Best Whole Roasted Duck Recipes

STEAMED AND ROASTED WHOLE DUCK

Steps:

• To reduce the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body.
• Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
• Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out.
• Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate.
• Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel.
• Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
• Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium.
• Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically.
• Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat.
• Bring to a boil and simmer and stir for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
• The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out.
• Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan.
• Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze.
• Stick the whole thing in the oven.
• Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color.
• Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark.
• The legs will wiggle easily when it's done.
• Carve and serve.

WHOLE ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Wash and dry duck, then "groom" it by removing any remaining feathers and quills with tweezers or needlenose pliers. Tie legs together using string, then tuck wings under body to secure.
• Combine all remaining ingredients except water and flour in a large sealable plastic bag and add duck. Marinate, chilled, 1 hour.
• Transfer duck to a 13- by 9- by 3-inch roasting pan and reserve marinade. Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 3/4 cup marinade through a sieve into a 1-quart saucepan and discard remainder. Boil 1 minute and baste duck with marinade. Continue to roast duck until thermometer registers 155°F when inserted in meaty part of a thigh or 160°F in breast (do not touch bone), 15 to 20 minutes more.
• While duck continues to roast, add 1 cup water to marinade in saucepan and bring to a boil. Put flour in a heatproof bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup marinade until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into remaining marinade in saucepan until combined well. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Remove duck from oven and let stand 10 minutes before carving. (Duck will continue to cook, reaching 160°F at leg and 165°F at breast.)
• Serve duck with sauce.

WOOD-ROASTED WHOLE SONOMA DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the duck: Rub the duck with the olive oil, season it well with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan breast-side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then shake the pan to release the duck and roast another 25 minutes. At this point, turn the duck onto the breast so it can baste in its own rendered fat. Roast another 25 minutes, then turn the duck again onto its back and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. The duck skin should be golden brown and a thermometer placed in the thigh meat should register an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. Remove the duck from the pan, reserving the fat in the pan. Let the duck rest for 10 minutes, then slice into 8 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 2 breasts.
• For the Cabernet sauce: In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the duck neck and chicken thighs, skin-side down, and saute until golden brown and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter followed by the onions, garlic and shallots. Saute until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cognac and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Cabernet Sauvignon and bring to a simmer. Add the duck neck, chicken thighs, bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley, chives and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• For the mushroom ragu: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook gently for 7 to 8 minutes; season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Then add the sherry, garlic, onion and half of the scallions and cook for 4 minutes. Add the ginger, 2 tablespoons butter and the remaining scallions and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
• For the radishes: Put the radishes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add salt and cook until the radishes are just tender. Drain.
• In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the poached radishes and 1 tablespoon of the rendered duck fat and saute until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Check for seasoning.
• For serving: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Reheat the duck meat on a sheet tray until warmed through, about 4 minutes. Place the mushroom ragu and radishes on a platter. Cut each breast into four pieces and place on a platter with the thighs and legs. Top with the Cabernet sauce.