Whole Slow-Roasted Duck Recipe
We’ve had the turkey, the Christmas ham was delish...
Now that brings me to...duck!
Yep, I said it. Duck.
Classic. Gourmet. Timeless and memorable.
A scrumptious alternative to our pastured chickens, these are all dark meat (no more worried-about-dried-out-breast-syndrome!) and absolutely incredible.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to try duck, here is your chance.
What does duck taste like?
Rich, dark, juicy and almost a tad like beef. I’m not kidding, to me, duck tastes like a wonderful combination of chicken and beef (imagine that, it’s truly delectable)
If you’ve had it before and were turned off by a strong flavor, never fear, a beautifully raised domestic duck is mild in flavor, as opposed to wild caught.
(pinky promise)
Roasted skin-on, these will render down that renowned culinary-liquid-gold that you can’t get anywhere else.
(Catch it all on a bed of golden potatoes and other root vegetables, and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven)
I love it when the main course is the main course, and scouring recipes for sides for this meal is so fun for me (nerdy, I know). Trying new meats/cuts gets me excited and encourages me to try other new recipes and pairings. (And sometimes I end up finding some real winners that are worth stashing away)
Apprehensive about cooking up a whole duck?
Don’t be, I’ve got a simple, straight-forward recipe that is tried and true!
This is the method that you would see used in England and France, that will bring back memories (or create them!) of that gorgeously roasted bird that graced the family table.
Whole Slow-Roasted Duck
This recipe is from Hank Shaw’s cookbook featuring waterfowl, titled “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
It is traditional and straightforward, with room to play with root vegetables placed underneath.
Ingredients:
1 domesticated duck
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 lemon, halved
4 sprigs sage, rosemary, thyme or parsley*
*A dried mix of Herbs de Provence can be added or substituted for an authentic feel*
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Using a needle or sharp knife-point, take your duck and prick it all over: just the skin, but not all the way down to the meat. This will allow the fat to render out when cooking, and will help the skin crisp. Areas of the duck to make sure to prick are the back, flanks, and front of the breast, because they are generally fattiest here.
3)Rub the halved lemon all over, and stick them inside the cavity. Liberally salt the duck (use a little more salt than you think that you need), and stuff it with the herbs.
Let it sit for about 30 minutes to come closer to room temperature while the oven heats. Place it in a cast iron, or other baking dish, and surround it with cut up root vegetables.
4) Roast for about an hour and a half.
5) After about 90 minutes**, take the pan out and set the duck on a cutting board to rest. Spoon any fat in the pan over the vegetables and salt them well. If they are done, remove them and place them in a pot with a lid to keep warm. If not, keep them in.
6) Replace the duck in the pan and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Once it is to temp, place the pan back in the oven for about half an hour more, or until the skin is good and crispy.
7) Remove from the oven and let rest for about ten minutes before enjoying.
**Most people consume their duck medium, to medium rare (like beef). Dependent upon your comfort level, you can roast for a bit longer than the 90 minutes.**