Here's a basic way to cook your goose:

If goose is frozen, thaw according to directions
Heat oven to 400° F.
Remove neck and giblets from body cavity, cook them promptly or refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove excess fat from body cavity and neck skin. Reserve fat and render for use in other cooking. Rinse bird and drain.
Wings may be removed at second joint or covered with aluminum foil. If two end pieces of wings are removed, cook them with neck and giblets.
To stuff, fill neck and body cavity loosely. Fasten neck skin to back with a skewer. Tie legs together or tuck in band of skin at tail if present. If unstuffed, there is no need to truss, but sprinkle body cavity lightly with salt.
Place goose, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer deep inside thigh muscle (not touching the bone). Prick goose with fork around thighs, legs and breast.
Roast covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size of bird) in preheated 400° F. oven. No need to baste.
During roasting, spoon or siphon off accumulated fat as needed.
After roasting for 45 minutes to 1 hour, reduce oven temperature to 325° F., cover pan and continue roasting.
Roast until thermometer in thigh registers 180° to 185° F. Stuffing temperature should also be checked and it should register 165° F. Allow about 20 to 30 minutes roasting time per pound. You may want to uncover the bird toward the end of the roasting time to make the breast skin brown and crispy.
If a thermometer is not used, press meaty part of leg between protected fingers. It should feel very soft. Also prick thigh with a fork. The juices running out of thigh should be beige in color, not pink. The skin should be golden brown and crisp. The fat layer between skin and meat should be gone, and the meat should almost be falling off the bones.


Approximate Roasting Timetables*
Purchased Weight/Time at 400°F/Time at 325°F/Total Roasting Time (Hours)
8 to 10 1 hour 2 to 3 3 to 4
10 to 12 1 hour 3 to 4 4 to 5
12 to 14 1 hour 4 to 5 5 to 6
over 14 1 hour 5 to 6 6 to 7
* Roasting time will be somewhat less for unstuffed geese.

Spaw