Our Golden Goose delivers incredible depth of flavour, crisp skin and succulent dark meat — a showstopping alternative to turkey. With careful preparation and a simple glaze, this bird becomes the star of the festive table. Follow our step-by-step guide for perfect results.

🧑🍳 Preparation

1. Bring to room temperature
   Remove the goose from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.

2. Remove excess fat
   Check inside the cavity for large fat deposits. Trim and save the fat for roasting potatoes or winter vegetables — goose fat is liquid gold!

3. Prick the skin
   Use a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to prick all over, especially:

   • Thighs

   • Under wings

   • Around the back
     Only pierce through the fat and skin, not into the meat. This helps the fat render and gives perfectly crisp skin.

4. Season lightly
   Rub the bird all over with sea salt and black pepper. (The glaze will bring sweetness and colour later.)

5. Prepare the roasting tray
   Place the goose on a rack inside a large roasting tin, breast side up.
   Pour around 250ml water into the base of the tray to prevent burning and help collect fat.

🔥 Cooking Guidance

Oven Temperature

• Fan 160°C

• Conventional 180°C

• Gas Mark 4

Timing Rule

30 minutes per kg + 30 minutes extra

For a 5–6kg goose → Approx. 3–3.5 hours total cooking time

During Cooking

• Every 40 minutes, carefully spoon or pour off the rendered fat into a heatproof bowl (save it for potatoes!)

• Keep loosely covered with foil if browning too quickly

🍯 Using Your Brown Sugar Glaze

1. 20–25 minutes before the end of cooking, empty the glaze into a small saucepan.

2. Bring to a gentle boil for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.

3. Brush generously over the goose.

4. Return to the oven uncovered for the final 5–10 minutes until the skin is deep golden and sticky.

5. Re-brush halfway if you prefer a thicker glaze.

6. If colouring too fast → loosely tent with foil.

🌡 Doneness

If you don’t have a thermometer:
Pierce the thigh — juices must run clear, not pink.

⏲ Resting

Remove from the oven and rest for 30–40 minutes, loosely covered with foil.

This step allows juices to redistribute, resulting in tender, beautifully moist slices.