Learn how to cook a whole goose for Christmas with my easy roast goose recipe. I’ll show you how to prepare the goose, get beautifully crisp skin, work out the cooking time, render the delicious goose fat and carve it ready for the Christmas table.
Honey Roast Goose is a brilliant bird to have for Christmas. It makes a great change from turkey and it’s also easy to cook. There are a few things to do before you pop it in the oven. Then sit back and relax while it cooks.
A Christmas goose is an incredibly fatty meat to cook. It leaves a lot of fat underneath it as it cooks. It is definitely worth using the fat for your roast potatoes.
Before it cooks I would also recommend adding some potatoes or veg under the goose. (I use any old vegetables and potatoes for this. As you won’t eat them it’s a good way to use up veg past it’s best. If you have a large enough oven you can get a metal frame that holds up the meat as it cooks but it’s not necessary).
This makes it so that the fat can drain away from the goose. This helps it to not go soggy in the fat. It also helps it cook evenly on the bottom of the goose.
Christmas Goose Recipe
Christmas goose is most definitely our favourite way of celebrating the festive period when it comes to food choice. This easy goose recipe really is that – an easy goose recipe. You don’t need much in way of ingredients. Once it’s in the oven you can leave it to roast. It does need checking, just like any roast, but it’s only to drain the fat away.
Christmas goose sounds so impressive but luckily it’s easy to to make at home. A perfect way to dazzle your guests this Christmas. A roast goose is a great centre piece and by leaving it to rest once cooked you have great opportunity to whack the oven up to roast the potatoes and finish off all the extra trimmings you need. I would recommend goose fat roasted potatoes and garlic and bacon Brussels sprouts too.
how to cook goose – step by step
Preparing the goose, scoring and pouring over boiling water
Make sure your goose is defrosted (if it was frozen), put it into a clean sink or large bowl. I prefer the sink as the goose can fit, I can do the work I need to do like the scoring and pouring water over it and then clean the sink really well after.
Start off by removing as much fat as you can (look around the wings and legs). Then score the skin of the Christmas goose and place it in the sink. Boil a kettle and gently pour over the skin. This will help tighten up the skin for cooking. Repeat two times more until the skin is tight.
Stuffing the cavity for roast goose – Herbs, oranges and veg
To fill in the cavity we use orange halves, an entire bulb of garlic, onions, and fresh herbs. Although it isn’t eaten it’s nice to use them as it helps the centre of the bird from drying out. It also smells rather delightful when it’s cooking.
Stuffing the cavity
There isn’t a right way to stuff the bird. We do a couple of cuts of orange into slices and mix together and scoop it in.
Before roasting
Add any leftovers herbs to the top before you add the bacon. It will smell incredible.
Adding bacon
Move the goose to the prepared baking tray. Lay pieces of bacon over the top. This will help keep the breast meat moist and soft.
Finished Crispy Goose
Once it’s cooked, wrap it in aluminium foil, and cover in a towel to keep it warm while it rests.
Goose Fat Rendering
Don’t throw the goose fat away! It is perfect for making wonderfully crispy roast potatoes and adds so much flavour to your Christmas dinner.
As the goose roasts, carefully drain the rendered fat from the roasting tin into a heatproof jug or bowl, taking care as it will be very hot. Strain it to remove any small pieces of meat or cooking residue, then allow it to cool before storing it in the fridge.
You can also freeze the fat if you want to save it for another meal.
One of the best things about cooking a goose is the delicious fat it produces.
Goose Cooking Times
A goose is just like a big chicken and cooks in a similar way. How long to cook goose depends on the size so I have written out a rough guide on how long you will need.
| Goose weight | Serves | Cooking time |
|---|---|---|
| 4kg | 4–5 | 2 hours |
| 4.5kg | 4–6 | 2 hours 15 mins |
| 5kg | 5–6 | 2 hours 30 mins |
| 5.5kg | 6–7 | 2 hours 45 mins |
| 6kg | 8–10 | 3 hours |
For more information about safely cooking food you can read the gov.uk guidance.
