Friday, December 9, 2011

My Goose Was Already Cooked

Many years ago I remember trying to cook a Christmas goose. It wasn’t a total disaster, but I do remember gamey, less-than-tender meat, and copious amounts of grease. So, despite several food wishes for this iconic holiday roast, I decided it wasn’t something I wanted to revisit.

Then, I received an offer to try a pre-cooked, smoked goose from Schiltz Foods. They’re the country’s largest goose producer, and a sponsor of this year’s Tasty Awards. They were offering their geese to select Tasty Award nominees to try out, so I decided to give it a whirl.

I’ll admit to being skeptical since reheating pre-cooked meats usually don’t produce the best results. However, this turned out amazingly well. As you’ll see, the skin roasted up perfectly crisp, and the meat was moist and flavorful. By the way, I did zero food styling in this video, and the magazine-quality final product you see in these photos was exactly what came out of the oven.

Since the bird is brined and smoked, the taste is that of a very rich, moderately salty ham. So, if you want a Christmas goose that actually tastes like goose, this may not be your best choice. But, if you’re considering a holiday ham, and want a real showstopper in the center of the table, I think this is a great choice. Think of it as a delicious ham with wings.

I sacrificed half the wings to make a basic reduction sauce, and the subtle smokiness worked wonderfully with the red wine, balsamic vinegar, and blackberry notes. The sauce is certainly optional, as this could be served plain with just some cranberry sauce on the side. I hope you’re able to give this very easy-to-prepare, gorgeous roast goose a try. Enjoy!


1 whole pre-cooked smoked goose (mine was about 6 pounds)
For the sauce:
2 flat sections of goose’s wings
1/2 cup red wine
3 cups water
1 star anise
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup blackberry jam
2-3 tablespoons cold butter, cut in cubes
salt to taste

Disclaimer: As stated above, this post was made possible by Schiltz Foods, Inc., who provided the smoked goose free of charge. I’d like to thank them for bringing goose back into my life. If you want more information, or are interested in ordering a goose for the holidays, please follow this link to their official website.

22 comments:

philogaia said...

A delicious ham with wings? So does this mean that pigs now fly? Sorry. I know. You do the jokes. This video makes me want to break out the Bradley and try smoking a goose myself.

greygoose125 said...

Chef - can white wine be substituted for the red wine in this recipe? Thanks!

Chef John said...

Sure!

Amy Sherman said...

Ham with wings. Love it! I could always goose you, if you like.

Chris K. said...

One of these days I'm going to roast a whole goose while getting thoroughly loaded on a bottle of fine, Islay single malt scotch. One of these days...

Chef John said...

Thanks, but Michele has that covered! ;)

Anonymous said...

oooooo....
ohhhhhhh....
oh my god!
holy s***?!
(highfive from my aunt)

thank you so much :)

mike

Anonymous said...

The goose looks amazing and the new logo is very nice, too.

Sommer said...

i really, really, really, hope there is smoked goose or duck at the commissary!! I am making goose for my christmas dinner and I am kinda terrified. this looks so easy and delicious! press your thumbs for me :)

inchrisin said...

Thanks for the Christmas idea. For Thanksgiving, I borrowed your compound butter recipe for a turkey breast. I smoked it on the grill. It tasted like ham. For anyone who wonders, this is a GOOD THING! Delicious, juicy, smokey, perfect!

Pantalone said...

I dunno. Whithout those wings tips it looks a little "pre-munched".

Bet it's really tasty though.

J said...

that looks really delicious.

Goldberg said...

It might just be my browser or something but when I click the link to the company's website, the link doesn't work.

Great video though, I am considering this for Christmas.

Russell Singson said...

Does Goose compare to Duck. I love crispy duck and thought Goose would be similar?

Russell Singson said...

I've been wanting to try Goose for some time now. I love crispy Duck and thought Goose would be similar but bigger. Can anyone tell me if it compares?

xscientist said...

Can this type of sauce be cooled then reheated later, or will it break?

xscientist said...

Can this sauce be cooled then reheated again later, or will it break?

Chef John said...

It should reheat fine!

Heavyreader said...

What side dishes would you recommend serving with the smoked gooese?

Chef John said...

Anything you would serve with a ham or other holiday meat! Whatever you like will work!

Unknown said...

Wow! This looks delicious I have got to try to get my hands on one.

Chris T said...

Has anyone attempted this with whole smoked ducks? Seems they are more widely available.