Suggested to the family that I may order a goose from the butchers rather than a turkey. Just for a change.
Was met with blank looks and suggestions that that would be a mistake. I've actually never had goose so have no experience with taste etc when compared to a turkey.
Any thoughts re taste comparison, prep etc?
Beef Rib on the bone. Had 5 ribs once and it looked real impressive but tasted better.
I found that the goose we ordered wouldn't fit in our oven with it's legs attached, because it was long and thin. Turkey being plumper fits in small ovens better!
The goose tasted wonderful, and the drained fat* does make great roast tatties, but there wasn't a whole lot left over.
*You MUST remember to allow the fat to drain out...
We've had a cockerel for the last few years and they've been great.
Also great for baudy jokes.
We've had goose before from the farm shop up the road. Expensive & really, really, fatty - had to change the drip pan under it infact & only just fitted in the oven. It tasted ok, but only 'ok', considering the cost.
We'll be having a good cut of beef, done in the slow-cooker.
Goose every time, cook slowly, get the fat out and use some for roast potatoes. Flavour is stronger than turkey, meat is darker, but more moist. There won't be much left over as they do shrink as the fat drains.
Cooking requires patience as you will get a lot of fat - that doesn't set when bird seed is added 😳
We did goose a couple of years ago, lovely. More flavor than a turkey, smashing tatties, but less sarnies on boxing day.
Nut roast.
Sirloin
Free Range Chicken
Ham
That's what I'll be doing.
As above. I don't know what geese eat but they must have a bad time when they go for their annual medical checkups. The amount of fat in one of those things is insane! I reckon a goose loses half it's weight in fat as you cook it.
Wouldn't cook one again. Fat bastards.
Anything but turkey!! It's bland dry and useless. Turkey is available all year round but you wouldn't buy it because it's a terrible bird to eat. So why eat it at christmas?
Goose, Beef, Venison, Boar, Duck, ANYTHING BUT TURKEY!!!!
[url= https://www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/ ]Oxfam[/url]
[url= http://www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/default.asp?cartID=UN0000,RA/WB,SRec_Web,RA/WB/01 ]wateraid[/url]
Thats my Christmas lunch. On the 25th I will only eat two meals - breakfast and my evening meal. Many folk will scratch to get a meal that day same as any other day.
The spirit of Christmas
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Matthew 25:35
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
—Deuteronomy 15:11
You want to celebrate Christ then remember his teachings.
Its pious bollox and should be treated as such. However there is a certain truth in it and please stop to think. Just cut back on the excess a little and put that money to good use
You want to celebrate Christ then remember his teachings.
Trolling again TJ?
I'm celebrating the winter solstice.
Only partly so aracer. I believe folk having the big feast on the 25th is gross hypocrisy. I will not and have not done for decades. I will put the money I would have spent on a feast to charities for the hungry and thirsty and suggest others should do so.
If you claim to be Christian and to be celebrating Christ then follow his teachings.
Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Drac - ModeratorI'm celebrating the winter solstice.
On the 21st?
Well JC birthday ain't the 25th.
Anything but turkey!! It's bland dry and useless. Turkey is available all year round but you wouldn't buy it because it's a terrible bird to eat. So why eat it at christmas?
I really like turkey, and eat it at other times of the year. And it's not at all dry if done right.
TJ - are you aware that Christmas is a thinly disguised winter festival? As such I reserve my right to celebrate it along with many other cultures, Christian or otherwise, without taking the pee. And I give to charity year round too 🙂
TJ, I applaud your generous, caring spirit.
Anything but turkey!! It's bland dry and useless
As above, get out of the kitchen & leave it to a competent cook
For us [14 of us] - it'll be Chicken, Fore-rib of beef & ham this year
One year I cooked venison, pheasant and grouse. I tried to use all indigenous ingredients (apart from potatoes) and it was very nice. Grouse can be pretty gamey though
How big is the family?
