Cantonese Roast Goose

Cantonese Roast Goose

A festive Cantonese classic, this roast goose delivers mahogany, crackling skin and succulent, juicy meat, traditionally served with plum sauce.

Prep

30 min

Cook

90 min

Total

120 min

Serves

6-8

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1 whole goose (about 4.5 kg (10 lb)) goose, cleaned, with neck and giblets removed
• •15 g (½ oz) five-spice powder
• •30 g (1 oz) salt, fine sea salt
• •20 g (¾ oz) sugar, white sugar
• •5 g (1 tsp) white pepper, freshly ground
• •50 g (2 oz) maltose, or honey as substitute
• •50 ml (3 tbsp) hot water
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce, light soy sauce
• •200 g (7 oz) plum sauce, for serving, store-bought
• •3 cloves garlic, crushed, for cavity
• •2 slices ginger, fresh, for cavity

Steps

1. 1 Pat the goose dry inside and out with paper towels. Prick the skin all over with a fork, especially the breast and thighs, being careful not to pierce the meat—this helps render fat and crisp the skin.
2. 2 Mix the five-spice powder, salt, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture evenly inside the cavity of the goose. Stuff the cavity with the crushed garlic and ginger slices. Seal the opening with metal skewers or trussing string, crossing the legs to secure.
3. 3 Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Pour the boiling water over the entire outside of the goose—this tightens the skin. Allow the goose to drain briefly, then pat it completely dry with paper towels.
4. 4 Make the glaze: in a small saucepan, warm the maltose with the hot water until melted, then stir in the soy sauce. Brush the glaze evenly over the entire goose. Reserve the remaining glaze for later basting.
5. 5 Place the goose on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours, allowing the skin to dry thoroughly. (This step is essential for crackling skin; do not skip.)
6. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the goose on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the temperature to 160°C (325°F). Continue roasting, basting with the reserved glaze every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F). This typically takes about 1 hour after the temperature reduction, but start checking at 45 minutes.
7. 7 Remove the goose from the oven and let it rest on a carving board for 15–20 minutes. The internal temperature will rise slightly during rest.
8. 8 Carve the goose by first removing the legs and then slicing the breast meat. Chop the crispy skin and meat into bite-size pieces with a cleaver. Serve immediately with plum sauce on the side.