# Finding a goose to cook in the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237 "2013-12-01T21:10:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/1 "2013-12-01T21:10:27Z")
DC, in particular. We’ve had a few threads on cooking and eating geese, [cook goose site:straightdope.com - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=cook+goose+site%3Astraightdope.com) One poster mentioned they’re sold (frozen) in Walmart. Most of the grocery stores in DC are quite small. I’ve never seen a goose sold here. Is it so common that I should expect to find one at any larger grocery if I venture out to the suburbs? I’ve seen some mail-order options as well. For those of you here in the the US who have cooked farmed goose, how did you procure it? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/2 "2013-12-01T21:15:10Z")
I have seen a goose available at Whole Foods (this is in Indianapolis). It was _really_ expensive, something like $73.00 for a medium turkey-sized bird. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/3 "2013-12-01T21:29:05Z")
The local grocery stores always have them frozen around the holidays. They _are_ pricey - $70 to $80 each. I was lucky enough to find them marked down to $20/each several years ago; I bought 5 of them and threw them in the freezer. I’m still working through all the goose fat. That was the best part of them. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/4 "2013-12-01T21:35:23Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > The local grocery stores always have them frozen around the holidays. They _are_ pricey - $70 to $80 each. Some stores will only have them in by special order if there isn’t much demand, so check with the butcher counter and ask if you’re too late to order one. I have a friend in MD who does a Christmas goose every year - I can ask him where he gets it, if you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/5 "2013-12-01T21:38:41Z")
Goose is very expensive so I suggest you try to save money on the sauce. Gander sauce is much cheaper and can be used for goose just as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/6 "2013-12-01T21:42:14Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > I have a friend in MD who does a Christmas goose every year - I can ask him where he gets it, if you’d like. I would appreciate that. Although if it’s going to set me back $70+, I’ll have to see how curious I actually am about this. I found some mail-order ones for ~$100 ☹ Anyone know what weight percent meat you get off these things? I understand they’re not as meaty as other birds. I live alone, so this would probably mean either a dinner party or a lot of leftovers. ---
**Author:** ![missouri65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@missouri65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missouri65)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/7 "2013-12-01T21:57:05Z")
No, it’s not so common that you can expect to find them at any large grocery, but they shouldn’t be hard to find this time of year. Pretty sure we’ve found them at both Wal-Mart and Kroger, as well as some of the more upscale places. I would have said that they were in the $50 range, but will defer to others. I don’t think I’ve been the one to pick them up for the past several years. There really isn’t a lot of meat on them, considering their size. We have always had enough to serve four easily with some leftovers, but I don’t think I would be comfortable trying to serve six from a goose alone. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/8 "2013-12-01T22:42:41Z")
> [@missouri65](#): > > I would have said that they were in the $50 range, but will defer to others. I don’t think I’ve been the one to pick them up for the past several years. Coincidentally, we were just talking about this at dinner, and my mother said she saw goose for just under $6/lb, with the whole bird being around $60. Can’t remember where it was, though. I’m not big enough of a fan of goose to spend that kind of money. As you say, it doesn’t have much meat on it. It’s good for fat, but I like duck better for that. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/9 "2013-12-01T22:47:25Z")
why isnt there a geese season? are Canadian Geese edible? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/10 "2013-12-02T02:34:49Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > why isnt there a geese season? are Canadian Geese edible? There is a goose season, at least around here. Canada Geese are edible, but they’re not great. Most game waterfowl are just OK in my opinion; we have friends who are great bird hunters, and they mostly make their catches into sausage and other such things that hide the gamey taste. We experimented with sous-viding some of the legs and thighs this year, and that actually turned out pretty good. But they’ve got nothing on domestic geese and ducks. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/11 "2013-12-02T02:45:08Z")
Try looking in ethnic grocery stores, i.e. Asian or Hispanic. They carry lots of items that mainstream grocery stores don’t carry. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/12 "2013-12-02T03:14:12Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Goose is very expensive so I suggest you try to save money on the sauce. Gander sauce is much cheaper and can be used for goose just as well. I saw that. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/13 "2013-12-02T03:19:14Z")
Our local supermarket has geese during the holidays for certain, and I think they are available year-round. I would think that any large grocery store would have them this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/14 "2013-12-02T04:00:35Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Goose is very expensive so I suggest you try to save money on the sauce. Gander sauce is much cheaper and can be used for goose just as well. ::: Golf clap::: Well done! Very well done! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/15 "2013-12-02T08:11:24Z")
We used to buy one for Christmas Eve every year, but sort of got tired of them - just too fatty and not worth the price and hassle to make. Plus, for me they just taste like the dark meat of the far cheaper turkey. At any rate - I have noticed that it has become easier to find goose in the supermarkets over the years. It used to be almost impossible, but as mentioned - even Walmart has a selection of them this time of year. Whole Foods is ridiculously expensive, so unless you have no other choice, avoid buying one there. Check the other chain supermarkets - there won’t be a whole lot of them, so if you find one, buy it immediately. My guess is in the $50 range as well - they used to be $70 or more, but at least in my experience, they are selling them more places and for somewhat cheaper now. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/16 "2013-12-02T09:30:01Z")
Just for myself I satisfy myself with jars of confit d’oie and d’canard. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/17 "2013-12-02T15:00:20Z")
There is a store called Market Poultry in Eastern Market that I have heard carries goose. I have also heard Wagshal’s market carries goose and it is located near American U. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/18 "2013-12-02T15:01:34Z")
How about other exotic fowl-like peacock? I understand that peacock is pretty good…pheasant tastes like tough rooster. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/19 "2013-12-02T15:59:26Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > There is a store called Market Poultry in Eastern Market that I have heard carries goose. I have also heard Wagshal’s market carries goose and it is located near American U. I came in to mention Wagshal’s, they have two locations, the original on Mass Ave and the new one on New Mexico. I’d call first [www.wagshals.com](http://www.wagshals.com). Also, I’d bet Whole Foods might have goose. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237/20 "2013-12-02T16:07:52Z")
The only thing with goose, and I forget where I heard this, is that it can be really greasy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-goose-to-cook-in-the-us/675237.md?page=2)