To Prepare a Goose for Roasting

Cut neck skin down the centre to the shoulder; free skin from neck and cut neck off as close to body as possible. Remove any pin-feathers. Singe bird if necessary, by holding it over a gas flame. Cut out oil sack over the tail. Then wash goose inside and out, and wipe dry. Rub neck and body cavities with salt and freshly ground black pepper; rub outside of body with a cut lemon.

Remove excess fat from goose in the following manner: lay cleaned goose on a rack in a roasting pan and place in a moderately hot oven (400°-M5). Cook for 15 minutes, or until fat begins to run, then remove goose from oven. Tip goose to let fat in body cavity run out, and pour off fat from pan. Return to oven, and repeat this process 2 or 3 times. The goose is now ready for stuffing. A goose really needs no trussing as wings are close to the body and the legs are too short to need trussing the way a chicken or a turkey does. After loosely stuffing neck and body cavities, tie a cord around leg ends to leave 3 or 4 inches between legs.