Remove neck and giblets from cavity of goose and cut off wing tips; reserve for stock. Finely chop liver and reserve. Rinse and pat dry goose; place in sink, breast side down.

Bring 16 cups (4 L) water to boil. Slowly pour one-third of the boiling water over goose skin; turn over and pour remaining boiling water over skin. Drain; pat dry. Place on rack, breast side up; refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

Stuffing: Place bread in large bowl. In skillet, melt half of the butter over medium heat; fry walnuts until lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, add to bowl; mix with bread. Heat remaining butter; add onions, celery, garlic and caraway seeds to skillet. Fry, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add reserved liver; cook for 1 minute. Stir in apples, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper; cook until apples are tender, about 7 minutes. Scrape into bowl; mix well. Mix in egg.

Pat goose cavities dry. Stuff neck and body cavities with stuffing; skewer or sew closed. Tie wings to body; tie legs together. Prick skin all over with point of sharp knife (do not prick into meat). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place goose on rack in roasting pan; roast in 375F (190C) convection oven or 400°F (200°C) conventional oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F (180C) or 375F (190C), respectively for convection or conventional oven; roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; pour fat from pan into heatproof container and reserve for another use.

Mix wine and vinegar; brush over goose. Return goose to oven; roast, basting often with wine mixture and pan juices, until thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180F (82C), about 1-1/2 hours. Transfer goose to warmed platter; keep warm and let stand for at least 15 minutes.

Skim off all but 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the fat from pan, retaining all pan juices. Add brandy to pan; scraping up any brown bits. Sprinkle with flour; cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock; simmer until thickened, about 6 minutes. Strain into warmed gravy boat. Serve with goose and stuffing.

Makes 8 servings.

More Information

Goose Stock:

Chop neck into 5 or 6 pieces; clean gizzard of any fat or membranes and cut in half. Cut heart in half; rinse out any blood. Place in saucepan with wing tips and 7 cups (1.75 L) water; bring to boil. Skim off foam. Add 1 quartered onion, 1 chopped stalk celery with leaves, 1 chopped carrot, 1 clove garlic, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp/1 mL dried thyme), 4 cloves and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) peppercorns. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Discard solids. Makes about 5 cups (1.25 L).