A reformed Ebenezer Scrooge would never have woke on Christmas morning, opened his bedroom window and gleefully asked the young lad below to buy the butcher's biggest ham or turkey.

Bah Humbug!

At Christmas -- whether it is Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family or one of Utah's many wild game gourmands -- only a goose will do.

In 19th century Victorian England, when Charles Dickens wrote his classic tale A Christmas Carol, goose served as the traditional fare for a holiday dinner. It is a German culinary tradition as well. But in North America, goose has never gained widespread favor, overshadowed by turkey or ham.

Wild goose: Of course, that is not the case for avid waterfowl hunters such as Kevin Jackson of Murray.

"We always saved a goose for Christmas even when I was growing up," he said.

Jackson, a chemical analyst for

Magna's Alliant Techsystems, has a "nice bird" in the freezer right now, just waiting to be served for the holiday meal.

For those who may have never tasted goose it has a rich flavor, similar to beef and goes well with sauces made from winter fruits such as pomegranates, oranges and cranberries. Unlike turkey, all the meat from the bird -- including the breast -- is dark.

After years of hunting and cooking geese, Jackson said keeping the bird moist is the biggest obstacle for cooks.

"Wild geese are foraging, so they are lean and mean," he said. "They have fat, but nothing like the ducks and geese you buy that are domesticated."

So wild goose lovers are continually looking for methods that lock in moisture. There is nothing as disappointing as a meal of dense, dry, grayish-looking goose, he said. "You can't eat it. You can't even chew it."

Jackson said growing up in Nevada, his family would soak the goose overnight in a brine of seasonings and sugars -- similar to what many people do with their Thanksgiving turkey. The soak helps keep the meat moist and gives it a sweet flavor.

Lately, Jackson cooks the bird inside an oven bag. The bird, which has been stuffed with Fuji apples, bacon, onions and carrots for flavor (not for eating), bastes itself.

Domestic birds: For nonhunters who must -- or prefer -- to buy a store-bought or "domesticated" goose, the problem is not keeping the bird moist, but getting rid of as much excess fat as possible and avoiding "a bird awash in blubber," says Jonathan Miles, author of "The Wild Chef" column in Field & Stream magazine.

"You can no more roast a wild goose the same way you would domestic goose than you can substitute catfish for beef in a pot of chili," Miles writes in the December issue. "Wild geese have so much less fat than their domestic brethren that, as far as the kitchen is concerned the two birds should be considered different species altogether -- so much so that they require opposite roasting methods."

At Salt Lake City's Alta Club, domestic goose is one of several meats offered at the annual Christmas Eve buffet.

Before seasoning and roasting a goose, sous chef Jerry Ridens trims most of the loose fat that hangs around the cavity openings and then pricks the skin all over with a fork, being careful not to pierce through to the breast meat.

"The tiny holes cause the fat to drain away from the meat during cooking and crisps the skin, " he said. "It comes out tender and nice, not greasy."

Other hints: Whether cooking a wild or store-bought goose, the meat is best when cooked medium-rare to medium, said Ridens. "The more you cook it, the tougher it gets."

That makes using a digital meat thermometer a must. Before putting the bird into the oven, insert the probe into the thickest part of the thigh, but not touching bone. (Don't use an instant-read thermometer, it will melt.) Take the goose out of the oven when the temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Let the bird rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to settle into the meat.

Most of the meat on a goose comes from the breast -- although there is a small amount to be found on those scrawny legs. Ridens slices the breast meat thinly, cutting it across the grain and serving it with a pomegranate au jus. The average goose weighs 8-12 pounds and serves as many people.

Maybe the only thing better than a goose dinner is a to have enough left to make a roast goose sandwich Dec. 26.

kathys@sltrib.com

Tips for buying/cooking a store-bought (domestic) goose:

1. Look for a goose with a plump, meaty and symmetrical breast.

2. Choose smaller birds, they are younger and more tender.

3. Plan on 1 pound per diner.

4. A frozen goose takes up to 4 days to defrost in the refrigerator.

5. Before roasting, cut away fat pockets in the body cavity and prick skin all with fork, being careful not to pierce meat.

6. Season with salt, pepper and herbs.

7. Stuff with fruits such as apples, oranges prunes and/or vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery.

8. Use a meat thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the thigh, but not touching bone.

9. Remove goose from oven when temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees.

10. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

-- Sources: The Kitchen Answer Book, by Hank Rubin; Field & Stream magazine

Wild Goose In A Bag

Stuffing:

2 apples, (preferably Fuji) chopped, skin left on

2 to 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 slice bacon, roughly chopped (optional)

1 (8- to 12-pound) wild goose, well plucked and cleaned

Special Utensils:

Oven roasting bag

Sauce:

1 (6-ounce) jar red plum jelly

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place apples, celery, onions, carrots and bacon, if using, inside the cavities of the bird. Place goose breast side up and 1/2 cup water inside roasting bag, following package directions. Seal bag and place in oven.

