.We've got a couple extra geese in the freezer, and I'm cooking out on a campfire for some folks in a couple nights.
I'm thinking of pulling out a goose, letting it thaw, then either roasting on a spit, sticking it in a dutch oven, or setting it straight in the ashes.
Anyone who's gone down this road have some good advice?
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
Never done a goose over a fire but I've done chickens over hot coals! We coal-roasted relatively small chickens at one of the farm to table restaurants I've worked at and it turned out pretty well! Idk how different goose fat is to duck fat but if you can get some of the excess fat that usually hangs out around the body cavity and put that in your drip-pan to render, it should be liquid gold for basting/flavor if duck fat is anything to base it off of. Also would highly suggest stuffing the cavity with herbs and sewing/tying it shut if that's your thing!
I don't know exactly how historically accurate any of those tips would be for goose-roasting, I'm just basing these off my contemporary culinary experience.
Barandir, a Third Age Dunedain, also known as Brand or the Goshawk.
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory; I only love that which they defend.
As Barandir said, the fat is liquid gold. Don't waste it. Straight in the ashes is going to loose all that. Best method will be dutch oven with a roasting rack. Something to keep it lifted out of the fat. You want the fat to drip away (and then baste with it) but you don't want the bottom of your bird just deep frying in it.
If you want to spit roast it, have a drip tray under it to catch all that rendered fat. Depending on how much fat you get, it would be great for making some fry bread, or just throw in some potatoes, carrots, and onions to cook in it.
My vote is for the spit roast, but I'm thinking of this out on the trail, and I don't want to carry a dutch oven. I carry a small frying pan I'd use for the drip tray. If you're willing to forgo some authenticity, aluminum foil would work just fine.
Late to the party so I assume your goose is cooked (never thought I would have a chance to use that in context) but a really simple way is to just hang it from string above your fire. I've done plenty of chickens and duck that way on an asado cross but have seen others do birds as large as turkey, you can even hang it to the side of the fire and pop a tray under it if the fat is super important to you (make sure any dogs are kept well away!)
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
It went well enough - I roasted it first with skewers over the flames, then let it slow cook in a dutch oven with some onions and butter. The bird really was too old at slaughter though, and while decent enough wasn't the magic the birds of the previous year had been. Well, lesson learned.
... But the rest of the meal was fantastic.
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Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
Gimli: It's true you don't see many Dwarf-women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
