Traditionally enjoyed over the festive period, goose is having a bit of a revival and today is prized by chefs and home cooks for its gamey taste and deep golden colour. Here’s how to choose, prep and roast your goose to perfection this Christmas and beyond.

This winged game has more deeply coloured meat than other poultry such as turkey, and has a rich flavour that is sometimes compared to duck or mild roast beef. As with turkey and chicken, the leg and thigh meat is even darker and more flavoursome than the breast. Goose is a relatively fatty bird, with a good layer of fat under the skin which, when cooked, melts into the meat and keeps it nicely moist.

Lots of supermarkets now stock goose, and you should also be able to buy whole goose and cuts such as goose breast and legs from reputable butchers. The British season traditionally runs from September to December but frozen goose is often available all year round.

First of all take your bird out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, so it can come up to room temperature. To prepare your goose take out the giblets, but leave the string on if it has been trussed, as this will help it hold its shape whilst roasting. Wipe the bird inside and out with kitchen paper and trim off any white fat from inside, saving it to melt and use for future cooking. Pierce the goose over the breast and under the wings and legs, using the tip of a small sharp knife, in order to help the rendered fat flow as it cooks, but make sure you only prick the skin and not through to the flesh. Season liberally with sea salt all over before putting in a roasting tin on a rack.

To start with, work out the size of bird you need – a 4.5kg will serve about 6 people, while a 6kg bird will serve 8-10. Then weigh your bird again once you have stuffed it with any aromatics you are using to calculate the cooking time. Roast your bird for 15 minutes per 500g, plus 30 minutes. 

Follow this basic recipe for a great guide:

The legs on goose take a lot longer to cook than the breast so it can best to roast your whole goose at a medium to low temperature to ensure everything is properly cooked through. Or some chefs prefer to remove the legs and joint goose for this reason, as Charlie Hibbert does with this Christmas recipe. 

As well as drying and salting the skin, a good trick is also to pour boiling water over the skin to tighten it up. To do this, position your bird in a clean sink then pour over water from a freshly boiled kettle. Repeat this a few times, then dry and season the bird before transferring to your roasting tin. 

Geese have a large cavity, which makes them great for stuffing. Once you have removed the giblets and excess fat from inside the bird you can add flavourings to the cavity which will infuse the meat as it cooks. However you must make sure you only stuff the cavity half full in order to allow the heat to flow around the bird and cook it through safely. Hardy herbs, citrus and onions are all great additions.  

Take your goose out of the oven, then pierce the fattest part of the leg with a sharp knife and see if the juices run clear. If there is any trace of pink or red then return to the oven for another 30 minutes and check again. Once the juices run clear it is cooked through.

Firstly take the legs off by running a sharp carving knife along the side of the thigh and gently pull, cutting underneath to detach it from the bird. Then run your knife along the edge of the wings and pull them off the carcass. To take the breasts off, run your knife along the backbone, then lift the breast up and run your knife underneath along the bottom the breast against the bone, and lift off. Repeat with the second breast. Carve the meat off the thigh joints and breast pieces as liked.

Goose releases a lot of fat as it cooks, which is why it is best to sit it on a rack or trivet of veg in the roasting tin. To collect the fat, every time you go to baste the bird as it roasts, spoon off the excess fat, or syphon it off using a turkey baster, into a sieve lined with a clean muslin set over a heatproof bowl. This will strain out impurities and help your oil last for longer. Then you can store your fat in a sterilised jar for 2-3 months, or you can freeze it for up to 6 months. Use the fat to make the crispiest, golden roast potatoes. And you can also use the carcass to make a great stock once you’re finished with your roast too.

With its rich taste, goose meat works with some strong and punchy ingredients. As well as stuffing the cavity with aromatics (as above) you can massage flavour into the skin using dry rubs or marinades. It’s great matched with festive ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger and cranberry. Five spice and lime juice make a bold rub or ground cumin and lemon zest mixed with honey to help the rub stick to the skin. Adam Byatt serves roast crown of goose with cranberries and celeriac or try Pascal Aussignac’s fantastic roast goose with zesty fruit and kumquat sauce. 

Leftover goose meat can become dry and tough once cooled, so it is best to eat your goose soon after cooking. Or if you do have meat you want to keep for another meal, it will keep chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days, but reheat in the oven covered with foil with a splash or water or orange juice to moisten it up and serve with a sauce or glaze to serve.