Every once in a while, I buy myself a goose. Goose meat is good — it tastes like duck. Goose bones make a fine stock; goose liver, a fine pâté. But I buy the goose for the fat, which is pure gold.

For me, the fat is almost the point of cooking the goose. It is liquid gold. It has a silky texture and deep flavor and can be used for anything from frying onions to preserving food (confit). Goose ...