German · Authentic-ish German
Martinsgans
1004 kcal a serving, against 2552 for the traditional version. That is 1548 kcal off, or 61%, with 129.9g of protein. Serves 8. 3 hours 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A whole goose, usually 4-5kg, stuffed with apples, chestnuts and onions, then roasted skin-on. The skin is basted with its own fat and eaten crisp and hot. The stuffing soaks up the melting fat. Everything is accompanied by plenty of fat-laden gravy and potato dumplings. This is German winter celebration cooking at its most unashamed.
What changed, and what each change costs
Whole goose with skin-on, served at the table, to roasted goose served skinless
All the fat is in the skin and the thick buttery layer beneath it. If you want goose that fits the numbers, you have to do what nobody in Germany would ever do and peel away the skin just before carving. You lose the satisfaction, but you keep the actual meat. Roast with the skin on or the breast will dry out, but serve it without.
What it costs you. The festival is in the skin. If you want that crunch, you aren't going to find it here. There's no two ways about it: the meat is succulent, but the experience is less fun. Save the skin for rendering into goose fat for potatoes next Christmas if you must.
Butter and chestnut-rich stuffing to lean apple and onion stuffing (no butter, 60g chestnut only)
The stuffing is the other source of fat and excess. Butter and a full load of chestnuts make it heavy and rich. I knock it back to a lot more fruit, a lot less nut and cut the butter completely. Use just enough chestnut for texture.
What it costs you. The texture is looser, and you lose that creamy chestnut bite. The flavour's still good if you get decent apples, but don't expect the stuffing to bind tightly.
Flour-thickened gravy to plain roasting juices
Don't pour flour and yet more fat over the plate. The juices from the bird and the apples are flavourful on their own. You'll miss the sauce, but the meat isn't dry.
What it costs you. There's no deep glossy gravy. The juices are thinner and lighter, and you won't be mopping it up with dumplings.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 2552 | 1004 |
| Protein | 102.9g | 129.9g |
| Fat | 217.8g | 41g |
| Saturated fat | 65.3g | 15.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 38.4g | 22.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4g | 12.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish German prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery.
The method is in the book
Nobody's putting this on a poster in a Bavarian inn. The skin is the party. But the meat of a goose is fantastic on its own if you cook it slowly and don't let it dry out - it's rich, almost beefy, and the apple stuffing is fresh instead of stodgy. You'll miss the gravy and the crunch, but you'll actually feel like going for a walk after Sunday dinner. If you want all the thrill, ask someone else for the recipe. If you fancy a proper feed on a winter afternoon without going face-down on the sofa afterwards, this is a compromise that works.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish German, along with 54 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.