A well-roasted goose

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 goose of your choice (or purchased in portions)
• mugwort
• salt and pepper
• some apples, small
• possibly flour

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

Rub the prepared goose inside and out with mugwort and salt; you can also add a little pepper to taste. If you’re roasting portions, place the apples next to the meat. Otherwise, proceed as follows: Stuff the goose with small, unpeeled, uncored apples, sew it up, tie the wings and legs tightly, and place the bird breast-first in the bottom of the pan, which should be just covered with boiling water. Place the goose in a preheated oven at medium heat. Your job is to skillfully skim off any excess fat (ideally pouring it into a small stone pot) and to prepare the necessary cooking liquid. So, alternate between refilling portions and skimming fat. You’ll usually have it done after 90 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, the clever Berliner sprinkles a little salt evenly over the goose, skillfully splashes ice-cold water over it, and swears that this alone ensures crispy goose skin. Finally, the golden-brown, glistening, rich roasting juices are scraped off the bottom and sides of the pan (we use a brush), boiled down with a little water to make a sauce, seasoned with salt, and if necessary, mixed with a little flour. You have to stir and stir very well again and again, usually skimming off the fat right up until the last moment – never add cream to the sauce. Definitely not with Berliner Jans! Red cabbage is inseparable from the goose.