If you believe Christmas isn't the same without Turkey then it's worth remembering that the traditional British food at Christmas used to be a roast goose - think of Dickens' Christmas Carol and the Cratchits off to get their goose from the baker's oven. The choice of goose as the traditional bird of choice took a serious decline in the 1960's where it was considered a little common and turkey more exotic. How things have changed.
Pound for pound the turkey is more economical. A 15lb turkey will serve 15 people, whereas a 15lb goose will only feed seven to 10 people. However, the meat on a goose is richer and darker than turkey and though goose has a higher fat content but most of it melts away during cooking and the fat collected makes the best roast potatoes ever.
Goose can become dry if not cooked properly but in my favorite goose recipe the bird is a boned, stuffed and rolled goose then cooked in a water bath before roasting. recipe makes the most of the flavor and texture of goose by using a boned goose and cooking in a water bath then roasting. This cooking method keeps the meat juicy and moist with very little shrinkage. Boning a goose is easy when you know how but is time consuming. Ask your butcher to bone it.
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