When customers are collecting their Christmas dinners I'm often asked for advice on cooking, so I'll  give some tips on what works for me and my family.

 COOKING A GOOSE-  the easy way!

Six simple tips to cook your Christmas goose to perfection

1. Make sure the oven and roasting tin will accommodate the bird. If a tight fit, place bird diagonally in tin.
2. Use large width tin foil to wrap roasting tin, to avoid spillages.
3. Cover legs in fat and wrap in foil. Remove foil for the last 20 minutes, baste the breast with the fat and pour off the surplus.
4. Siphon off some fat from the roasting tin during cooking, ideally using a bulb baster, and use for potatoes and parsnips.
5.Cooked goose temperature should be around 80 degrees C. Rest for 30 minutes, then carve either from the breast or remove complete breasts and carve across the grain into slices.

Storing

Remove the giblets and the body cavity fat. Store the giblets and the goose separately in the fridge.

Cooking times

Allow 15 minutes per 450g / l lb plus 20 minutes.
Approximate time: Cooked temperature should be around 80ºC
3 hours for 4.5kg (10lb)
3.5 hours for 5.4kg (12lb)
Oven 200 C / 400 F (Fan oven 180 C / 350 F)
Gas mark 6
Aga top right hand oven

Utensils

A large, deep meat tin  with a trivet or rack (mesh tray from grill pan will do fine), foil, salt and pepper and stuffing of your choice.

Carving

After resting in cool oven for at least 30 minutes, place on board to carve, take long slices from the breast, or, and I prefer this, remove the whole breast from either side of the bird and then with a short bladed knife carve across the grain into slices. Then carve the meat from the legs.

Extracts taken from British Goose Producers Website  -  geese.cc .



COOKING A TURKEY

 For the last few years I’ve roasted our turkey the way a chef recommended to me, with excellent results.

Remove from fridge an hour or two before starting cooking, to bring up to room temperature.

Use a deep roasting tin; sit turkey in (with stuffing inside and bacon on top if desired)

Put about 1inch of water into the tin, surrounding the turkey

Foil over and seal the turkey in the tin

Cook in oven – fan oven around 170ºc Remember each oven is different but

A 12lb turkey should be cooked in about 3-3½ hours

A 16lb turkey perhaps towards 4-4½ hours

Cooked temperature should be around 80ºc. Lift onto warm plate, and leave to stand for 30-60 minutes