Easy, Breezy, Stuffed goose beast

Directions

1. NOTE: The goose-beast turned out… to be not so beastly after all, weighing at about 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs) roughly which is considered quite small for a goose. If your goose is more beastly say… around 10 ~ 12 lbs, double the recipe and add 3 hours more to the cooking-time. This low-and-slow overnight method not only retains juice inside the meat, but hot-air-dries the skin during the process, preparing it to be crisped up perfectly. I like to keep the head on during roasting because a) It helps keep the breast moist by creating a completely sealed off skin-suit around the meat, and b) Are you kidding, the meats on the neck is the best part! But if your goose doesn’t come with neck and head (which is highly possible), just pull the skin around the “neck hole” together and close it with a wooden skewer or toothpick.
2. NOTE 2: To be properly cooked through, sticky rice is usually soaked for at least 2 hours before cooking, but in this case we don’t have to worry about that. If the sticky rice stuffing appears to be a little undone, it will completely cook through during the roasting anyways. But if you want to make extra sticky rice stuffings on the side, just place the extras inside a bowl and cover with cheese clothe. Steam the extra stuffing for another 20 min in a steamer. If you have a favorite stuffing in mind, feel free to try it.
3. THE DAY BEFORE - MAKE THE STUFFING: Rinse/wash the sticky rice through a fine sieve until the water runs clear. Set aside on a kitchen towel. Rinse the dried porcini to get rid of dirts and sands, then submerge it in 1/2 cup of water inside a microwave-proof bowl, and microwave on high for 1 min. Let soak for a couple of min, then remove the mushrooms (squeeze dry slightly) and reserve the soaking-water.
4. In a heavy-bottom pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat and cook the diced Cantonese sauce and porcini mushrooms until slightly browned, and that the sausage starts to render out its fat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the sticky rice, stir to coat the grains with oil and cook until they starts to stick slightly to the pot. Add the water, 1/3 cup of mushroom soaking-water (careful not to include the dirt/sand that may have sinked to the bottom), grated ginger, soy sauce, five spice powder and ground white pepper. Once all the ingredients are evenly mixed, cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium heat for 15 min. Then turn off the heat completely and leave it to continue to steam for another 25 min (it’s ok if the sticky rice appears to be a little uncooked because it will be during the roasting). The stuffing can be made a few days ahead and keep in the fridge.
5. THE NIGHT BEFORE AT 11:30 PM – ROAST THE GOOSE: Preheat the oven on 230ºF/110ºC. Rinse the clean the goose (especially the cavity) inside-out until there are no blood-clogs or internal organs left behind. With your hands, carefully separate the skin away from the meat on the chest/breast, all the way down to the inner thighs. DO NOT tear the skin, and at times a sharp paring-knife may help separating tough tissues/membrane. Mash 2 tbsp of unsalted butter and 1 1/2 tsp of salt together, and rub the mixture evenly in between the skin and the meat. This will deliver both saltiness and flavour to the meat because we are not brining. Stuff the goose-cavity with sticky rice stuffing, then with a wooden skewer or toothpick, completely close up/seal the skin (like sewing) around the cavity-opening. Do the same on the skins around the neck as well. It should be a tight, hole-less skin-suit.
6. Then mix the soy sauce, honey and five spice powder evenly, pat the skin dry with paper towel and brush it over every inch of the skins (including the neck). This will create beautiful color for your roast. Season the entire goose with salt and some black pepper and place it, breast-side up, on baking-rack over a large baking-sheet. Roast on the mid-level in the oven for 7 hours for 7~8 lbs goose (add 1 hour to each pound more). Yes. Why so low and why so long? Because it not only gives you succulent meat but it dries the skin for perfect crispiness during the process as well (very much like air-drying peking duck before roasting, only that it’s done simultaneously this way). Then Go. To. Sleep.
7. NEXT MORNING AT 7~8 AM: After roasting, let the goose cool off completely for at least 1 hour (no more steam) then cover it loosely with foils to prevent drying.
8. AT 6 PM, OR 40 MIN BEFORE SERVING - TO FINISH: Preheat the oven on 400ºF/200ºC. Wash and slice the assorted wild mushrooms and scatter them evenly on a large baking-sheet. Evenly mix with 1/4 cup of rendered goose-fat (if you don’t have enough, just add olive oil), salt and black pepper. Place a baking-rack over the baking-sheet and place the goose (foil removed) breast-side down first on the rack. Roast in the mid-level in the oven for 10 min, then turn the goose breast-side up and roast for another 15 min, until the skins are golden browned and crispy. Remove the goose and the baking rack, and let it rest for at least 25 min.
9. Turn the oven to high broil, and move the mushrooms to the middle-upper level in the oven. Toast the mushrooms, scrambling them occasionally, until golden browned and crispy on the edges. Serve the goose over a bed of goose-fat mushrooms and enjoy the applause.