Equipment
- large ovenproof dish
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Aluminum foil
- kettle
Substitutions and Variations
A great and easy substitution to make when cooking a goose at home is to add extra herebs to the skin before you add the bacon. This brings out more flavour and makes the smell of the cooking goose even more delicious.
Storing / Making Ahead
If you’re preparing for Christmas, you can get some of the work done ahead of time.
The goose can be prepared the day before and kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it.
Any leftover cooked goose should be cooled, stored in an air tight box and refrigerated, then enjoyed within a couple of days.
You can also freeze leftover goose meat for another meal. Allow it to defrost fully before eating.
Top Questions
What size goose do I need?
How long to cook goose?
How long do I need to roast a goose for Christmas per kg?
What can I do with leftover goose?
What size goose do I need for Christmas dinner?
When choosing your goose it’s worth checking the size of your oven and the baking tray you have as a goose is a large bird. We just about fit it in the oven last Christmas!
Here is my guide to what size goose to feed four people, up to 10.
4 kg will feed 4-5 people. It will take 2 hours to cook.
4.5 kg will feed 4-6 people. It will take 2 hours 15 minutes to cook.
5 kg will feed 5-6 people. It will take 2 hours 30 minutes to cook.
5.5 kg will feed 6-7 people. It will take 2 hours 45 minutes to cook.
6 kg will feed 8-10 people. It will take 3 hours to cook.
Serving Suggestions
The beautiful golden brown goose looks incredible on its own but if you want to really dress up the goose to present on the Christmas table – here are my top ideas.
At Christmas, we always have extra oranges and clementines so we lay the goose on top of a few. (Usually the older slightly damaged ones). This adds some colour but also elevates it off the plate.
Another idea is to serve the goose on freshly cut Christmas tree branches. Of course, don’t eat Christmas tree pine needles. This is just for display.
One thing we always do when serving our roast goose is to add the bacon layer back on. It will have dried out but for photos and beautiful table it’s an easy win for how to present a goose on the Christmas table.
How long do I need to roast a goose for Christmas per kg?
To cook the goose, roast in the oven for 30 minutes per 1kg at 200ºC, Fan 180ºC, Gas Mark 6, 356ºF.
Honey Roasted Goose
What I love so much about this easy honey roasted goose is how easy it is. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants an easy roast at Christmas. With so much else to do over Christmas, we all need simple ways of doing things when we can.
Cooking a Christmas Goose feels like it could be a complicated bird but with this easy goose recipe you will discover it’s a simple roast and creates a beautiful dinner.
We create a simple honey glaze for the goose. Although you won’t eat it directly, the sweetness fills the air plus it will soak through the skin into the breast meat. It helps keep the goose from drying out as it rests post roasting. An extra bonus!
Resting and Carving Goose
Once your goose is cooked, let it rest before carving. This gives the meat time to relax and makes it easier to carve without losing all those lovely juices.
To carve – carefully transfer the goose to a board, then use a sharp carving knife to remove the legs and breasts, slicing the meat against the grain. Don’t forget to save any meat left on the bones for leftovers!
Top Tips
My biggest tip when cooking goose is to give yourself plenty of time.
Goose produces a lot of fat as it cooks, so keep an eye on the roasting tin and carefully drain off the excess fat when needed. (Do not pour the fat down the sink).
For really crisp skin, make sure the skin is as dry as possible before roasting.
Don’t skip the resting time once the goose is cooked. This rest makes the meat even more delicious.
Finally, save that goose fat – it makes wonderfully crispy goose fat roast potatoes!
What can I do with leftover goose?
Check out these other Christmas recipes you might like
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Recipe
How to cook goose – Easy Christmas roast goose
Equipment
- large ovenproof dish
- aluminum foil
- kettle
Ingredients
- 4 kg Goose
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1 orange
- 1 onion
- 1 bulb garlic
- 300 g streaky bacon
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 0.25 teaspoons cinnamon
- pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
How to cook Goose
- Heat oven to 200ºC / 180ºC fan / gas 6.
