Usage & recipes

Usage & recipes



“Goose fat is incredibly versatile. With its rich, silky texture and subtle, savoury flavour, it has rightly become famous for making the ultimate roast potatoes, but the unique fat can be used to make so many more delicious dishes. You will always find goose fat in my kitchens - I couldn’t do without it!”

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Cooking with Goose Fat


The ideas and recipes below show just how versatile goose fat is in cooking.


Kept refrigerated goose fat is a solid fat, and fairly liquid at room temperature. It solidifies between 16°C and 22°C and has a melting point between 25°C and 37°C. Notably, Goose Fat has a high burning (or smoke) point which means foods can be cooked at a high temperature without the fat burning or breaking down.

It also has a low proportion of saturated fatty acids compared to other animal fats such as butter and lard (see health section).

The biggest selling point however is the unsurpassed taste of foods cooked using Goose Fat and traditionally has been prized in Europe for frying and roasting vegetables.

 

Mike Robinson's 'ultimate’ roast potatoes

 

Potatoes

1 tbsp of Goose Fat for every 45g of Potatoes

1 small bunch of fresh Rosemary

1 Garlic bulb

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 8 or 220°c.

Step 1: Parboil your potatoes for 8-10 minutes, or until they are two thirds on the way to being cooked.

Step 2: Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pan. The potatoes must be completely dry so take them outside and shake them in the cold air to let the steam and water fully evaporate. This will also rough up the edges which will help give the roast potato a crunchy texture on the outside and a soft fluffy inside.

Step 3: Heat a solid pan on high and add the goose fat. When the fat is smoking hot add the fluffed potatoes. The key is not to stir immediately and just let the potatoes brown for a few minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile, break up the bulb of garlic and add the cloves to the pan without peeling off the skin - this will prevent the garlic from burning while at the same time infusing the garlicky aroma into the potatoes. Then tear the rosemary and add to the pan. At this point you can shake and stir the potatoes to fully coat them in the goose fat.

Step 5: Place the potatoes in a roasting tray and season with salt and pepper to taste then put the tray in the hot oven to roast for around 20-30 mins, or until crisp and golden. Make sure that you baste and turn the potatoes at frequent intervals to brown evenly.

 

All root vegetables are delicious roasted in goose fat, especially parsnips.

 

Everyday Uses

Other everyday uses for goose fat include:

  • Making oven chips: As above, but par-boil the potatoes wedges for 5 minutes and roast them for 30 minutes, turning them a couple of times until crisp and golden.
  • Other potato recipes: sauté potatoes in a little goose fat, or add goose fat to mashed potato, instead of using butter.
  • Frying onions: heat a little goose fat over a high heat, add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat until the onions are softened.
  • Toast and dripping: revive childhood memories and spread goose fat, instead of butter, on thick slices of toast. For a posh canapé spread goose fat on rye bread and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with some pickled red cabbage.
  • Fried bread: Spread goose fat generously on pieces of bread and put them into a hot frying pan for an even coating and golden colour. Alternatively heat the fat in the pan and add the bread.
  • Fried eggs and omelettes: If you like a crispy edge to your fried egg, fry it in really hot goose fat. Omelettes will have a richer flavour too.
  • Dumplings: Made with goose fat Dumplings are lovely and light and required less fat than if made with suet. See recipe for Steak and Kidney Stew with dumplings.
  • Pastry: Shortcrust pastry can be made with goose fat, however it can be very short and difficult to handle. Here again, use less fat than if using butter or lard. Cut 100g hard goose fat into 250g plain flour with a round-bladed knife. No water is needed. Chill the pastry until firm before using it. Hot water crust pastry: this works well. See the recipe for Game Pie.
  • Duck and goose confit: the French way of preserving food in fat, so goose fat is perfect for this. See recipe for Duck confit. Use goose fat for duck, goose or pork rillettes, which is a homemade coarse pate, made from confit. Use goose fat in the preparation of a cassoulet and frying duck or chicken livers.
  • Roasting poultry and game: brown the birds in hot goose fat in a frying pan to colour and seal them before cooking, or just spread goose fat on the breasts of the bird before roasting it. Good for keeping turkey breast tender.
  • Stuffings: fry chopped onion, celery and garlic in goose fat to soften, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
  • Risotto: a recipe that normally uses a lot of butter for frying the onions and coating the rice grains, goose fat gives depth and richness without adding as much fat.

 

Delicious Goose Fat Recipe Ideas (Downloadable in PDF format)

 

  • Chicken & Wild Mushroom Risotto
  • Onion Soup
  • Steak and Kidney Stew with Thyme Dumplings
  • Confit of Duck with Plum and Ginger Sauce
  • Game Pie
  • Double Crust Game Pie
  • Broad Bean and Lettuce Garbure
  • Goose Fat Poached Salmon, White Beans, Sage and Garlic
  • Saute of Chicken with Rasins
  • Leeks Baked with Red Wine and Poached Eggs
  • Celeriac Puree, Goose Fat Crisped Bacon, Mushrooms and Shallots
  • Potted Duck Confit with Toast and Chutney
  • Butternut Squash, Roasted with Goose Fat, Fresh Thyme and Whole Roasted Bulbs of Garlic
  • Toad in the Hole of Lincolnshire Sausage, Roasted Red Onion and Field Mushrooms
  • Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Sage Pie with Goose Fat Pastry
  • Roast Breast and Confit Leg of Pheasant with a Stew of White Beans, Thyme and Smoked Bacon
  • Mike Robinson, Chef, Presenter and Author

  • Celeriac Puree with Goose Fat Crisped Bacon

  • Goose Fat Poached Salmon

  • Broad Bean and Lettuce Garbure

  • Saute of Chicken with Raisins

  • Roast Potatoes