Turkeys are popular, possibly, because they are bigger and therefore better for bigger families.
We had goose every couple of months when I was growing up up my grandparents had a flock of them on their nursery. I remember having to help plucking them which was particularly enjoyable given that they used to chase me everywhere the buggers.
Last year we had venison and pheasant which was very nice, the combined stock of both mixed with some redcurrant jelly, bay leaves and rosemary made some fantstic gravy. We served it with homemade chesnut stuffing and lots of veg.
This year were having a turkey, chicken, pheasant bird in a bird in a bird which should be interesting. As should fitting 6 people round our tiny table.
^^^^ 5 ribs of beef? I hope that's not all for you fatty! 🙂
We usually have goose as I find turkey a bit nondescript. As has been said, they can need a bigger oven than similar weight turkey and carry some fat. However, the taste, the taste!! It's also more traditional over here rather than that nasty Yankee affectation...
My other choices would be a whole beef fillet (chateaubriand) which is fantastic or WCA's rib which is my fav cut of beef.
Don't care for TJ's politicking, the whole xmas thing leaves me cold. I just enjoy the time off work.
Had goose when I was in Germany at my ex's parents. Really liked it, much better than turkey.
We had goose every couple of months
Possible with almost any domestic fowl other than goose!
Always venison or pheasant for us.
Turkey is so bland. I think we were put off it from an early age cos my grandparents used to get a massive turkey from the farm up the road. We'd always go to theirs for Christmas (my Mum would usually do the cooking) but we'd be eating this bloody turkey for the next 10 days, every other meal was turkey sandwiches.
I had deep fried turkey (yes whole) in the states once.
I do like to have goose here esp as I actually dislike turkey. But if you can get it Denhay Gammon is the BEST!
Anything but turkey!! It's bland dry and useless
Absolute rubbish generalisation. If you get a cheap frozen battery turkey from the supermarket it will be totally tasteless like any other cheap, frozen, high intensity farmed meat from the supermarket. If you go to a local producer, butcher or deli that does Norfolk Bronze or Norfolk Black free range, non frozen bird it is a totally different experience. Lots of taste, firm juicy and will still be producing sarnies etc for a week.
Cock is even better, and goose is good but as said above, very fatty and pretty small
Goose is very nice, but doesn't go far. Second for me would be a few Pheasants then Turkey.
aP.....nut roast LOL, to eat or something you like to do?
GOOOOOOOOSE!
If you have an oven that it will fit in, go for it. Far better taste than turkey and you get all that lovely fat for roasties later in the year too (we still have some from last Christmas)
Just cut back on the excess a little and put that money to good use
I admire you TJ for doing this. More people need to step back from excess and not be afraid of the inevitable flak from family.
Just cut back on the excess a little and put that money to good use
I consider a good feast once a year for all the family far from excessive
It gives the whole family the opportunity to gather in one place to meet up again
I had some venison in the hotel which was absolutely outstanding. It looked like a fillet of beef ie slices of something cylindrical (my father in law reckoned it would be loin or 'backstrap' perhaps). It was super tender and not at all gamey, which might mean it was farmed rather than wild. If I knew exactly what it was I'd have it again.
molgrips - probably haunch.
The amount of fat that came from the goose we had cooked made me want to gag, despite it tasting quite nice. Messy too.
Absolute rubbish generalisation. If you get a cheap frozen battery turkey from the supermarket it will be totally tasteless like any other cheap, frozen, high intensity farmed meat from the supermarket. If you go to a local producer, butcher or deli that does Norfolk Bronze or Norfolk Black free range, non frozen bird it is a totally different experience. Lots of taste, firm juicy and will still be producing sarnies etc for a week.Cock is even better, and goose is good but as said above, very fatty and pretty small
It's not absolute rubbish, I know food and I know that turkey is god awful. It's only eaten at christmas because the yanks told you that's what they do! If you think a turkey is as equally tasty as a goose/duck/pheasant/chicken/peacock/swan/pigeon/guinea-fowl or pretty much any other bird then you probably have zero taste buds.
