Cook like the pros!

Learn to choose and prepare meat, bake bread, chop and season. Let the experts pass on their knowledge, experience, and tried and tested tips.

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Choosing your goose

Geese have fatty meat, so when buying, keep in mind that it will burn easily in the oven due to the heat and release a lot of lard. A medium-sized bird weighing 3.5-4 kg is more than enough for a family of four. The older the goose, the tougher the meat, so choose younger birds where possible – their meat has a milder taste, is more tender and cooks faster.

You don't have to roast a whole St. Martin's goose! You can buy only thighs or breasts, or you can cut up the poultry yourself at home. You process the goose until the last part – however, each one requires a different kind of preparation.

When to buy?

It’s important to think ahead! Although geese are available all year round, the season peaks in November, once the birds have built up fat reserves for the winter. Coating with lard has a positive effect on the taste of the meat, which is why there is increased interest in goose in autumn. If you have the option, always choose a Czech goose. Order it from a farmer in your area, no later than the beginning of November – the sooner the better (orders are often accepted from the second half of October).

"Store chilled goose in the refrigerator at a maximum of 4 °C. Let it sit for 3-4 days. It works similarly to ageing beef – before processing, the meat should mature a bit, to soften. Ageing is reflected in its quality and taste," recommends Martin Štangl.

Does a frozen goose work?

Yes! Remove from the freezer at least 24 hours in advance, place on a tray or in a bowl and put it in the fridge, letting it slowly thaw. This is the gentlest way to defrost.

Attention! A common at-home practice is to take meat out of the freezer and let it stand on the kitchen counter at room temperature until it softens (even overnight), or place it in a bag in warm water, which will speed up the thawing. However, we definitely do not recommend such handling of frozen meat! A long period of time in a warmer environment means there’s a risk of bacteria multiplying, which can cause serious digestive problems.

When to take the meat out of the fridge?

Both thawed and fresh, chilled goose should be removed from the refrigerator about three hours before processing – it needs to be tempered (warmed) to room temperature. Properly tempered meat won’t go through such a big temperature shock in the oven, it will be more tender, juicier and more evenly cooked. In addition, it will take less time to cook.

How to prepare a goose for roasting?

Remove any giblets – with bought poultry, these are sometimes found in a bag that can easily be removed. But don't throw them away! Place in the fridge, they’ll come in useful later. Process them into soups such as kaldoun, or prepare traditional dumplings from livers and stomachs. Anything that’s left can be used to enhance the bases of sauces and soups, or in stuffing and ragout.

Goose wings are composed of three parts. Remove the two outer parts of the wings before roasting – they will serve as the basis for a strong broth, which you can serve before the meat at the festive lunch. In the second joint, dislocate the wing from the outside (turn it by force) – this creates a place that you can easily cut with a smaller, sharp knife. The wing is then easy to remove.

Trim off excess fat and overhanging skin, being careful not to cut into the meat. If you find remnants of feathers or hair on the skin, pull them out with kitchen tweezers or burn them off. Wash the goose inside and out, drying thoroughly with a paper towel.

Just add salt

The washed, dried goose needs to be properly salted – and don't hold back! Season the meat with salt on all sides, inside and out – a heaped spoonful is a good amount. Salt is key to enhancing the intense flavour of the meat, and perfectly golden skin.

What else to season with?

Goose meat is aromatic and, thanks to the high proportion of fat, naturally very tasty. In the case of St. Martin's goose, it pays to bet on the classics – simple Czech cumin will suffice as seasoning. Sprinkle onto the skin and in the abdominal cavity.

"A combination with autumn fruits is also excellent – the fruit will add juiciness. In the baking dish, cover the meat with sliced ​​apples and pears, you can also add prunes. Fragrant quince or medlar go well with goose, edible chestnuts also work. If you don't strictly stick to local ingredients, reach for a fresh orange," suggests Martin.

When baking, some people rub the goose with baking powder mixed with honey, which caramelises and ensures a sweet golden skin. A few pieces of ginger add a mild kick. Fresh herbs can also be used – try those from the wild: yarrow, black wormwood or even motherwort. Or just traditional marjoram.

Feeling like stuffing?

"Take a walk, and look around you – and when preparing the stuffing, work with the ingredients that autumn offers," advises Martin Štangl. "Cut apples and pears into smaller pieces, put them in a pan, throw in onion slices, fresh thyme, marjoram, or your favourite spices. Lightly fry everything together, and fill the salted goose with the mixture – the stuffing releases fruit juices during baking and pleasantly spices the meat."

Bind and pierce

Before the goose goes into the oven, bind it with kitchen string to keep it in a nice, whole shape. Attach the legs and wings to the body so that they do not stick out, and tie the upper parts of the legs together – this will prevent the stuffing from leaking out.

Pierce the skin in several places with a fork – this will help the lard cook easily. Focus on the parts where the goose has more fat reserves: the bottom of the thighs and where the wings join the breast. Try not to disturb the meat, as this will cause it to dry out faster!

Into the oven she goes!

"The classic St. Martin's goose is roasted breast side up, uncovered, for a long time and at a low temperature – about 8 hours at 80°C. It's good to bake the meat at 200 °C for the first half hour only, so that it becomes thick and doesn't release so much juice," says Martin, explaining how to bake a goose so that it remains juicy and at the same time gets that perfect golden skin.

Use a deep roasting pan with a rack. The goose will be raised, not lying in the liquid, so it will be better baked and golden on all sides. Pour a little water or stock over it at the beginning – as they evaporate in the oven will create the desired moisture. There is no need to baste during cooking, because the meat releases a lot of fat, and by the end, basting would be counterproductive – the goal is to get a concentrated juice. However, if you bake the goose at a higher temperature than recommended, cover it with baking powder from time to time.

Can I roast the goose overnight?

Night baking is the best possible solution! In the evening, you put the bird in the oven and when you wake up, it’s ready. This means that on St Martin’s Day, you won't have to prepare everything at once – a large part of the stress to get everything done (and especially on time) will go away, and you'll have your hands free to prepare side dishes.

Leftover lard? Don’t throw it away!

Gradually collect the lard during roasting. Then, separate it in a saucepan so that no liquid remains (simply turn the stove on to medium and let the liquid evaporate), pour it through a clean cheesecloth into a glass and store somewhere cold. "Lard is a preservative in itself, so it lasts a really long time in the fridge. It can be used in pasta bakes, soups and onion bases. Use it instead of vegetable oils during the winter – it's a way to add more flavour and aroma to food," encourages Martin.

You can easily conjure up a sauce from leftover pan drippings. "Add finely chopped onion, drippings, and any remaining bones to a pan. Fry until dark, let it simmer, then lightly dust with plain flour, fry again and cover with a little stock or water. Let it boil for 20 minutes and serve," advises Martin. “You can also use the pan drippings alone. Baking will reduce them naturally, but if you need to thicken, drain the liquid, collect the fat, boil the drippings and whisk in a few cubes of butter."

What to serve on the side?

Goose and cabbage come hand in hand! The aroma of St. Martin's roast conjures up visions of bread, potato or fluffy dumplings landing on your plate – a classic that will not disappoint. Lokše, potato pancakes which are popular especially in southern Moravia and western Slovakia, are also suitable as a side dish. Martin Štangl recommends making full use of the autumn season: "Thicken your cabbage with grated apples." And add pumpkin to the game too – make potato-pumpkin gnocchi, or bake it together with the goose.”