At 160 °C a goose needs about 1 hour per kilo: a 4.5 kg goose is done after about 4½ hours, at 180 °C after 2¾ hours. It is ready at 80 to 85 °C in the thigh.
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At 160 °C a goose needs about 1 hour per kilo: a 4.5 kg goose is done after about 4½ hours, at 180 °C after 2¾ hours. It is ready at 80 to 85 °C in the thigh.
Cooking time
5 hours
5 kg, 160 °C (140 °C fan)
In the oven: 5 hours
Towards the end: 15 min at 220 °C (200 °C fan)
Core temperature in the thigh: 80–85 °C
Rest: 20–30 min
Poultry is safe once it reaches 70 °C inside for 2 minutes (BfR). The thigh only turns tender and comes off the bone at 80 to 85 °C.
A stuffed goose needs 15 to 30 minutes longer.
Frozen? Thaw it in the fridge – that takes 1 to 2 days. Pour away the thawing liquid.
For crisp skin, brush it with cold salted water at the end.
What is going in the oven?
The calculator asks for:
What? (Goose, Duck, Goose legs, Duck breast)
Weight (oven-ready) (kg)
Method (Classic 160 °C, Hot 180 °C, Slow roast)
Method (Classic 200 °C, Slow roast)
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Classic goose: 60 minutes per kg at 160 °C (140 °C fan), the last 15 minutes at 220 °C (German recipe sources: about 1 hour per kilo).
Hot goose: 30 minutes per kg at 180 °C (160 °C fan) (Gressingham), plus 30 minutes to spare, as Great British Chefs adds.
Slow roast: first 30 minutes at 250 °C, then 6 to 8 hours at 100 °C (over 5 kg 7 to 9), then 30 minutes hot again (Wikibooks; Otto: 7 to 9 hours at 100 °C). Duck: 30 minutes at 220 °C, 4 hours at 100 °C, 30 minutes at 220 °C (Techniker Krankenkasse).
Duck: 40 minutes per kg plus 10 minutes at 200 °C (180 °C fan) (Gressingham). Goose legs 2 to 2½ hours at 180 °C (Grillfürst). Duck breast 5 minutes skin side, 2 to 3 meat side, then 15 to 20 minutes at 200 °C (Lecker).
Times rounded to the nearest quarter hour. Weight = oven-ready, without stuffing.
Example: A 5 kg goose:
Classic: 5 × 60 min = 5 hours at 160 °C (140 °C fan)
Hot: 5 × 30 min + 30 min = 3 hours at 180 °C (160 °C fan)
Good to know
Every oven heats a little differently: a meat thermometer in the thigh (not touching the bone) tells you for sure when the bird is done.
Roast goose and duck on the rack over the roasting tin. The fat drips off, and you can keep it for roast potatoes.
Let the bird rest after roasting: the juices stay in the meat and you have time for the gravy.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a goose take per kg?
At 160 °C about 1 hour per kilo. Hotter, at 180 °C, about 30 minutes per kilo plus 30 minutes.
How long does a 5 kg goose take?
Classic at 160 °C about 5 hours, at 180 °C about 3 hours. Then rest it for 20 to 30 minutes.
What core temperature should a goose reach?
80 to 85 °C in the thigh. Only then is the meat tender and comes off the bone.
How do you slow-roast a goose?
Start it at 250 °C for 30 minutes, then 6 to 8 hours at 100 °C until the thigh reaches 80 °C, then hot again at the end for crisp skin.
How long does a duck take in the oven?
At 200 °C about 40 minutes per kilo plus 10 minutes: a 2 kg duck takes about 1½ hours.
What core temperature for duck breast?
It is only safe at 74 °C for more than 10 minutes (BfR). Pink (58 °C) and medium (62 °C) are popular but do not reliably kill germs.
