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Cooking times

Goose Cooking Time Calculator

Enter the weight of your goose for the roasting time, temperature and resting time.

kg

Use the weight as it goes in the oven, including any stuffing you have added.

Your oven

Answer

5 hr at 180°C

Plus 30 min resting, ready 5 hr 30 min after it goes in. Gas mark 4.

What to do

  1. 1Prepare the whole gooseTake the meat out of the fridge, season it and get the tin ready.
  2. 2Preheat the ovenHeat the oven to 200°C.
  3. 3High heat start at 200°CCook at 200°C for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C.
  4. 4Cook at 180°CCook for 270 minutes.
  5. 5Check whether it is doneCheck the thickest part reads 75°C or more.
  6. 6Rest the meatCover loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes. Resting is part of cooking, not dead time.
  7. 7Carve15 minutes.

The high-heat start of 200°C is included in the total time above.

How to check it is done

Target temperature in the thickest part75°C
Start checking after4 hr 30 min
Resting time30 min
  • Based on 30 minutes per 500g at 180°C after 30 minutes at 200°C.
  • A goose is mostly fat and frame. Allow around 700g of raw weight per person, and pour the fat off several times.

Next step

Plan the whole meal

Food safety

  • Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
  • Cooking times are a guide only. Ovens, joints and starting temperatures vary, so always check the food is cooked before serving rather than relying on the clock.

Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0

Source: Standard UK roasting guidance (Food Standards Agency doneness advice, common UK joint timings) · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.1.0

Reference and detail

A goose feeds fewer than you think

A goose is mostly frame and fat. A 5kg goose feeds six people, where a 5kg turkey would feed ten or more. Allow around 800g of oven-ready weight per person and you will not be caught short.

The fat

A goose can render a litre of fat. Pour it off every 45 minutes or so, or the bird sits and fries in it. Strained into jars it keeps for months in the fridge and makes the best roast potatoes of the year.

Timing it on Christmas Day

A goose rests well for up to 45 minutes under foil, which frees the oven for potatoes at a high temperature. If you are juggling several dishes, put the goose into the Meal Synchroniser and let it work the timings backwards from when you want to sit down.

Questions and answers

Questions about roasting a whole goose

How many people does a whole goose feed?

Fewer than you might expect, because a goose is mostly frame and fat. A 5kg goose feeds around six, where a turkey of the same weight would feed ten or more. Allow around 800g of oven-ready weight per person.

Meat Per Person Calculator

What should I do with the fat from a roast goose?

Pour it off every 45 minutes or so during cooking, or the bird sits and fries in it. A goose can render a litre or more, and strained into jars it keeps for months in the fridge for the best roast potatoes of the year.

How do I check a goose is cooked through?

Check the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run clear with no pink meat, and a thermometer should read at least 75°C.

Food safety

Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.

Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0

How long can a goose rest before carving?

Up to 45 minutes under foil, which is useful on Christmas Day because it frees the oven for potatoes at a high temperature.

How do I time a roast goose alongside potatoes and other dishes?

Add the goose to the Meal Synchroniser with your side dishes and it will work the timings backwards from when you want to sit down.

Meal Synchroniser

Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.