Martinsgans
Roast goose with red cabbage
Martinsgans: German and Austrian St Martin's roast goose with apples, red cabbage and dumplings
On 11 November, St Martin's Day, children in Germany and Austria walk in lantern processions, and families and restaurants serve the Martinsgans: a goose roasted slowly with apples, onion and mugwort or marjoram until the skin is crisp and the meat tender, with red cabbage, potato dumplings and a rich gravy. Legend says the geese's cackling gave away St Martin when he hid to avoid being made bishop. Goose gives off a lot of fat; save it for roast potatoes. Chef's tip: prick the skin all over (not the meat) and roast on a rack so the fat drains and the skin crisps.
- Total time
- 270 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the goose
- 9 ⅞ lb oven-ready goosegiblets and excess fat removed
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tart applesquartered
- 2 onionsquartered
- 2 cups water
For the gravy
- 2 cups goose or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp cornflourmixed with a little water
- 3 tbsp orange juice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Take 9 ⅞ lb oven-ready goose out of the fridge 1 hour before. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Prick the skin all over with a skewer, not into the meat, especially over the fatty breast and thighs.
Step 2: Rub 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tsp dried marjoram or mugwort inside and out. Fill the cavity with 3 tart apples and 2 onions (they flavour the bird and are discarded; don't add a bread stuffing inside).
Step 3: Set the goose breast-down on a rack in a deep roasting tin with 2 cups water. Roast for 1 hour.
60 minStep 4: Lower to 325°F (275°F fan), turn the goose breast-up and roast for 2–2½ hours more, pouring off the fat into a jar every 45 minutes.
135 minStep 5: For the last 20 minutes, raise to 425°F (400°F fan) to crisp the skin. It is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F and the juices run clear. A common mistake is not draining the fat, which makes the skin greasy and soft. Rest for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 6: Skim the fat from the tin, add 2 cups goose or chicken stock and 3 tbsp orange juice, boil for 5 minutes scraping up the brown bits, and thicken with 1 tbsp cornflour. Carve the goose and serve with the gravy, red cabbage and dumplings.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 52 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does martinsgans take?
- About 270 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 240 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 tart apples?
- Pears, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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