Goose as food

In cooking and gastronomy,gooseis the meat of several species of bird in the familyAnatidae, which also includes ducks and swans. The family has acosmopolitan distribution, and variouswild speciesanddomesticated breedsare used culinarily in multiple cuisines. There is evidence as early as 2500 BC of deliberate fattening of domesticated geese in Egypt.
The meat, liver and other organs, fat, blood, and eggs are used culinarily in various cuisines. Methods of cooking include roasting,spit-roasting,braising, steaming,grilling,simmering, andstewing. Dishes include roasts, joints, soups, stews, curries, sausages, forcemeats, and dumplings.
In many culinary traditions, aroasted gooseis afeast mealdating back centuries.
The meat, liver and other organs, fat, skin and blood are used culinarily in various cuisines.The meat has a distinctive flavor.
Goose eggsare also used culinarily, but unlike chicken eggs are only available seasonally; in the UK goose eggs have a autumn-to-early-winter availability.
Roast gooseis the most common method of preparation. Roasted whole or cut-up goose dishes are found inAsian,European, andMiddle Eastern cuisines.Spit-roastedgoose was a traditional component of theindigenous cuisines of North America.
A byproduct of roasting is that roasting a goose willrendera great deal of excellent quality fat which can be used for roasting potatoes or other vegetables, as theshorteningin pie crust (sweet or savory), as a spread for bread, and a multitude of other culinary uses.One can also simmer pieces of goose submerged in the fat to makeconfit. In some cuisines geese are raised primarily forlard.According toNPR, goose fat is "the crème de la crème of fats".in 2006Nigella Lawsoncalled it "the essential Christmas cooking ingredient".
InChinese cuisine, geese in addition to roasting may be steamed orbraisedwith aromatics. In some cuisines stews or  soups are made from goose meat. InGerman cuisine, goose neck isstuffedwith goose liver and cooked to make a sausagelike dish; similar dishes are made ineastern Europe. Goose meat is also used to fill pies or dumplings or to make sausage.
Goose and goose liver are also used to makefoie gras,pâtés, and other forms offorcemeat.
Most Chinese preparations of goose involve cooking it thoroughly.
In southern China, roast goose is a variety ofsiu mei, or roasted meat dishes, withinCantonese cuisine. It is made by roastinggeesewith seasoning often in acharcoalfurnace at high temperature. Roasted geese of high quality have crisp skin with juicy and tender meat. Slices of roast goose may be served withplum sauce.
InTeochew's Singaporean community,Teochew braised gooseis a traditional dish; typicalbraisingingredients includesoy sauce,rice wine, garlic, and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, andstar anise.
Roast goose is traditionally popular and remains a common main dish inHong Kong.Roast goose, as served inHong Kong, especially in the city ofSham Tsengis similarto its counterpart in the neighboringGuangdong Provinceofsouthern China. Some restaurants offer a similarly prepared roastduck.
Yat Lok Restaurant(Roast Goose Restaurant) is a Michelin-starred family restaurant in Hong Kong that specializes in goose prepared in the style ofCantonese Barbecue.
For many European cultures, roast goose is traditionallyeaten only on appointed holidays, including Christmas andSt. Martin's Day.Roast goose was a traditionalSabbath mealamong Jews in Eastern Europe.
A traditional dish inCroatiaisguščji paprikaš, a noodle and goose meat stew with roots in the areas aroundŽupanja.Croatia also has a roasted goose dish,martinjska guska s marunima, which is stuffed with chestnuts; it is often served on the feast of St. Martin.
In parts ofFrance, such asAlsace, goose is a commonly eaten main dish.Goose fat is an essential ingredient in a traditionalcassoulet.
InGermany, roast goose is a staple for Christmas Day meals.A traditional German dish isGefüllter Gänsehals, a dish of goose neck stuffed with a mixture of goose liver, bacon, bread, and herbs which is sauteed, simmered, and sliced for serving.
The "goose region" of Hungary is the southernGreat Hungarian Plains.Goose liver is a major export.
Geese have been raised for food inPolandfor centuries. In the 1600s and 1700s they were particularly popular for feast and celebration dinners.Czernina soupwas traditionally popular.National consumption of goose has decreased, with most geese being consumed on St. Martin's Day.
Manyindigenouspeople of North America traditionally depended heavily on goose as a food.
Goose has generally been replaced by theturkeyin theUnited States.In the United States, the high price per pound of goose, coupled with the large size of the bird and low yield of meat to bone and fat, makes a goose more expensive per serving than turkey.While goose was once a common Christmas dinner in the United States, it is now less popular as the meal's centerpiece than turkey, prime rib, roast beef, steak, chicken, brisket, pork, ham, lamb, fish, or duck.
Goose is not a commonly-used poultry inAustraliabut as of 2019 was raised on the continent and offered in some restaurants.
Goose was eaten inAncient Egypt.There is evidence as early as 2500 BC of deliberate fattening before consumption.
Feseekhis a traditionalEgyptiandish that is usually served duringSham el-Nessim, a spring holiday that dates back to the time of the Pharaohs. Feseekh is made by salting and fermenting fish, often with goose meat added to enhance its flavor and nutrition.
InIran, goose meat is often used inghimeh, a stew of yellow split peas, diced potatoes, and meat that is cooked in a tomato sauce.
Mansafis a traditionalJordaniandish often served during weddings and other celebrations; it is typically made with tender pieces of lamb or goat meat that are cooked with spices, served on top of a bed of rice, and topped with a yogurt sauce, but goose meat is sometimes used as a substitute for lamb or goat meat.
Roasted goose is a commonly eaten main dish in parts ofTurkey.TheKarsregion of Turkey specializes in a Kars-style roast goose, orKars kazı ve bulgur pilavı(Kars goose with bulgur pilaf).TheKars gooseis also a breed of goose raised in the area specifically for use in this dish.The goose is baked at extremely high temperature in atandoori-style ovenabove a dish of bulgur onto which the rendering fat drips.