Give whole-goose customers the actual package weight, skin-on or skinned presentation, and chilled or frozen status before pickup. Those details affect their recipe, thawing schedule and required kitchen space.
Underground Processing may offer skinning only. Do not sell the expectation of a skin-on roast until the processing presentation is confirmed.
Plan the kitchen before the occasion
Ask the customer to check the roasting pan, oven and refrigerator space. A special-occasion bird should not arrive before anyone has checked whether it fits.
Encourage selection of a reliable goose recipe that addresses the bird’s size and the handling of rendered fat. Do not present a chicken recipe’s timing as automatically appropriate for goose.
USDA’s duck-and-goose guidance covers safe handling and preparation and recommends an internal temperature of at least 165°F. A thermometer, rather than skin color alone, should establish the cooking result. USDA duck and goose guidance.
Explain what the package contains
Whole-bird weight includes bones and fat, and skin when supplied skin-on. It is not a boneless serving weight. Avoid promising a precise number of servings without considering the meal and appetite of the guests.
Discuss whether giblets or other items are included in the actual order. Customers should check the package and cavity as appropriate to the preparation directions rather than assuming every bird is packed identically.
Give leftovers a place in the meal plan
Suggest that the customer plan later meals and storage before cooking the bird. A whole-goose purchase can support more than one meal, but it still requires prompt, appropriate handling of leftovers.
Stock and rendered fat are separate projects. If providing instructions, use reliable sources and do not imply that a jar of fat or stock is shelf stable without a tested preservation process.
Prepare a short pickup note covering package weight, presentation, storage and a suitable preparation source. Use the finished order’s details rather than the original live-weight estimate.