Have you ever dreamt of cooking a Christmas goose, but were a bit intimidated by the prospect? When I wanted to learn how to roast a goose, without smoking up the kitchen, or overcooking the goose, I turned to the waterfowl master himself, guest author Hank Shaw of the James Beard nominated food blog Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook. Hank spent the day with my family, cooking, feasting and instructing. Enjoy! ~Elise

A great many people are deathly afraid of geese – and I am not talking about those nasty birds that chased us around at the park when we were children. Romance surrounds the roasting of geese, especially on Christmas, yet nearly everyone has a horror story about dry, livery meat surrounded by flabby skin and an ocean of liquid fat.

Can an overcooked goose become livery? You bet. Are they fatty? Oh yes. But remember that a goose is not a turkey, just as a duck is not a chicken. You don’t cook them the same way. And both ducks and geese are red meat birds – meaning the breasts of both need to be served medium-rare. That’s pink, or 140-150°F for those of you with thermometers.

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