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–+ servings
Plated roast goose

Grill Roasted Young Goose Stuffed with Sauerkraut and Apples Recipe

2.58 from 19 votes
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Normally we recommend you don't stuff birds like turkeys because it slows cooking and can result in overcooking the meat, but goose is a much thinner bird, much smaller breasts, and so we will make an exception here because, well, a stuffed goose is just so utterly festive.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Brine 12 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Difficult
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Molasses Beer Brine
  • 1 1/2 cups dark beer
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup molasses
Goose And Stuffing
  • 1 8-pound young goose, washed and patted dry and carcass and thigh bones removed
  • 3 strips bacon
  • 2 large onions
  • 2 large apples
  • 1 pound refrigerated sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  •  Morton Coarse Kosher Salt 
  • ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Prep. Begin by preparing the brine, mixing everything together in a jumbo (2-gallon)(7.8 L) zipper-lock bag.
  2. Add the goose to the brine, squeeze the air out of the bag, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for about 12 hours in a roasting pan to catch any potential leaks.
  3. Coarsely chop the bacon. Chop the onions. Peel, core, and dice the apples.
  4. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the bottom of the pan is covered with fat and the bacon is still soft. Add the onions and toss in the bacon fat. Cover the pan and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sauerkraut, rosemary, molasses, salt, and pepper. Set aside to cool.
  5. Fire up. Light a grill for 2-zone cooking and shoot for about 325°F (163°C) in the indirect zone. Put a disposable roasting pan under the grill rack in the indirect zone.
  6. Remove the goose from the brine and pat dry. Prick the skin all over with the tip of a sharp knife, taking care to pierce only the skin and not the meat. Pricking the skin helps render fat from underneath so the skin gets crispy instead of remaining flabby. Fill the cavity of the goose with the sauerkraut. Skewer the cavity closed and tie the legs of the goose together with twine. Put the goose on a roasting rack.
  7. Cook. Place the roasting rack on the grill in the indirect zone over the disposable roasting pan. Put the lid down and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the inside of a thigh registers 165°F (75°C), about 1 1/4 hours, basting the goose with drippings every 10 minutes after the first half hour.
  8. Serve. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the twine and scoop the sauerkraut into a serving bowl. Carve the goose as you would a turkey and serve with the sauerkraut.

Notes

About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works. 

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