Beer Bottle Trick Promises Perfectly Cooked Christmas Goose
HALLER KREISBLATT - A chef’s unconventional method for roasting a Christmas goose – inserting a beer bottle into the cavity – is gaining attention for its ability to ensure even cooking and tender meat. Jannik Degner, a chef, explains the technique allows for precise temperature control, preventing the breast from drying out while ensuring the legs are fully cooked.
The method hinges on the bottle’s heat-storing properties. “The bottle stores heat and releases it from the inside to the clubs. As the legs take longer to cook than the breast, the bottle ensures that everything is cooked simultaneously occurring,” Degner said. The thinner neck of the bottle prevents overheating the breast, while the thicker base supports the legs, resulting in uniformly tender meat.
The process involves several steps, beginning with properly preparing the goose by closing the abdominal cavity with a wooden skewer and tying the legs together with kitchen twine to maintain its shape. Lisa Nieschlag recommends roasting the goose for approximately one hour per kilo of weight, adding an extra half hour for any filling. temperatures should range between 150 to 165 degrees Celsius.
Throughout the cooking process, basting the goose with pan juices and occasional turning are crucial for achieving crispy skin. A meat thermometer is recommended to confirm an internal temperature of 80 to 85 degrees Celsius.
After roasting, the bottle is removed along with the filling. Degner suggests cutting the goose in half, placing the halves skin-side up on a baking tray, and briefly reheating them at 100 degrees Celsius before increasing the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius for a final crisping. alternatively, the goose can be served whole with traditional side dishes and a sauce made from the innards, wing tips, and neck.
For first-time goose roasters, Degner offers reassurance: “Fear of the goose is normal. My advice: plan well, work step by step and use a meat thermometer. Then respect quickly becomes routine.”