If you speak to a chinese man about the breast of a bird he will tell you that it is the worst/cheapest meat on the bird, and he is right. It lacks flavour and is dry (I can already hear the cries of "Well you obviously can't cook" I am talking in comparison to the dark meat). A turkey is made up of mainly this dry tasteless bad textured meat. A goose on the other hand is all the good stuff with the added bonus of some lovely fat to cook the potatoes in!
and will still be producing sarnies etc for a week.
mmmmmm week old dry turkey sandwiches I can't wait for that!
Goose.
Actually you don't get loads of meat on a goose, so if we have guests at Christmas, we tend to have goose on Christmas eve, then Turkey on Christmas day, keeps everyone happy
Oxfam
wateraid
If you are so full of the spirit of charity then why don't you actually invite some hungry people into your house and feed them. That's what Jesus would have done, not just outsourced the loving! (and before you ask, on more than one occasion I have had homeless people in my home to feed them)
that nasty Yankee affectation...
Wasn't it Dickens who popularised the Turkey as xmas feast?
Back to the OP, I am very tempted to try goose this year for a change but will have to persuade my mum. Merry xmas one and all!
Hexham stu:
I like turkey
I like turkey breast
I have it at other times of the year through choice.
There is such a thing as personal preference you know. There are no hard fast rules saying what's good and what's not.
careful molgrips, in the current climate, you'll get a ban for mentioning those things which women have.
Go for Goose.
How about TURDUCKEN?
[img] 
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mmmmm! 😀
Dunt sound very nice... TURD.. Shouldn't be a Durckey?
Durckey?
wheres the chicken in that?
Its a small chicken inside a duck inside a turkey
Maybe "Chiduckey"?
The trouble with turkey is that to get good quality to feed 15+ you are talking upwards of 80 quid.
Which buys a really nice joint of beef, pork, or lamb
Chickduckey is better than Turdwhatsit... Not sure I's go for it though. Wassit like?
It's not absolute rubbish, I know food and I know that turkey is god awful. It's only eaten at christmas because the yanks told you that's what they do!
Sorry, but that's utter bobbins!!
Turkeys were first brought over here in the 16th century... around the time that the potato was first brought here, so Yanks didn't even exist then!
At first turkey was a luxury, and goose was the traditional meat served at Christmas... mostly I think because pretty much everyone had them! I think it was Henry VIII how was the first monarch to have turkey for Christmas... after which it become very fasionable.
So if you want to blame anyone for us eating turkey.. blame Henry!
Oh, and if you buy a properly reared bird, and cook it properly then turkey is lovely, and tastier than chicken.
My main reason for not eating it more often is that they are big, even the smallest is about 10lb, and it's only available from out local farm at Christmas. Then, because they have grown up in a field, they have massive legs... which are great when boned and rolled with stuffing inside before roasting...
I was going to cook venison for everyone last year (about 14 of us) for a change. Went to the butcher who offered me eight legs, but I decided not too as I thought that was too dear.
That and I'm a vegetarian.
My main reason for not eating it more often is that they are big, even the smallest is about 10lb, and it's only available from out local farm at Christmas
We get turkey crowns. Mmmm!
Cock is even better,.., very fatty and pretty small
Speak for yourself - fnarr, fnarr
BTW - I am not christian and do not follow the teachings of of a 2000 year old dead hippy who took tree hugging a bit too far, but if I'm going to have someone else's ludricrous fantasies foisted on me, then I fully intend to use it as an excuse to spend time with my family and eat and drink myself silly in the company of people I really care about.
Locally produces free range turkey - ony once a year because that's the only time I eat with enough people not to be landed with the thing for the next fornight
Those denouncing turkey should stop shopping at iceland
Those denouncing turkey should stop shopping at iceland
Racists!