Cook until meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh registers 160 degrees, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Remove from oven and let bird rest 30 to 40 minutes.

To make sauce, put plum jelly, Worcestershire sauce and butter into a saucepan; heat on low until butter is incorporated into the jelly. Add sherry and bring to a boil. Stir in cranberry sauce if desired.

To carve goose, remove vegetables from inner cavities and throw away. Slice across the grain, ensuring tenderness. Serve with sauce.

-- Kevin Jackson

Roasted Wild Christmas Goose with Cranberry, Oyster and Chestnut Stuffing

Brine:

2 gallons water

1 cup salt

1 cup black pepper

1 cup brown sugar

Goose:

1 wild goose, 4 to 5 pounds dressed well, plucked and cleaned

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup oil

2 to 4 cups chicken stock

Stuffing:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup yellow onions, diced

3/4 cup celery, diced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 dozen shucked oysters, drained and liquor reserved

1/4 cup chopped roasted chestnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries, plumped in warm water

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 to 2 cups buttermilk

4 cups stale crumbled cornbread

For the brine, mix water, salt, pepper and brown sugar in a large pot. Place goose in brine and refrigerate overnight.

For stuffing, heat butter in a large saute pan. Add onions and celery and cook about 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Season with sage, salt, pepper and cayenne. Remove from heat and set aside. When cool, fold in oysters, chestnuts and plumped cranberries. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, oyster liquor and 1 cup of buttermilk. Pour liquid mixture over crumbled cornbread. After liquid is absorbed fold in oyster, chestnuts and cranberries. Add more buttermilk if mixture is too dry, but do not over moisten.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove goose from brine, and pat dry. Season all over with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Sear goose on all sides for 2 to 3 minutes each, until skin is seared and lightly golden. Reseason with salt and pepper, making sure to season inside of goose. Fill goose with stuffing. Truss the gooses leg and place breast side up in roasting rack.

Pour chicken stock into roasting pan until it comes 1/4 to 1/2 inch up sides. Lower rack into pan and roast goose for 2 hours or until a thermometer in thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees. Add more chicken stock during roasting if necessary. If skin begins to get too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Remove bird from oven and let sit uncovered 10 to 20 minutes before carving.

Makes 4 servings.

-- "Field & Stream," December 2004/January 2005 issue

Holiday Goose a l'Orange

In the United States, back in the 1870s, according to the cookbook Good Housekeeping Great American Classics (Hearst Books, $24.95), there were popular recipes for roasted goose for special occasions, including one that began: "On the day before Christmas, kill a fat goose and dress it." Not the way we do it now, generally.

Good Housekeeping 's cookbook revisits many kinds of food traditions, reminds us of their historical context, and suggests ways to keep them happily and tastily in the family's present. Here's the book's recipe for goose roasted with orange halves and thyme tucked inside, made with a fresh or frozen bird most probably supplied by your local grocer.

1 fresh or frozen (thawed) goose (about 12 pounds)

5 medium oranges, each cut in half

1 bunch fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove giblets and neck from goose; reserve for another use. Trim and discard fat from body cavity and any excess skin. Rinse goose inside and out with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels. With goose breast-side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of goose so wings stay in place. Place 6 orange halves, thyme sprigs and bay leaves in body cavity. Tie legs and tail together with kitchen string. Fold neck skin over back. With two-tine fork, prick goose in several places to drain fat during roasting.

Place goose, breast-side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17 by 11 1/2 inches). In cup, combine dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; rub mixture over goose. Cover goose and roasting pan with foil. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn oven control to 325 degrees; roast 2 hours longer.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, from remaining 4 orange halves squeeze 3/4 cup juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon liqueur, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In cup, mix orange marmalade with remaining 2 tablespoons liqueur.

Remove foil and roast goose 45 minutes. Remove goose from oven and turn oven control to 450 degrees. Brush marmalade mixture over goose. Roast goose until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer goose to warm platter; let stand 15 minutes to set juices for easier carving.

To prepare sauce: Remove rack from roasting pan. Strain pan drippings through sieve into 8-cup measuring cup or large bowl. Let stand until fat separates from meat juice; skim and reserve fat for another use (there should be about 5 cups fat). Measure meat juice; if necessary, add enough water to meat juice to equal 1 cup. Return meat juice to boiling over medium heat, stirring; boil 1 minute. Serve sauce with goose. Remove skin before eating if desired.

Makes 10 main-dish servings.

-- "Good Housekeeping Great American Classics"