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Cantonese roast goose
Siu ngo (燒鵝): five-spice roast goose with lacquered skin and plum sauce, in the Sham Tseng style
Drive out along the coast road to Sham Tseng in the New Territories and the restaurants there have been roasting geese for generations; Hong Kongers make the trip for a plate of it with lai fun noodles, or order a half goose for a family dinner. The skin is thin, crisp and deep mahogany, the meat dark, rich and juicy, scented from the inside with five-spice, bean paste and garlic. Sour plum sauce cuts through the fat. This home version uses an oven-ready goose (head already removed, as it is sold), dried overnight and roasted in a domestic oven. A frequent slip is roasting a goose straight from the wrapper: without its overnight drying and a glaze, the skin stays leathery. Chef's tip: pour off the rendered fat as it collects; it is superb for roasting potatoes or frying rice.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the goose
- 8 ⅞ lb oven-ready goosewithout head and feet, giblets removed, excess fat pulled from the cavity
- 2 tsp salt
For the cavity paste
- 2 tbsp ground bean paste (mor sze jeung)or hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 6 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 2 shallotsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the skin glaze
- 3 tbsp maltoseor honey
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ cup hot water
To serve
- ¾ cup plum sauce
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/12 doneStep 1: Rinse the cavity of 8 ⅞ lb oven-ready goose, pat dry inside and out and rub 2 tsp salt over the skin. Keep raw goose and its juices away from other food and wash surfaces and hands well.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat and fry 6 cloves garlic, 2 shallots and 1 tbsp fresh ginger until soft and fragrant. Stir in 2 tbsp ground bean paste (mor sze jeung), 1 ½ tsp five-spice powder and 1 tbsp sugar and cook for 1 minute, then cool.
3 minStep 3: Spread the paste all over the inside of the cavity, add 2 star anise, and close the opening tightly with a metal skewer, weaving it through the skin like a stitch so the juices stay in.
Step 4: Set the goose on a rack in the sink. Pour a full kettle of boiling water slowly over the whole skin; it will tighten and shrink. Pat dry.
Step 5: Dissolve 3 tbsp maltose in ½ cup hot water and stir in 3 tbsp rice vinegar. Brush half the glaze evenly over the skin.
Step 6: Put the goose uncovered on a rack over a tray in the bottom of the fridge, away from other food, and dry it overnight. Brush on the rest of the glaze after a few hours. The skin should feel dry and taut.
Step 7: Take the goose out 1 hour before roasting. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Prick the fatty skin under the wings and around the thighs with a skewer, without piercing the meat, so the fat can drain.
60 minStep 8: Roast breast side down on a rack over a deep tray with 2 cm of water in it, which stops the dripping fat from smoking.
30 minStep 9: Turn the goose breast side up, lower the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and roast, pouring off the fat every 30 minutes, until the skin is deep mahogany and crisp. Cover any dark patches with foil.
80 minStep 10: Check with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone: it must read 165°F, with clear juices. Return it to the oven for 10-minute spells until it does.
10 minStep 11: Rest the goose for 15 minutes. Hold it over a bowl, pull out the skewer and catch the cavity juices; skim off the fat and warm them for a thin gravy.
15 minStep 12: Chop the goose through the bone into 2 cm pieces with a cleaver, or carve it, and serve with ¾ cup plum sauce and the warm juices.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cantonese roast goose take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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