John Myers
The goose is still one of the roast classics that are served as a Christmas meal in many households. There are a few things to consider when buying a Christmas goose. In principle, it does not matter whether you buy fresh goose or frozen poultry. Both variants can provide high-quality meat. However, one should examine the condition of the meat and outer skin and, in the case of a frozen goose, carefully examine whether the packaging is intact.
An important indicator when you buy a goose is the designation of origin. It can be found either on the packaging of the goose or directly at the meat counter. A goose marked “D/D/D” was reared, slaughtered, and packaged in Germany.
Make sure that the Christmas goose has one of the legally protected designations “free range”, “peasant free range” or “organic animal husbandry”. On the other hand, unprotected information such as “from the farm” or “country goose” does not provide any information about the rearing. If you buy the Christmas goose directly from the farmer, find out about the feed that the geese received on site. Ideally, it should consist of grain, herbs, and mineral nutrients.
Goose meat tastes best when the goose is about 9 months old when it is slaughtered. When buying a roast goose, make sure that the tendons on the legs are not too strong – this indicates that the animal is too old. On the other hand, if the goose is too young, the meat will feel soft and give way.
You can also recognize a good Christmas goose by the fact that the skin of the animal has a delicate pink shimmer and an even pore. In general, a goose weighing 3 kilograms is enough for 4 people, 5 kilograms can feed up to 8 people.
