How to Cook a Whole Roast Duck

Ingredients

• Whole duck (about 1.8-2.2kgs, thawed if frozen)
• Salt (2 teaspoons, plus extra for seasoning)
• Black pepper (1 teaspoon, freshly ground)
• Olive oil or **duck fat** (2-3 tablespoons)
• Garlic (4 cloves, minced)
• Rosemary (2 tablespoons, chopped, optional)
• Thyme (2 tablespoons, chopped, optional)
• Orange (1, quartered, optional)
• Onion (1, quartered)
• Carrots (2, peeled and cut into chunks)
• Celery (2 stalks, cut into chunks)
• White wine or chicken stock (1 cup, for basting and deglazing, optional)

Method

Step 1: Preparation

Thaw the Duck: If using a frozen duck, make sur it is fully thawed in the refrigerator for severl days before cooking.

Preheat oven your oven to 175°C.

Step 2: Prepare the Duck 

Clean the Duck: Rinse the duck inside and out under cold water. Remove any remaining feathers or excess fat. Pat the duck dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Season the Duck: Rub the inside cavity of the duck with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and orange quarters if using. Season the outside of the duck with salt and pepper. Rub the skin with olive oil or duck fat.

Step 3: Prepare for Roasting

Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan. The rack will help keep the duck elevated, allowing the fat to drain away. If you don’t have a rack, you can use chopped vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery as a makeshift rack in the bottom of the pan.

Step 4: Roasting

Roast the duck in the preheated oven for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The general guideline is about 20 minutes per 500g.

Baste the duck periodically with its own drippings or a mixture of white wine and broth to keep it moist. If the skin starts to get too dark, cover the duck loosely with aluminium foil.

To achieve crispy skin, you can increase the oven temperature to 220°C during the last 20-30 minutes of roasting, but watch closely to avoid burning.

Step 4: Check Doneness

The duck is done when the internal temperature reaches 72°C in the thickest part of the thigh. The skin should be golden brown and crispy.

To test for tenderness, the meat should pull away from the bone easily.

Step 5: Resting

Remove the duck from the oven and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

Step 6: Carving and Serving

Carve the duck into pieces: start with the legs and thighs, then move to the breasts. The skin should be crispy and easy to slice.

Serve with your choice of sides, such as roasted vegetables, rice, or a fresh salad.

Tips:

Rendering Fat: Duck fat is very flavourful and can be saved for cooking other dishes. You can drain the fat from the roasting pan periodically.

Crispy Skin: Dry the skin thoroughly before roasting and make sure it is well-seasoned. Using duck fat instead of oil can help achieve a crispier skin.

Flavour Variations: Experiment with different herbs, spices, or citrus for stuffing the duck to suit your taste preferences.