CRISP ROAST DUCK WITH PORT WINE GLAZE

CRISP ROAST DUCK WITH PORT WINE GLAZE image

Categories Duck

Yield 2 - 3 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

Port Wine Glaze
1 1/4 cups port wine
2 medium cloves garlic , peeled and cut into thin slivers
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Crisp Roast Duck
1 whole Pekin duck (about 4 1/2 pounds), neck and giblets discarded, prepared according to illustrations 1 and 2 below
Table salt and ground black pepper

Steps:

For the glaze: Bring all ingredients to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened and reduced to scant ¼ cup, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and discard garlic and thyme; set glaze aside until ready to use. For the duck: Meanwhile, set V-rack in large, high-sided roasting pan and position duck, breast side up, on rack. Add water to just below bottom of duck. Bring water to boil over high heat, cover pan tightly with aluminum foil (or pan cover, if available), adjust heat to medium (to maintain a slow, steady boil), and steam, adding more hot water to maintain water level if necessary, until skin has pulled away from at least one leg. For duck with very moist, tender meat and slightly crisp skin once roasted, steam about 40 minutes. Steam 10 minutes longer for somewhat denser meat and very crisp skin after roasting. Transfer duck to carving board and, when cool enough to handle cut into six pieces. Adjust oven rack to bottom position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Season pieces on both sides with salt and pepper to taste and position skin side down in lightly oiled roasting pan. Roast, carefully pouring off fat if more than two tablespoons accumulate in pan, until skin on breast pieces is rich brown color and crisp, about 25 minutes. Transfer breast pieces to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Again, pour off excess fat from pan, turn leg/thigh and wing pieces skin side up, and continue roasting until skin on these pieces is deep brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Again, pour off excess fat from pan. Return breast pieces to pan and brush both sides of every piece with glaze. Roast until glaze is hot and richly colored on duck pieces, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. Cooled duck, either whole or cut into pieces, can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated overnight.