What meat will you be having at Christmas?

[seagullwedgee]

Anyone thinking of having goose for the first time, just be a bit careful and think first. The cavity on a goose is enormous. You think you've got a huge bird when you see it all wrapped up, but there is next to no breast meat on it at all - if there was any more it would never fly. So, goose has good flavoured meat, but 80% of it is on the legs. Don't try stuffing the cavity either, you would probably lose 4 pounds of sausage meat in there and still have loads of room to spare. My advice would be to take both legs off the whole goose, and add 4 or 6 good duck legs on the bone, and roast those. Fillet the goose breasts off the bird (and chuck the huge carcus away) and add the breast fillets to the oven with 25 minutes to go. if you cook the whole bird as one on the carcus, you'll find the breast is overdone and dried out long before the legs are done, its simply down to the weight of the meat on breast/legs. might sound like a bit of hassle, but if you really want to put in a few minutes work preparing it, the end product on the plate will be far far better.

Pleased to meet you, meat to please you.

PS I too am very disappointed that, given the way this thread started, there has not been a lot more innuendo yet about birds, breasts, basting, stuffing, goosing etc. Come on NSC, you can do better.

 

[Seagrrl]

Rabbit to start, partridges for main.
I'd agree about doing some research before cooking goose, you also need to make sure you drain the fat off abour 20 mins in as there is a lot of it.
Venison is the meat of the gods, particularly served raw as a capaccio.

 

[The Large One]

Thanks Al, but as a multi media conglomerate I fear your budget is well above this humble scribe's. Break it to me gently, how much for 5 1/2 lb of Venison Shanks then ?

About £25-£30.

 

[Ernest]

 

[vegster]

Ah, now I have a tough decision, £30 is 5 roast Chickens in my world.

 

[grawhite]

I'll be having ham, beef, turkey for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

[Beach Hut]

Turkey

 

[Rogero]

Anyone thinking of having goose for the first time, just be a bit careful and think first. The cavity on a goose is enormous. You think you've got a huge bird when you see it all wrapped up, but there is next to no breast meat on it at all - if there was any more it would never fly. So, goose has good flavoured meat, but 80% of it is on the legs. Don't try stuffing the cavity either, you would probably lose 4 pounds of sausage meat in there and still have loads of room to spare. My advice would be to take both legs off the whole goose, and add 4 or 6 good duck legs on the bone, and roast those. Fillet the goose breasts off the bird (and chuck the huge carcus away) and add the breast fillets to the oven with 25 minutes to go. if you cook the whole bird as one on the carcus, you'll find the breast is overdone and dried out long before the legs are done, its simply down to the weight of the meat on breast/legs. might sound like a bit of hassle, but if you really want to put in a few minutes work preparing it, the end product on the plate will be far far better.

Pleased to meet you, meat to please you.

PS I too am very disappointed that, given the way this thread started, there has not been a lot more innuendo yet about birds, breasts, basting, stuffing, goosing etc. Come on NSC, you can do better.

how long do you cook the legs for?

 

[seagullwedgee]

I would suggest 15 minutes at 220 degrees (that's high) followed by 90 minutes at about 170 degrees. It really depends on the size, check every 10 minutes at the end. Don't worry about the meat being slightly pink - if it was chicken you would keep going if it was still pink, but this is goose and a little bit of pink is perfectly natural, as it is with duck/duck breast.

And if you really want to help the presentation, start by pan frying the goose legs to get some colour into the skin, for literally 5 minutes, then put them in the oven as described. Keep the fat left from pan frying the legs this way, it is of course perfect for tossing your roast potatoes in, as opposed to flavourless cooking oil!

 

[Hamilton]

Goose!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I will be offering (I do the cooking)Starting with a Caribbean Seafood Aperitif, then, Strip loin of roast beef, Chicken or Rack of Lamb accompanied with a choice of pigs in blankets, home made Yorkshire Pudding, bread sauce, stout/white wine/minted (depending on choice of meat) gravy and seasonal vegetables. Followed by a choice of home made puddings or the finest cheese board.

 

[fataddick]

Genuinely amazed there are still meat eaters around. Even mates who used to do 3-4 BK Whoppers in a go are all now veggie/vegan. I couldn't give a stuff either way myself (been veggie since '81 but I hate all animals and support others killing and eating them). Just assumed Brighton was 75% veggie by now.

 

[Porkydale]

Genuinely amazed there are still meat eaters around. Even mates who used to do 3-4 BK Whoppers in a go are all now veggie/vegan. I couldn't give a stuff either way myself (been veggie since '81 but I hate all animals and support others killing and eating them). Just assumed Brighton was 75% veggie by now.

BK Whoppers,,when were they ever meat ??

Daughters doing Turkey ,boxing day we are doing a potato pie , smashing.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Genuinely amazed there are still meat eaters around. Even mates who used to do 3-4 BK Whoppers in a go are all now veggie/vegan. I couldn't give a stuff either way myself (been veggie since '81 but I hate all animals and support others killing and eating them). Just assumed Brighton was 75% veggie by now.

you hate all animals?

 

[vegster]

Genuinely amazed there are still meat eaters around. Even mates who used to do 3-4 BK Whoppers in a go are all now veggie/vegan. I couldn't give a stuff either way myself (been veggie since '81 but I hate all animals and support others killing and eating them). Just assumed Brighton was 75% veggie by now.

If you are out and about in Brighton pubs on a Sunday keep an eye on the chalk board listing the roasts available, I think you will find that the Veggie option ( Usually 20% of the menu ) tends not to sell out. Juxtapose that with the amount of Roast Lamb ( usually 20% of the menu) that normally sells out before I get there. I fear your 75% is a tad North Korean.

 

[The Large One]

If you are out and about in Brighton pubs on a Sunday keep an eye on the chalk board listing the roasts available, I think you will find that the Veggie option ( Usually 20% of the menu ) tends not to sell out. Juxtapose that with the amount of Roast Lamb ( usually 20% of the menu) that normally sells out before I get there. I fear your 75% is a tad North Korean.

That's putting it politely.

His assumptions were just that... assumptions.

 

[OzMike]

Lamb for me, I bloody love lamb.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I absolutely love Turkey, in fact I would go as far as to say it is my favourite meat. I happily buy Turkey breast steaks all year, if pushed for one recipe I would recommend escallopes. Beat them thin, coat with egg, then breadcrumbs, oregano and parmesan.

Next up how to combat the Turkey is dry and boring argument.

1 The best Turkeys are bronzes, they have far more flavour than the whites. Whites are the biggest sellers, only because they grow quicker.
2 The best flavour is in the thigh meat, a turkey crown almost guarantees you dry meat, unless you continuously coat and baste the meat during cooking.
3 Treat yourself to a fresh bird.

These guys do fabulous turkeys.
http://www.appledoreturkeys.co.uk/

You can buy direct or via a butcher.
http://www.appledoreturkeys.co.uk/find-a-stockist/

Boxes contain detailed cooking instructions a simple temperature tester and fresh rosemary.

 

[spongy]

If you like duck you will like Goose, so much nicer than turkey.
Normally have goose but going for turkey and beef this year.

The only time I eat duck is the crispy shredded in a pancake roll with hoi sin sauce

Never had it roasted or any other way!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

On the Sunday before Christmas we are having a 3 bird roast. I prefer turkey cold with pickles and salad, than served hot as a roast.
Goose can be a bit greasy so drain off the fat before you finish cooking it.
Venison is delicious. We visited the Scottish deer farm in Cupar a few years ago. Having fed some of the deer, stags and hinds, we then went into the farm shop to buy the meat.