Step

• 1

  In a large food-safe container, such as a stock pot, combine the water, kosher salt, and brown sugar and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until the salt and sugar crystals dissolve.

• 2

  Squeeze three of the orange wedges and drop into the brine, reserving the remaining orange wedges. Add four of the onion wedges as well as the peppercorns, juniper berries, and bay leaves.

• 3

  Remove any giblets from the main cavity of the goose as well as any large gobs of fat. Trim off any loose neck skin, or fold it over the neck cavity and pin it with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. Trim the first two joints off the wings. Wash the goose under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

• 4

  Score the skin of the goose with a sharp paring knife in a cross hatch, being careful to pierce just the skin and not the flesh. This helps the fat drain off during roasting. Submerge the goose in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.

• 5

  When ready to cook, remove the goose from the brine and knock off any loose bits of aromatics. Discard the brine.

• 6

  Lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross pattern. This will help the fat to render down more quickly during cooking.

• 7

  Season the bird, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Tuck the reserved orange and onion wedges into the main cavity along with the apple wedges and the herbs. Loosely tie the legs together with butcher's string.

• 8

  When ready to cook, Set the Traeger to 350℉ and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.

  350 ˚F / 177 ˚C

  00:15

• 9

  Place the goose directly on the grill grate and roast until the internal temperature of the thigh when read on an instant-read meat thermometer is 165℉, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours total.

  165 ˚F / 74 ˚C

• 10

  For the Maple Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the apple juice, maple syrup and melted butter. Baste the bird with the apple juice mixture for the last hour of cooking.

• 11

  Let goose rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving. Enjoy!