Ham, turkey, or prime rib, Christmas dinner in America is often centered around one of those showstoppers. But what about the roast goose? In the United Kingdom and Europe, roast goose is a popular choice for the Christmas dinner centerpiece. At Jack & Charlie’s 118 in New York, Chef Ed Cotton is celebrating that tradition with a goose-centered Christmas menu this holiday season. The special menu, titled “Celebration of the Christmas Goose,” is being served only on Christmas Eve this year. We spoke to him to learn all the details.
“Our restaurant was built around an old-world vibe, so creating a Christmas menu anchored by a classic, traditional dish felt completely natural,” said Cotton. “Goose has always signified the holidays to me — it’s celebratory, historic, and a little nostalgic. It’s also fun to work with and feels like a culinary throwback that younger generations rarely experience, so bringing it back in a modern way fits perfectly with our concept.”
How to roost the perfect goose for Christmas
The first thing you need to know about goose is that it’s a big bird (between 8 and 12 pounds on average ). Similar to duck, goose is also fattier and richer when compared to turkey or chicken. In fact, Cotton’s advice is to treat goose like a large duck, and therefore, it needs careful attention to properly render and cook evenly.
“I start by pricking the skin all over, especially around the breast area, to help the thick fat layer render properly,” Cotton explains. “I also like to dunk the bird briefly in boiling water, then air-dry it overnight to guarantee crisp skin. Season with salt, pepper, halved citrus, and fresh herbs. Roast slowly at 300 F for about an hour or so to gently melt the fat, ladling and basting as it renders, then raise the heat to 425 F to brown and crisp the skin. The breasts are at their best around 134 F, while the legs always need more time. You can finish the bird whole or remove the breasts early and let the legs continue cooking. Rest at least 20 minutes before carving, cut and separate the leg and thigh, and serve with the carved breast meat. Always save some of the rendered goose fat, it’s pure liquid gold and incredible for cooking your accompanying vegetables.”
But Christmas goose can be more than just roasting
Jack & Charlie 118 is a restaurant centered on wood-fire cooking, perfect for roasting goose. However, roasting isn’t the only way to cook this bird for Christmas. Besides a roasted goose breast with red cabbage, the Jack & Charlie’s 118 Christmas menu also features several dishes that showcase goose in different preparations: celery root and chestnut soup, winter green salad, and a braised goose agnolotti. One of the most interesting is the goose ham, made in-house by Cotton, in the celery root and chestnut soup
“For the goose ham in our chestnut soup, I use only the breast meat,” explains Cotton. “I cure it, then lightly smoke it until fully cooked. Once chilled, it’s diced and folded into the soup, where it adds a smoky, rich depth of flavor. Goose and chestnuts naturally complement one another, so the combination feels timeless and seasonal.”
