Trim the goose. With a sharp knife, cut away excess fat and skin that hangs at both ends of the goose. Trim thoroughly. Fat can be discarded or used to render goose fat.
Salt the cavity and prick thoroughly with a fork on both sides of the bird (25 to 30 pricks). Make sure to prick through the skin and subcutaneous fat only; do not prick the flesh of the goose.
Place the goose on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and roast the goose at 250 degrees F. After 1 hour, prick the goose thoroughly on one side and turn it over, and prick thoroughly on the other side. Continue to roast with the newly turned side up. Repeat this procedure every hour.
After 4 hours of roasting, prick and turn once again. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue roasting, pricking, and turning once for an additional 75 minutes.
When the goose is done, let it sit for 15 minutes before carving. Season well with salt and pepper before serving.