Simple Whole Roast Duck (2024)

FAQs

How long do you cook a whole duck for? ›

Prick the skin around the duck legs. Season the duck all over with salt and pepper. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tin and roast in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes per KG plus 10 minutes extra. When the duck is cooked cover with foil and rest for 10-20 minutes before serving.

For the perfect roasted duck Ina Garten recommends boiling the whole bird in a broth of your choice for 45 minutes. This will help cook the bird evenly, then pat dry and move to a 500°F (260°C) oven to crisp up that skin and until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 135–140°F (57–60°C).

Cover and roast in oven for 2 hours. Remove the aluminium foil and continue cooking uncover for 30 to 40 minutes to make the skin crispy and brown.

Duck legs are traditionally 'confit', this means they are salted overnight and then submerged in duck fat and cooked slowly so they are preserved by the fat. Because the cooking method is low and slow the meat remains succulent and doesn't dry out, and the fat isn't absorbed so the meat isn't fatty.

You might need to adjust this recipe for your oven/duck size. If you finish the recipe and the duck is too rare, I recommend finishing it meat-side down with a bit of butter in a low-heat pan (rather than putting it back in the oven). Otherwise, you risk overcooking the meat closest to the skin.

How do I know when a roast duck is cooked? The skin should be crisp and golden and the legs will feel loose in their sockets if wiggled, but the safest test to know if a duck is cooked is to pierce the thickest part of thigh with a skewer - the juices should run clear.

Heritage Duck Cooking Guidelines

Place the duck, uncovered, in the refrigerator and leave overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow the skin to dry out. This step will help develop a crispier skin. Take the duck out of the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking to bring it to room temperature.

The Importance of Proper Prep

Vigorously simmering the leg and thigh meat on the stovetop before roasting the birds in the oven jumpstarts these tougher portions so that they finish cooking at the same time as the breast meat.

The boiling water helps pull the skin taut, making it easier to score in a crosshatch pattern. That, in turn, allows the fat to render out as everything roasts. The result is a perfectly cooked duck with pink, juicy meat and burnished, crunchy skin.

How do you make duck taste good? ›

Duck breast fillets can be brined for six to 12 hours. If you're short on time, just a few hours in the brine will always help. Once brined, give your ducks a rinse with cold water, pat dry and start your favorite recipe.

The journey towards perfectly roasted or baked duck breast entails commencing with a searing process. This initial step sets the foundation for achieving the ideal oven-roasted duck breast—a tantalizingly golden and crisp exterior juxtaposed with a succulent, flavorful interior.

Roast (whole duck: 2 ¼ hours for ducks weighing 1.75-2 kg, 2 ¾ hours for ducks weighing 2.5-3 kg; breasts, 30 mins). Dry fry, grill or barbecue (3-4 mins on each side).

(You'll need a rack to elevate the duck, but you should be using one for a crisp bird anyway.) The second challenge is to achieve a uniformly brown color. I cheat a little bit here and brush the roasting duck with soy sauce, which works like a charm.

How do I know when a roast duck is cooked? The skin should be crisp and golden and the legs will feel loose in their sockets if wiggled, but the safest test to know if a duck is cooked is to pierce the thickest part of thigh with a skewer - the juices should run clear.

It takes approximately 2-3 hours to fully smoke a duck (depending on the size). When cooking duck, you are aiming for the internal temperature of the breast meat to reach 160 degrees F. I plan on about 30 minutes per pound of duck.

To cook: To roast, preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Place the duck in a roasting tin, prick and rub salt into the skin. Place the bird on its side and cook in the centre of the preheated oven for 35 40 minutes.

Ducks are generally roasted uncovered and usually do not need to be basted with fats. Cook for 20–30 minutes to brown, then reduce heat to 190°C for the remainder of the cooking period. Allow 30–45 minutes per kilogram, according to age and size.