts and wings attached. Remove the wishbone from the crown.
3. Pat the crown dry, lightly score the skin in a criss-cross pattern, and season the meat side with salt.
4. Debone the legs by running a knife along the bone and scraping the meat free. Lay each leg flat. Mix the stuffing: combine sausage meat, chestnuts, apricots, cranberries and a good pinch of salt into a firm log. Roll each leg around the stuffing, wrap tightly in baking paper then foil. Rest the crown and legs at room temperature for 20 minutes.
5. Add about half a football-sized pile of lumpwood charcoal to the fire grate. Light and bring the oven to 160°C (320°F).
6. Place the foil-wrapped stuffed legs on the lower rack, close to the fire. Cook at 160°C (320°F) for about 1 hour 30 minutes until the stuffing centre reaches 76°C (170°F) on a probe thermometer.
7. Lean the crown against the wrapped legs, backbone side down. Cook at 160°C (320°F) for about 1 hour, then check with a probe. The crown is ready when the thickest part of the breast near the breastbone reaches 70°C (160°F) and holds there for 2 minutes, in line with UK food safety guidance for poultry.
8. Lift the crown and legs out of Charlie, cover loosely with foil and rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
9. While the goose rests, render the trimmed goose fat in a saucepan over a low heat until clear and golden. Use for roast potatoes.
10. Remove the foil and paper from the stuffed legs and slice into thick rounds. Carve the crown into even slices of breast meat. Serve on a warm platter with goose fat roast potatoes and winter greens.

More recipes

The cook

William Podbury

Chef

William Podbury is a professional chef and open fire cooking expert. Formerly a chef at Embers in Northampton, his cooking is all about harnessing fire and smoke to get the very best from great ingredients.

More recipes by William Podbury

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should the goose crown and legs reach?

Cook the stuffed legs until the centre of the stuffing reaches 76°C (170°F), and the crown until the thickest part of the breast reaches 70°C (160°F) and holds there for 2 minutes. Use a probe thermometer, with Charlie held at 160°C (320°F) throughout.
How long should I brine the goose?

30 minutes per kilo of weight, in 10 litres of cold water with 100g of salt dissolved in it. Afterwards, pat the skin completely dry with kitchen paper, because wet skin will steam rather than roast.
How long should the goose rest before carving?

20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat, and it gives you time to render the goose fat for the roast potatoes.
What can I do with the rendered goose fat?

Use it for roast potatoes. While the goose rests, render the trimmed fat in a saucepan over a low heat until clear and golden. Serve the potatoes with the sliced stuffed legs, carved crown and winter greens.