Best Crispy Roast Duck Recipes

CRISPY ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Trim ducks: with a sharp knife, cut away excess fat and skin from both ends of ducks. (Render fat for another use or discard.)
• Salt cavity of each duck. Prick each duck all over with a fork, about 30 times. Place them on a rack set in a large roasting pan and roast 1 hour. Prick ducks all over and turn on one side. Repeat pricking ducks all over and turn onto second side. Repeat two more times. After four hours, increase heat to 350 degrees F.
• Continue to roast 30 to 90 minutes more, pricking and turning once, according to taste: 1) For very juicy, slightly crisp ducks: Roast 15 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 15 minutes more. 2) For juicy, crisp ducks: Roast 30 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 30 minutes more. 3) For slightly drier, very crisp ducks: Roast 45 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 45 minutes more.
• Remove ducks to a carving board and let them sit 15 minutes, loosely covered. Simply cut ducks in half and serve half a duck per person; or carefully remove breast and legs from bone, making sure to keep skin intact, and cut them into 1/2-inch wide pieces. Generously season with salt and pepper before serving.

CRISPY ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Remove the duck's giblets and wash them. Cut off any greenish parts from the livers and discard, then roughly chop the rest. Quarter the crops (the gullet), slicing any very red flesh away from the white sinew, which should be discarded. Put all bits and pieces into a large roasting tin.
• Cut off the parson's nose from each duck and add to the tin. Remove the wings: hold and pull on a wing, turning the skin back so you can see inside to where the wing is attached to the shoulder bone. Cut between the bones to release the wing, then cut around it from the skin side to remove it. Repeat with all wings and add them to the tin.
• Turn one of the ducks on to its breast. Cut down each side of the backbone, using a very sharp, sturdy kitchen knife and/or game scissors. Remove the backbone, then turn the duck the other way up and cut down each side of the breastbone, keeping the blade close to the bone so you don't cut away any breast meat. Put all the bones into the tin and repeat with the other ducks.
• Remove any lumps of fat from inside the duck and set aside. Cut off any flappy bits of skin and discard. Wash the duck halves then pat very dry. Prick the skin all over, especially the thick, fatty areas, then sprinkle with fine sea salt.
• Preheat the oven to 230C/Gas 8/fan oven 210C. Arrange the duck halves skin-side up on a rack set inside a large roasting tin. Roast for 11⁄4-11⁄2 hours, or until the skin is crisp and dark golden. You will need to drain off the fat that accumulates once or twice: pour it straight into the tin if you're going to roast potatoes, otherwise into a heatproof bowl.
• Leave the duck to rest for 10-15 minutes, serve with the gravy and veg (see 'Goes well with' recipes, right).

CRISPY ROAST DUCK WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 2. Slowly stir in sugar, stirring until sugar thoroughly dissolves and sauce turns a deep amber color, about 5-8 minutes. Pour in wine, orange juice, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Still stirring, bring entire mixture to boil.
• 3. Add berries and chicken broth to sauce; continuing to boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
• 4. Add Cognac and maple syrup. Using the back of a spoon, mash the berries into the mixture. Set aside.
• 5. Preheat oven to 400°F. After trimming any excess fat from the duck breasts, cut small slits in the skin (but not in the meat) of the duck. Thoroughly season breasts with salt and pepper.
• 6. Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add duck-skin-side down-and sear until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until duck reaches desired doneness (about 5 minutes for medium).
• 7. As duck bakes, reheat blackberry sauce over low heat. Add last tablespoon of butter and whisk until just barely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 8. Spoon sauce onto plates, then place duck atop sauce. Garnish with additional sauce and blackberries if so desired.

CRISPY ROAST DUCK WITH LAVENDER HONEY

Steps:

• Make the glaze: in a small bowl, combine the honey, boiling water, and pepper; stir to blend and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 275°; season ducks with salt and pepper.
• With a kitchen fork, prick skin about ¼ inch deep all over, particularly in the fatty area around the thighs and wing area; do not pierce the meat.
• Place duck breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan; pour boiling water over them; roast for 2 hours.
• Turn the duck breast-side up and brush with the glaze.
• Roast for another 1 to 1 ¼ hours, or until the legs wiggle easily; transfer to a carving board and let cool.
• Using heavy poultry shears, quarter the ducks-cut the backbones out to make this easier.
• Place the duck quarters in plastic bags and refrigerate.
• About 45 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 375°; place the duck, skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until the duck is cooked through and crisp.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce-in a small skillet, melt butter over med-highheat.
• Add in shallots; saute for 2 minutes or until softened.
• Add in demi-glace, honey, and vinegar; turn up heat to high, and reduce the sauce to a light glaze, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoons butter into the sauce to thicken it and add a sheen; season with salt and pepper.
• Place the duck on a platter and spoon over a little sauce; serve the remaining sauce on the side.

CRISPY ROAST DUCK WITH MUSTARD AND GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity of the ducks and reserve. Cut the wings off the ducks and reserve. Rinse the ducks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, prick the ducks all over, inserting knife at an angle to pierce just the skin, not the flesh.
• Season the ducks well with salt and pepper. Place them on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast until browned and crisp, 1 1/4 hours. Remove the roasting pan at 30 minute intervals, drain off the fat, and again prick the skin.
• While the ducks are roasting, rinse the neck, giblets, and wings and pat dry. Cut the wings and the neck into several pieces. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the neck, giblets, and wings. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are lightly browned and softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine. Bring to a boil, stirring to pick up any browned bits on the bottom. Boil until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add the celery, thyme, black peppercorns, bay leaf, tomato paste, and stock. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface, until the ducks are ready to come out of the oven.
• When the ducks are done, transfer to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the ducks are resting, strain the stock and discard the solids. Measure the liquid. If there is less than 2 cups, add water to measure this amount and pour into a small saucepan. If there is more than 2 cups, return to the saucepan and boil until reduced to this amount.
• Bring the liquid back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine the flour and butter in a small heatproof bowl and use a fork to work it into a smooth paste. Add a little of the stock to the paste and whisk until smooth. Pour the flour mixture into the saucepan and simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the green peppercorns. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the mustard, and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Cut the ducks into serving pieces. Spoon a small amount of the sauce over the duck and serve warm with any remaining sauce on the side.

CRISPY ROAST DUCK WITH MUSTARD AND GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450. Reserve neck and giblets of ducks. Cut wings off ducks and reserve. Rinse ducks under cold running water and pat dry. Using tip of sharp knife, prick ducks all over, pierce just skin, not flesh. Season duck with S&P. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan and roast until browned and crisp, 1-1/4 hours. Remove at 30 minute intervals, drain off fat, and again prick the skin. While roasting, rinse neck, giblets, and wings, pat dry. Cut wings and neck into several pieces. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add neck, giblets, wings. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook until lightly browned and softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and pour in wine. Bring to boil, stirring to pick up any browned bits on bottom. Boil until almost all of liquid has evaporated. Add celery, thyme, black peppercorns, bay leaf, tomato paste, stock. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, skimming off any scum, until ducks are ready to come out of oven. When ducks are done, transfer to carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. While ducks are resting, strain stock and discard solids. Measure liquid. If less than 2 cups, add water to measure this amount. If there is more than 2 cups, return to the saucepan and boil until reduced to this amount. Bring liquid back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine flour and butter in a small heatproof bowl and use a fork to work into a smooth paste. Add a little of the stock to the paste and whisk until smooth. Pour flour mixture into saucepan and simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in green peppercorns. Remove pan from the heat, stir in mustard and season with S&P. Cut ducks into serving pieces. Spoon small amount of sauce over duck. Serve warm with remaining sauce on side.