1 (8- to 10-pound) specklebelly goose, rinsed and patted dry
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped carrot
¼ cup minced garlic
1 cup apple brandy or Calvados
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 small Honeycrisp apples, cored
6 baby Honeycrisp apples
Garnish: fresh sage leaves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°. Place a wire rack inside a large roasting pan.
In a small bowl, stir together 4½ teaspoons salt, garlic powder, 3 teaspoons pepper, and Creole seasoning. Season goose cavity and skin with salt mixture. Place onion, celery, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic inside cavity. Tie legs with butcher’s twine; tuck wings behind back. Place goose, breast side up, in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Pour brandy over goose. Bake, basting with juices every 45 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 170°, about 3 hours more, tenting with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, melted butter, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mound about 3 tablespoons potato mixture on top of each cored apple.
During last 45 minutes of baking, add potato-topped apples and baby apples to pan; baste with juices. Let goose stand for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with potato-topped apples and baked baby apples. Garnish with sage, if desired.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/louisiana-goose-hunting-a-chefs-perspective-on-wild-game-cooking/