Whole Roast Duck

It was quite challenging finding a conclusion on how to go about cooking a Whole Roast Duck. I have said it once before and I will say it again. Although I have done quite a bit of research, that does not make me a duck roasting expert. I completely lost count on how many roast duck recipes I have now seen, and how most of them are completely different. So I will not sit here and tell you that I have devised the perfect way to cook a Whole Roast Duck and that you will not need any other recipe ever again. However, I have found a way to roast a duck so it is beautifully cooked and ends up with that lovely, crispy skin.

So what I will do, is list the things that I thought were essential when it comes to roasting a duck, and then list the things that I think can help, but aren’t necessarily needed. Keep in mind this is just from my experience so if you have any advice or constructive criticism, feel more then free to comment (I understand these essentials are already in the recipe but I feel that this just helps get the point across):

Essentials:

• Rinsing the duck and the cavity to ensure it’s clean.
• Drying the duck inside and out with kitchen paper.
• Not stuffing the cavity, just add aromatics because you want to evenly cook the duck.
• Seasoning the duck.
• Resting the duck after cooking.
• Using a rack.

Non- essentials but still helpful:

• Trussing the duck
• Cooking the duck breast side down for the first 1/4-1/2 of cooking time.
• Using a small knife to prick the duck so the fat gets released when cooking.

Oh! and one last tip I learnt is that you can pour the duck fat at the bottom of the tray into a jar, put it in the fridge to solidify and then use for frying. It should last in your fridge for about a week.

And that is it, folks, I hope you find this recipe useful. Feel free to subscribe to this blog and/or follow my social media.

Have a lovely day (:

5 from 1 vote

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Whole Roast Duck

Chicken and occasionally turkey are the extent of what game meat we eat. Try this roasted duck for a change. Super comforting and super flavoursome. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Not Specific

Keyword duck recipe, roasted duck, whole roast duck

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Resting time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 695 kcal

Author Nicolas

Ingredients

• 1 whole 2kg roast duck
• 5-6 sprigs of rosemary
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• Half a red onion
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Rise the outside and the cavity of the duck.
3. Use kitchen paper to pat the duck dry inside and out.
4. Place your garlic, red onion and rosemary in the cavity (make sure there is still some space for the air to get through).
5. Rub a good pinch of salt and pepper all over the duck.
6. Use a small knife to prick some holes in the skin.
7. Place the duck on the bars in a roasting tray breast side down, then roast for 30 minutes.
8. Turn the duck breast side up then put back in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius for another 50-60 minutes.
9. Take the duck out of the oven, lightly cover with foil and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes.
10. After that you can carve the duck and serve, or your can pull it apart with a couple of forks and eat it as is, or use the pulled meat for sandwiches, soups, stews, stir fries, pizza toppings etc.

Recipe Notes

• Don't forget to clean the cavity.
• Let the duck rest, don't just cut right into it as soon as it's cooked. 
• Store the leftover duck fat in a jar, and then store away to sautee ingredients, roast potatoes etc. 

Nutrition Facts

Whole Roast Duck

Amount Per Serving

Calories 695 Calories from Fat 369

% Daily Value*

Fat 41g63%

Saturated Fat 12.1g76%

Cholesterol 170mg57%

Sodium 405mg18%

Potassium 540mg15%

Carbohydrates 3.5g1%

Fiber 2.2g9%

Sugar 0.7g1%

Protein 77.8g156%

Calcium 30mg3%

Iron 5.8mg32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here is a link to a website that really helped me out with my research:

http://www.luvaduck.com.au/