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To Roast Geese and Ducks
502. Geese and ducks are trussed and spitted as shewn at page 38, after which they are put down at a distance from a good fire; previously, however, stuffing their whole bodies with sage and onions, boiled, chopped fine, and then mixed with an equal quantity of potatoes. They require plenty of dredging and basting with lard or dripping, and a made-gravy must be served with them; also apple sauce (which see). Time required, strictly according to the regular rule.
A spit-roasting instruction compressed to a few lines, with the timing left to a rule given elsewhere in the book. Everything here transfers to an oven, provided you deal with the fat.
- The hinge: render the fatGoose and duck carry a thick fat layer that must have somewhere to go. Prick the skin all over, set the bird on a rack over a deep tray, and pour off the fat two or three times during cooking, or the drippings smoke and the skin steams rather than crisps.
- Oven in place of the spitThe book gives no temperatures. As an adaptation, roast at 400F for the first 30 minutes to start the fat running, then drop to 325-350F for the remainder. Setting the bird "at a distance from a good fire" moderates a strong fire so that the fat renders without the skin scorching.
- "The regular rule"The cross-reference is to a general roasting rule given elsewhere in the book, not repeated here. In practice: a 4-5 lb duck takes about 1 1/2 hours, a 9-11 lb goose about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Cook to 165F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- DredgingDredging means dusting the bird with flour between bastings to build a crust. It is optional with a well-pricked, well-drained bird, and can be skipped in favour of a dry, salted skin.
- Stuffing the whole bodyFilling the cavity slows the heat reaching the thigh and holds raw juices against the stuffing. Cook the sage, onion and potato mixture separately in a dish, and put only a halved onion or lemon in the cavity.
- The stuffing itselfBoiled onions and sage mixed with an equal quantity of potato (the recipe does not say whether mashed, or measured by weight or bulk) — a plainer, cheaper version of the usual sage-and-onion breadcrumb stuffing. Season it firmly; potato absorbs a great deal of salt and pepper.
- Lard or drippingNeither is needed for basting a bird this fatty. Baste with the rendered fat from the tray, and keep the rest: goose fat holds for months in the refrigerator and is excellent for potatoes.
- Made-gravyA "made-gravy" is a separate stock-based gravy, not the pan juices, which here are almost pure fat. Build it from the neck, gizzard and wing tips simmered with onion and a little flour.
- YieldA goose gives much less meat per pound than it looks — allow about 1 1/4 lb of raw bird per person. A duck of 4-5 lb serves three, generously two.