Slow-Roast Free-Range Goose with Apple, Sage & Goose-Fat Potatoes

Whether it's the star of the show or served alongside your turkey, a goose brings a wonderful sense of occasion to the Christmas table. Rich, succulent and full of flavour, it's a true festive treat that makes any gathering feel that little bit more special.

It all starts with a good bird. Our free-range geese are reared slowly and given plenty of space to roam, which gives the meat its depth of flavour and that beautiful layer of fat that bastes the bird as it roasts. Here's how we like to cook ours: apples and sage tucked inside, a long, gentle roast, and the crispiest potatoes you'll make all year, cooked in the golden fat the goose leaves behind.

At a glance

Serves: 6–8

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus drying overnight

Cooking time: about 2½–3 hours for a 5 kg goose

Resting time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the goose

• 1 free-range goose, about 5 kg oven-ready, giblets removed
• 2 tbsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice (optional, for a warm, aromatic skin)
• 2 eating apples, quartered
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 small bunch of fresh sage
• 1 lemon, halved

For the goose-fat potatoes

• 1.5 kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 4–5 tbsp goose fat, poured from the roasting tin
• 1 tbsp plain flour or semolina
• A few sprigs of rosemary and 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

For the gravy

• The goose giblets (neck and heart; keep the liver for pâté)
• 1 carrot, 1 celery stick and 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 150 ml red wine or port
• 500 ml chicken or goose stock
• 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Method

1. Dry the skin the night before. Unwrap the goose, pat it dry with kitchen paper and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. Dry skin is the key to crisp skin.
2. Bring to room temperature. Take the goose out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7).
3. Prick and season. Prick the skin all over with a skewer, especially around the legs and breast, without piercing the meat. This lets the fat run out as it roasts. Rub the salt, pepper and five-spice into the skin and inside the cavity.
4. Stuff the cavity. Fill it loosely with the apples, onion, sage and lemon. Sit the goose breast-side up on a rack in a deep roasting tin.
5. Start hot. Roast for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4).
6. Roast low and baste out the fat. Allow roughly 20–25 minutes per kg at the lower temperature, so about 2–2½ hours for a 5 kg bird. Every 30–40 minutes, carefully spoon or pour the fat from the tin into a heatproof jar. Expect at least 500 ml over the cook.
7. Check it's done. The juices from the thickest part of the thigh should run clear, or a probe thermometer should read 75°C in the thigh. If the breast is browning too fast, loosely cover it with foil.
8. Rest. Lift the goose onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes. Turn the oven up to 220°C (200°C fan) for the potatoes.
9. Make the potatoes. While the goose roasts, parboil the potatoes for 8 minutes, drain and shake in the colander to rough up the edges, then toss with the flour. Heat 4–5 tbsp goose fat in a tray in the oven until smoking, add the potatoes, rosemary and garlic, and roast for 45–55 minutes, turning once, until deep golden.
10. Make the gravy. Simmer the giblets and chopped veg in the stock while the goose cooks, then strain. Spoon all but 1 tbsp fat from the roasting tin, set it on the hob, stir in the flour, then add the wine and bubble for a minute. Pour in the giblet stock and redcurrant jelly and simmer until glossy. Season and strain.
11. Carve and serve. Goose is shallower than turkey, so carve the breast in long, thin slices and take the legs off whole. Serve with the potatoes, gravy, red cabbage and a sharp apple sauce.

A few tips from us

• Choosing your size. A goose has a generous frame but carries less meat than a turkey of the same weight, so a 5 kg bird will happily feed six to eight. Feeding a crowd? Go for a larger bird, or pair it with a glazed ham.
• Treasure the fat. Goose fat is liquid gold in the kitchen. Strain it into a clean jar and keep it in the fridge for up to three months, ready for roast potatoes, parsnips or the crispest Yorkshire puddings.
• Make the most of leftovers. Boxing Day calls for a goose and potato hash, or shred the cold meat through a warm salad with orange segments and peppery watercress.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to cook a goose?

A 5 kg goose takes around 2½ to 3 hours in total. Roast it at 220°C (200°C fan) for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and allow 20–25 minutes per kg. Always rest it for 30 minutes before carving.

How many people does a goose feed?

A 5 kg goose serves six to eight people. Goose has a larger frame and less meat than a turkey of the same weight, so allow roughly 600–800 g of oven-ready weight per person.

How do you get crispy skin on a goose?

Dry the skin uncovered in the fridge overnight, prick it all over before roasting, and season generously with salt. Pouring off the fat every 30–40 minutes stops the skin from stewing and lets it crisp beautifully.

How do you know when a goose is cooked?

A goose is cooked when the juices from the thickest part of the thigh run clear, or when a meat thermometer reads 75°C in the thigh. If the breast browns before the legs are ready, cover it loosely with foil.

What should you serve with roast goose?

Goose-fat roast potatoes, braised red cabbage and a sharp apple sauce are the classic pairings. Their sweetness and acidity cut through the richness of the meat, and a glossy gravy made with port or red wine brings it all together.

Make it a Christmas to remember

Our geese are a true seasonal treat, and they're always popular in the run-up to Christmas. To be sure of yours, reserve your free-range goose early, and we'll have it ready and waiting for you to collect, have it home delivered or pick it up from one of our festive Click & Collect points.