Roasted Goose & Gravy

Instructions

• Step 1: Trim goose of any extra neck skin, extra skin around breast, and trim wing tips off. Save any fat that can be easily separated to render later. Remove neck, heart, liver, and gizzards from internal cavity.
• Step 2: Fill large pot with water and bring to boil. Do not fill all the way because we will be dunking the goose in it and don't want the water to overflow.
• Step 3: Pat goose dry with paper towels. Using a Jaccard or meat tenderizer with blades or needles, prick skin all around the body of the bird. Making sure just to pierce skin and not go too deep into meat.
• Step 4: Using the recteq heat resistant gloves, grab goose by legs and dunk goose in water making sure it’s fully submerged. Blanch goose for 60 seconds and place on pan with wire rack to dry.
• Step 5: Pat goose dry with paper towels everywhere outside and inside. Allow goose to cool 10-15 minutes in refrigerator.
• Step 6: Mix salt and baking powder and evenly sprinkle outside of goose. Refrigerate goose uncovered in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Step 7: After 24 hours, in large recteq Dutch oven take all the separated goose fat and render it down over medium heat. About 5 minutes. Pour rendered fat out and set to side.
• Step 8: Return Dutch Oven to heat. Cut neck skin, neck, and wings up into 1–2-inch pieces and add to pot. Increase to medium high heat and sauté meat making sure to stir often until browned. About 10 minutes.
• Step 9: Burning the apple pellets, preheat recteq to 425°F.
• Step 10: Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery to pot and allow to render and brown making sure to stir often. About 10 minutes. Stir in Tomato paste and allow to cook 2 minutes. Add red wine and crushed garlic. Stir bottom of pan with wooden spoon to scrape off brown flavor bits. Once bits are loose add chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Allow to boil and reduce heat to low. Place cover on Dutch oven but leave a small crack allowing steam to escape. Allow to simmer about 2 hours. If liquid begins to escape too much and meat pieces become exposed add a little more stock to cover.
• Step 11: In a large roasting pan with a roasting V-rack inside, place goose on rack and season both sides of goose with a mixture of Colden’s Freakin’ Greek Rub and Jody’s Asian Persuasion Rub. Pour some water or we prefer beer at the bottom of pan so goose grease doesn’t burn and gets collected. About a half inch of liquid.
• Step 12: Place in recteq for 15-20 minutes and then flip bird using heat resistant gloves and allow to cook 15-20 minutes.
• Step 13: Turn recteq down to 300°F and remove roasting pan. Remove goose from pan and place on wire rack in a half sheet pan. Place goose and pan into recteq and continue to cook in recteq.  
• Step 14: Pour liquid from large roasting pan into small Dutch Oven and place on stove over medium-high heat. Bring to boil and add sherry. Stir bottom of pan with wooden spoon, making sure to scrape up all brown flavor bits. Slice gizzards and heart up and place into Dutch Oven. Let simmer 5-7 minutes.
• Step 15: Add roasting liquid from small Dutch Oven to large Dutch oven. Stir and make sure completely combined. Cook another 5-10 minutes. Skim any fat off top and discard. Remove liquid and place through a strainer to remove all ingredients. Make sure to push down on ingredients and squeeze the liquid out of them. Allow to drain.
• Step 16: In a small sauce pot over medium high heat add equal parts left over goose fat and flour to make a roux. Once browned, remove from heat. Take the used large Dutch oven and return it to heat. Add roux and allow to heat back up. Slowly add strained liquid to Dutch oven while stirring to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to low.
• Step 17: Chop finely the left-over goose liver and add it to liquid. Allow to simmer 5 minutes and season with Ben’s Heffer Dust.
• Step 18: Remove goose once an internal temperature of 165°F in breast remove and let rest 15-20 minutes before slicing. Carve your goose just like a chicken or turkey and serve with hot gravy.