Roast Goose Stuffed with Sauerkraut

[bluelacedredhead]

The posts about Perennial Cabbages and Turkey stuffed with Barley has reminded me about one of my favourite Christmas dishes, Roast Goose with Sauerkraut Stuffing.

Instead of stuffing the goose with bread and roasting it in a pool of grease, salt the cavity, then stuff with sauerkraut. Place breast side down on a 'pedestal' set inside the roasting pan. This can be a stainless flat bottomed mixing bowl for example.
Then roast 20 minutes per pound at 325F.

Serve with roast potatoes, Braised Red Cabbage, Pickled Beets and Parsnips!

[houseodessey]

That sounds really good, Blue. I love Sauerkraut. I'm afraid I'd be sleeping alone after all of that cabbage but I'd eat it anyway!

My mom makes a really simple dish of sauerkraut with fatback (I think it's the meat around the pig's spine, very tasty) and serves it over mashed potatoes. It is one of my favorite mom meals.

[cff]

Blue

While paintman is on one of his long trips this winter see if he'll kick you out at my house, you'll be able to forget what snow looks like and you can practice your fancy cooking with a live appreciative audience.

Sounds like a win win situation to me ;D ;D ;D

[bluelacedredhead]

CFF,
Paintman knows how to make the sauerkraut stuffed goose too. I'm sure he'd love to come visit!

I doubt if I'll be travelling with him much. Can't go with him (insurance reasons) until he's been working there for 6 months. And who would stay home to look after the dogs, cats and work on the Fixer Upper that we bought?? Besides, I'll need a job to pay for the work on the house. We could have bought a house that needed a lot less work, but I talked him into this one cuz it 'fits' my style of decorating better, LOL

[mnjrutherford]

How does one create the sauerkraut? I've got way more cabbage than can possibly consumed fried, boiled, or in slaw (a personal favorite). I need to learn how to preserve for winter.

[Penny]

That sounds so good.

[grungy]

Have you got a crock, Jo.
I can vary the size amounts if not. If you have a crock, Sterilize it, a large plate that just fits inside the crock and a large clean rock, with boiling water. You will also need cheesecloth. Then start
slicing your cabbages thinly and put in a large holding contain (not metal) such as a plastic tote or enamelled canner). When you have lots in the holding container, drain the crock and pile the sliced cabbage into a crock about 2 inches deep. Pat flat. Take a large handful (1/2 -3/4 of a cup of PICKLING salt (NOT TABLE SALT)) and sprinkle over the cabbage. Then another 2 inch layer of cabbage, and another handful of salt. Continue until you either have the cabbage to about 2" below the top of the crock or run out of cabbage, letting your salt be the top layer. Put a doubled layer of new cheesecloth over the cabbage and tuck down around the edges. Put your plate on top of the cheesecloth and then put your sterilize rock on top of that. I put a piece of clean sheeting over the crock to allow the fermentation gases to escape but keeps dust and bugs out. Set crock in a warm place. Check twice daily. Soon you should see the brine above the cabbage and often as the cabbage ferments, it may cover the plate and rock also. Let it set for at least 10 days. When your kraut is done it will be a palish yellowy green and smell like well sauerkraut. At this point you can remove the rock, plate and cheesecloth and can the kraut or serve.
The cheesecloth is there in case you should accidently get mold spores on the top of the cabbage before it is fermented enough. If this happens then carefully remove rock and plate and scrub and resterilize them, and then lift the cheesecloth up and out and with it the moldy crud. Make a strong brine of 1 cup of pickling salt and 1 quart of water and pour over the top of the cabbage. Use another clean piece of double cheese cloth and a spoon for tucking the edges under, replace the sterlized plate and rock, there should now be enough liquid that it is over the plate and kraut. If not repeat making the strong brine mixture until you have enough to reach that point.
Hope this helps.