Description
This Roasted Goose Legs recipe offers a succulent and richly flavored dish featuring young goose legs glazed with a tangy sour cherry glaze and accompanied by a savory homemade gravy. The legs are dry-brined to ensure crispy skin, roasted over a bed of aromatic vegetables, and finished under the broiler for a beautifully lacquered finish. The combination of juicy, tender meat with the sweet cherry glaze and hearty gravy makes this an elegant yet manageable alternative to roasting a whole goose.
Ingredients
Scale
Goose Legs
- 4 young goose leg quarters (about 1 1/4 lb. each), thawed if frozen
- 4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Glaze
- 0.25 cup sour cherry spread (such as Divina)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Vegetable Bed
- 2 small yellow onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
- 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 (6-inch) thyme sprigs
- 1 cup water
Stock and Gravy
- 1 cup chicken stock, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 0.75 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Dry Brine Goose Legs: Pat the goose legs dry with paper towels and place them skin side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours to allow the skin to dry out, which helps achieve crispiness during roasting.
- Season and Rest: Remove the goose legs from the refrigerator and sprinkle them evenly with the sea salt and black pepper. Let the legs stand at room temperature for 1 hour to take the chill off and allow the seasoning to penetrate the meat.
- Prepare Glaze: Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack placed about 10 inches from the top. In a small saucepan, combine the sour cherry spread, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until well combined and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine wire-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove solids and set aside the glaze.
- Arrange Vegetables and Start Roasting: Spread the onion rings, chopped carrot, and thyme sprigs evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Pour in 1 cup of water. Place the goose legs skin side up on top of the vegetables, spacing them evenly. Roast in the preheated oven until the skin begins to render fat and brown, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer and Collect Juices: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the goose legs to a large platter. Carefully pour the pan juices and fat from the baking sheet into a heatproof measuring cup or fat separator, leaving the vegetables on the sheet. Set aside the juices and fat separately.
- Continue Roasting with Stock: Return the goose legs skin side up atop the vegetables on the baking sheet and pour in 1 cup of chicken stock. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes, basting the legs occasionally with the pan juices.
- Prepare for Broiling: Separate the fat from the reserved pan juices if not already done. Brush the skin side of the goose legs with the prepared sour cherry glaze. Continue roasting at 350°F until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion reads 170°F, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Broil for Finish: Turn the oven broiler to high. Broil the goose legs until the skin turns a dark mahogany color, becomes lacquered, and an internal temperature of 180°F is reached, approximately 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer the legs to a platter and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Make Gravy: Pour the vegetable mixture from the baking sheet through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large heatproof measuring cup, discarding solids. Separate fat from strained pan juices by skimming or using a fat separator. Combine this fat with the reserved fat, and add chicken stock to pan juices as needed to measure 1 1/4 cups liquid.
- Cook Gravy Roux: Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat in a small skillet over medium heat. Reserve any remaining fat for another use. Add flour to the fat and whisk constantly, cooking until the mixture turns golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finish Gravy: Gradually whisk in the reserved 1 1/4 cups of pan juices until smooth. Continue cooking and whisking until the gravy thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce if using. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
- Serve: Serve the roasted goose legs hot alongside the rich sour cherry glazed skin with the savory gravy poured over or on the side.
Notes
- This recipe uses goose legs instead of a whole goose, making it more manageable for home cooks seeking rich goose flavor with less effort.
- Dry-brining the legs in the refrigerator overnight helps to crisp the skin during roasting.
- Using a fat separator for pan juices makes it easier to skim fat and achieve a smooth, less greasy gravy.
- Sour cherry spread adds a bright, tart contrast to the rich goose; if unavailable, you may substitute with a similar fruit preserve like cranberry or cherry preserves.
- Monitoring the internal temperature of the meat ensures perfectly cooked legs without drying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 goose leg quarter
- Calories: 144 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 1523 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
