Goose legs from the roaster

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 goose legs
• 3 apples, sour, e.g. Wellant
• 3 onions
• 1 tsp marjoram, dried
• ½ tsp thyme, dried
• 2 tsp mugwort, dried
• 1 cup apple juice
• Salt and pepper, black, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp Calvados, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours

classic without frills

Peel the apples, cut them into eighths, and remove the cores. Peel the onions and cut them into eighths. Place both in a goose roasting pan, sprinkle with the herbs, and pour in the cup of apple juice. Season the goose legs all over with salt and pepper and place them, skin-side up, on top of the onion and apple pieces. Close the roasting pan, place it in a cold oven, and cook for a total of 3 hours and 30 minutes at 175°C (350°F) with top and bottom heat. After 3 hours, remove the roasting pan from the oven, remove the lid, and place the legs in the lid, skin-side up. Return the lid to the oven to crisp up the skin. You’ll need to keep an eye on them and lower the temperature slightly if necessary to prevent them from overcooking. Empty the contents of the roasting pan into a sieve, reserving the liquid. Pour the liquid into a fat separator to separate the fat and stock. There will usually be enough fat left in the stock. You now have two options for the sauce. Option 1: Add the reserved onions and apples to the stock and puree finely. Bring to a boil and season with salt, pepper, and Calvados to taste. Then reduce the volume slightly. Advantage: It tastes best this way, and thickening the sauce isn’t necessary. Disadvantage: It doesn’t look as great, more like a grayish color. So if you want something a little more sophisticated, option 2 is probably better: Lightly press the reserved onions and apples through a sieve into the stock, but don’t press them. Bring the stock to a boil, season with salt, pepper, and Calvados to taste. Reduce the volume and thicken to the desired consistency before serving. Advantage: A fine sauce for festive occasions. Disadvantage: It’s also very tasty, but not quite as good as the first option; there’s less sauce and it needs to be thickened. A matter of taste! Serve the legs with the sauce and desired side dishes. Reserve the leftover goose fat. It’s perfect for red cabbage as a classic side dish, or for other types of cabbage, such as kale, etc. It will keep in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.