Goose Roast with Chesnut Stuffing

On By Justin BunchIn Food, Franconia, Germany, Hessen-Nassau, Main Course, Recipe, Rhine-Maas, Upper-Rhine
Goose Roast with Chesnut Stuffing
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Goose Roast with Chesnut Stuffing

Course: MainCuisine: GermanDifficulty: Medium

Goose was a common food of the Middle Classes from the Early Modern Period to the middle of the 20th century. Today it lives on mostly as a holiday dish for St. Martin’s Day and Christmas, as typically associated with Catholic regions of Germany. This variation uses chestnuts as part of the stuffing, which could have been found across most Central and South-Western Germany.

Ingredients

  • 3 Green or sour apples

  • 2 Large Onions

  • 200g Chestnuts, peeled and boiled (e.g., from a jar)

  • approx 2 Cups of cubed dark bread (in German, Semmelknödel or Laugenbrötchen are optimal)

  • Salt, Pepper

  • Thyme

  • Oregano

  • Sage

  • 1 Goose, about 5-6 kg

  • 500ml Milk

  • 1/2 cup broth

  • 200ml Apple juice

  • Flour

  • 2Tbsp Calvados

  • 1-2 Oranges

Directions

  • Peel the apples and remove the cores likewise peel the oranges
  • Cut the apples, oranges, and onions into small cubes
  • Drain the chestnuts (if canned) and cut them into quarters
  • Mix 1/3 of the apple cubes, half of the onions, and all of the orange and chestnuts together in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano.
  • Bring the milk almost to a boil, and then pour over the bread and fruit mixture, then mix and let sit for 5 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (with fan)
  • With a paper towel, pat the goose dry inside and outside. Remove excess fat and any gizzards still inside.
  • Season the goose now with generous amounts of salt, pepper, and sage, both inside and outside
  • Now fill the goose with the bread and fruit mixture
  • Place the goose and 1/2 liter of water in a baking or roasting pan, and set in the lower rack of the oven. Note that the goose will render copious amounts of fat, so make sure the pan has high enough sides to capture it.
  • Allow the goose to cook to the desired temperature, about 2-2 1/2 hours. Every 30 minutes, make sure to base the goose with the broth.
  • With one hour remaining, add the remainder of the onion and apple to the pan
  • In the last 30 minutes, you can optionally get a nice golden color by raising the temperature to 190°C and basing the breast with some honey
  • After the time is up, remove the goose and the pan from the oven. Set the goose aside to rest, and strain the broth into a saucepan
  • Remove as much fat as you desire from the top of the broth, then bring to a boil and add the apple juice and the flour or thickening agent.
  • Season if necessary with salt, pepper, and calvados.
  • Take the filling out of the goose, carve and serve with the sauce

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