Published November 1, 1994.
For our roast goose recipe we adapted a method from the classic Peking duck, which calls for immersing the duck in boiling water and then air-drying it in the refrigerator for 24 hours; this method tightened the skin so that during roasting the fat was squeezed out. As far as roasting the goose, we found it best to flip the bird over halfway through to insure even cooking. A goose generally reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees in the thigh cavity after less than two hours of roasting. Yet the meat is still tough, especially around the thighs. At least 45 minutes of additional roasting was required. The most reliable indicator of doneness was the feel of the drumsticks. When the skin was puffed and the meat inside felt soft and almost shredded when pressed—like well-done stew meat—the rest of the bird was just right.
Turning the goose in the boiling water may not be necessary if you have a stock pot large enough for the goose to be fully submerged. To make sure there is plenty of meat to go around, plate the goose in the kitchen rather than passing around the table. Mound a big spoonful of stuffing on the plate and bank three to four slices of meat against it. Moisten both stuffing and meat with gravy and lay a strip or two of skin over the top.
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