- Line a large baking tray with aluminium foil. Use old vegetables, potatoes or an add wire rack to the bottom of the tin. This will raise the goose to make sure it doesn't sit in the fat.
- Remove all the fat you can from inside the goose. (You can keep this for goose fat potatoes or pop it in the food waste).
- Move the goose to a clean and empty sink.
- Sit the goose in an empty sink and using a knife cut lines over the top.
- Slowly pour over a kettleful of boiling water while it's in the sink. Repeat the process a few more times until the skin is tight. Leave the goose to cool, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Move the goose to the lined oven tray.
- To fill in the cavity slice the orange, cut an entire bulb of garlic in half, roughly chop the onions and fresh herbs too.
- Mix together and scoop it into the bird. (Although it isn’t eaten it’s nice to use them as it helps the centre of the bird from drying out. It also smells rather delightful when it’s cooking.)
- Weave or lay the bacon slices over the top of the goose.
- Wrap the goose in aluminium foil and pop it in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- For the glaze, mix the honey with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside until you need it.
- After the first 1 hour, 30 minutes remove from the oven and remove the goose from the tin. Drain away any goose fat (not down the sink as the fat can block your sink – we pour it into a cup and then once cool and hardened scoop it into the food waste, or use it for potatoes)
- Pop the goose back in the tin, recover with the foil and return to the oven until there are 15 minutes left on the cooking time. Check the notes below for how long you need it to cook it for.
- When there are 15 minutes left take out the goose and remove the foil and the bacon. Drizzle over the glaze and pop the goose back in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Check the goose is cooked by sticking a knife into the flesh and check the juices run clear. Make sure to check the wings and in the thicker areas.
- When the goose is cooked remove from the oven. Wrap it in aluminium foil and leave it to rest for 30 minutes. It will stay hot. You can add a tea towel on top of the foil too if you are worried about it going cold.
- Serve and Enjoy at Christmas with friends and family. We placed the goose on a bed of oranges and placed the bacon back on for presentation.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Originally posted August 2021. Updated September 2026.
What a great post with really well laid out, clear instructions which are ideal when cooking goose for the first time.
Thank you Lesley, I’m glad you found it helpful and easy to understand.
This is such a comprehensive guide for cooking goose. It’s perfect for Christmas and such a nice change from turkey.
Thank you Janice!
Wow! That’s seriously early, but very very delicious! And it’s really good to know where to come for advice on how to cook a goose perfectly xx
Thank you Kate, it’s such a beautiful piece of poultry and definitely deserves more attention!
We often have goose at some point over the festive period. Its perfect on cold winter Sundays and the goose fat for roasting potatoes an added advantage.
You are so right! Goose fat potatoes are one of the best additions to any roast!
I’m always looking for something different to make for Xmas and have never tried making goose at home. This post would make it much less intimidating so will get it on my list asap. Thanks for sharing.
You’re most welcome Jo. When we first started cooking goose it was terrifying but as with a few years of practice we have it sorted!
So much attention to detail, you’ve done all the hard work for me, I hate maths at the best of times but with your clear instructions I’m now going to roast my first goose this winter and not be terrified of making any mistakes!
That is fantastic to hear. I really wanted to show simple it is to do and it’s definitely worth the effort to hear it. x
This is a really good, easy to understand recipe. It takes all the hard work away as you have got a great calculator for working out cooking times. The only thing I would say is, I can’t believe you throw away your goose fat! I pour mine into plastic takeaway boxes and freeze it. The fat from 1goose will last me all year!! Thanks for the great info.
This year we have kept it and it popped it in the freezer just like you said. Great roasties all year round is a plan!
Made this recipe with one exception. I poured a pan of boiling water over the raw, scored goose in the cooking pan on the stovetop. I steamed it repeating another pan of boiling water over the goose. Steamed for about 20 minutes total. This cut the grease down a lot. Goose was a hit! Served with root veggies and cranberries.
I had a Brown Chinese goose frozen for months before searching online for a simple goose recipe and this one was super easy! I had potatoes underneath and served it as a side. The glaze tastes amazing and complements the meat perfectly! Thank you!!
That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you so much