2tyred - Member
I was going to cook venison for everyone last year <snip><yawn><snippety snip>[b]That and I'm a vegetarian.[/b]
Now [i]that bit[/i] was funny 🙂
hexhamstu - MemberAbsolute rubbish generalisation. If you get a cheap frozen battery turkey from the supermarket it will be totally tasteless like any other cheap, frozen, high intensity farmed meat from the supermarket. If you go to a local producer, butcher or deli that does Norfolk Bronze or Norfolk Black free range, non frozen bird it is a totally different experience. Lots of taste, firm juicy and will still be producing sarnies etc for a week.
Cock is even better, and goose is good but as said above, very fatty and pretty smallIt's not absolute rubbish, I know food and I know that turkey is god awful. It's only eaten at christmas because the yanks told you that's what they do! If you think a turkey is as equally tasty as a goose/duck/pheasant/chicken/peacock/swan/pigeon/guinea-fowl or pretty much any other bird then you probably have zero taste buds.
If you speak to a chinese man about the breast of a bird he will tell you that it is the worst/cheapest meat on the bird, and he is right. It lacks flavour and is dry (I can already hear the cries of "Well you obviously can't cook" I am talking in comparison to the dark meat). A turkey is made up of mainly this dry tasteless bad textured meat. A goose on the other hand is all the good stuff with the added bonus of some lovely fat to cook the potatoes in!
Sorry, but you clearly don't know food and/or have never tried a decent type of turkey reared free range and not frozen. They are delicious and the breast is very moist if cooked properly.
As to your other comments, I didn't compare them to other birds. The flavour may not be as strong as say a well hung pheasant, but that does not make it inferior, just different. Strength of flavour does not equal quality of flavour, and variety is good. Interesting that you include swan in your list - not legal to eat in this country.
As for Chinese saying breast meat is the cheapest:
1) on a partridge, grouse, quail, pigeon, pheasant that is about all you eat
2) Chinese food is all about the flavour of the sauce not the flavour of the meat
I'll be cooking Goose again (Delia's recipe - oh I've come over all Mumsnet 😆 - except this time I intend to tie it up so it doesn't leak fat all over the oven and possibly get a much larger roasting dish (to ensure the same again). It's a great tasty alternative for the Turkey haters, personally I like Turkey but am out-voted by the Mrs. Goose was decided upon as best compromise choice by everyone who'll be there.
Oh yeah for those eating beef you could call it Mithrasmas just to stop TJ evangelising 8) or just call it Xmas.
oh I've come over all Mumsnet - except this time I intend to tie it up so it doesn't leak fat
😯
After a visit to Conwy Food festival i met a chap with samples of his 3 bird roast which was all produced free range on his farm near Ruthin, he prepares an bones a Goose with a chicken inside and then a pheasant inside the chicken with an apricot stuffing, or a cranberry stuffing. It feeds 16 and takes 2.5 hrs to cook, the samples he had were lurvely. Its costing £80 but thats split three ways amongst our family who are coming for xmas.
Goose again for us this year, not bothered about Turkey (yes we have some good local farms with fresh turkey's but I can't face all that leftover stuff)
Venison for boxing day, fish the next & Vegi the day after
Go the whole hog and get a swan. I know it's technically illegal, but you'd be doing them a favour as all the lochs and ponds are frozen and they'll slowly starve anyway. Better to eat 'em while they're good and fat.
On top of that, the family will never forget "the Christmas that Dad was hung for Treason". What have you got to lose?
Hung for treason, who by the Swan Princess?
Swan with dolphin sauce and penguin fritters.
We're hosting the annual NZ orphans lunch which involves a long MTB ride in the morning with a small drinkie somewhere scenic. An afternoon of stupidity and a non-feastlike BBQ in the sun with a few bottles of something nice. Friends enjoying themselves.
[url= http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey6.html ]Turkey cooked on the BBQ[/url]
Did it last year, it was lovely. Repeating it again this year.