Roast Duck Recipe

Duck is so difficult to roast badly that all experienced cooks seem to claim their procedure is the best. Having tried many methods, I can say that the results are all about the same. So I chose the one presented here, which is the easiest way to guarantee a succulent but beautifully browned bird.

Roast Duck Recipe

Detailed recipe with step-by-step photos on how to roast a whole duck in the oven. This Roast Duck has juicy meat, crispy skin, and it’s glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look. Perfect main dish for any special occasion, especially holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve!

Prep: 20min

Total: 200min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 2862 kcal, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 79 g, Fat 267 g, Saturated Fat 89 g, Cholesterol 517 mg, Sodium 438 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 23 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 6 lb whole Pekin duck
• salt
• 5 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 lemon (small or medium, chopped)
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon (, freshly squeezed juice)
• 1/4 cup honey

Instruction:

1. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘If you purchased frozen duck, make sure to defrost the frozen duck in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Once the duck is completely defrosted (in the refrigerator), take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring it more or less to room temperature.’, ‘name’: ‘If you purchased frozen duck, make sure to defrost the frozen duck in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Once the duck is completely defrosted (in the refrigerator), take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring it more or less to room temperature.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-0-0’}
2. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. You will be roasting the duck for a total of 3 hours (3 hours will be divided into 4 time chunks where you will be flipping the duck, brushing it with glaze, etc. – see the instructions below).’, ‘name’: ‘Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. You will be roasting the duck for a total of 3 hours (3 hours will be divided into 4 time chunks where you will be flipping the duck, brushing it with glaze, etc. – see the instructions below).’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-0-1’}
3. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Prepare the duck’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.’, ‘name’: ‘Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: “Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck’s skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except for where the duck legs connect to the duck body). Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over. Place the duck breast side up.”, ‘name’: “Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck’s skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except for where the duck legs connect to the duck body). Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over. Place the duck breast side up.”, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-1-1’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: “Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating – you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends – fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher’s twine.”, ‘name’: “Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating – you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends – fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher’s twine.”, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-1-2’}]}
4. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Roast the duck for 3 hours’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck). Roast the duck, breast side up, for 1 hour at 350 F.’, ‘name’: ‘Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck). Roast the duck, breast side up, for 1 hour at 350 F.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘After 1 hour of roasting, flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 40 minutes, at 350 F.’, ‘name’: ‘After 1 hour of roasting, flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 40 minutes, at 350 F.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-1’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven (you now have roasted the duck for 1 hour + 40 minutes), carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out – keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.’, ‘name’: ‘Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven (you now have roasted the duck for 1 hour + 40 minutes), carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out – keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-2’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Flip the duck breast side up again on a rack in a roasting pan (the pan will have no fat juices now). In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 40 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.’, ‘name’: ‘Flip the duck breast side up again on a rack in a roasting pan (the pan will have no fat juices now). In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 40 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-3’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: “Now, in a separate small bowl, combine 1/4 cup honey and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar lemon mixture that you will have left over from the previous step. Brush the breast side of the duck with this honey-balsamic mixture, and roast for another 40 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 10 minutes with honey balsamic mixture. You can even carefully broil the duck for the last 10-15 minutes if you like (do it carefully, checking the duck regularly to make sure it doesn’t char too much).”, ‘name’: “Now, in a separate small bowl, combine 1/4 cup honey and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar lemon mixture that you will have left over from the previous step. Brush the breast side of the duck with this honey-balsamic mixture, and roast for another 40 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 10 minutes with honey balsamic mixture. You can even carefully broil the duck for the last 10-15 minutes if you like (do it carefully, checking the duck regularly to make sure it doesn’t char too much).”, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-4’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘After the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven, let duck stand for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve!’, ‘name’: ‘After the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven, let duck stand for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve!’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-5’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘TOTAL COOKING TIME: The duck should be roasted for a total of 3 hours at 350 F. These 3 hours of roasting are divided into 4 distinctive time chunks (1 hour breast side up + 40 minutes breast side down + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with balsamic-lemon mixture + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with honey-balsamic mixture).’, ‘name’: ‘TOTAL COOKING TIME: The duck should be roasted for a total of 3 hours at 350 F. These 3 hours of roasting are divided into 4 distinctive time chunks (1 hour breast side up + 40 minutes breast side down + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with balsamic-lemon mixture + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with honey-balsamic mixture).’, ‘url’: ‘https://juliasalbum.com/how-to-cook-duck/#wprm-recipe-9047-step-2-6’}]}

Crispy Roast Duck Recipe

This duck is slow-roasted and then glazed with a magical lemon-honey concoction that burnishes the meat a gorgeous golden mahogany.

Prep: 30min

Total: 3h45min

Yield: 3

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) whole duck
• ½ pound baby potatoes
• 3 shallots
• 6 fresh figs
• 5 Bartlett pears
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 lemons, divided
• 5 tablespoons honey, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch fresh thyme

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 475 F.
2. Take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before preparing it.
3. Cut the baby potatoes, the shallots, three figs, and three pears in half. Arrange them on an oiled baking sheet. If you would like the fruit to have grill marks, insert a baking rack into a second baking sheet, and lay the figs and pears on top. Put the tray in the oven and roast 30 minutes while you prepare the duck and fruit stuffing.
4. Melt the butter, and add it to a mixing bowl. Mix in the juice of 1 ½ lemons and 1 tablespoon of honey.
5. Cut the remaining figs and pears and half a lemon into eighths, and add them to the lemon-butter mixture.
6. Using a sharp knife, score the duck’s skin in a crosshatch pattern. Avoid cutting into the duck’s meat.
7. Generously season the duck inside and out with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
8. Trim any excess fat around the duck’s cavity. Stuff the duck’s cavity with the fruit stuffing, then pour in the lemon juice from the bowl.
9. Criss-cross the duck’s legs, and secure with kitchen twine. Place the duck breast-side up on a rack inside of a roasting pan.
10. Put the duck into the preheated oven, and roast for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 300 degrees, and roast the duck for 50 minutes.
11. Turn the duck breast-side down, and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the duck breast-side up, and roast 30 minutes. Turn the duck breast-side down, and roast 30 minutes.
12. While the duck is roasting, combine the juice of 2 lemons, 4 tablespoons of honey, and the fresh thyme in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the thyme turns brown. Remove the thyme, lower the heat, and simmer until thickened.
13. Turn the duck breast-side down, and roast 30 minutes. Take the duck out of the oven, and brush the breasts with the lemon-honey-thyme glaze.
14. Increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees, and roast the duck a final 15 minutes. Watch the duck carefully so the glaze doesn’t burn.
15. Take the duck out of the oven, and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest 15 minutes before carving.
16. While the duck is resting, put the potatoes, shallots, figs, and pears back in the oven to reheat.
17. Cut up or carve the duck, and serve with the fruit stuffing, potatoes, shallots, figs, and pears.

Crisp Roast Duck

This easy roast duck recipe results in juicy meat covered in crisp, brown skin. It’s a perfect holiday centerpiece, and it’s also pretty easy to cook.

Total: 2 hours 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (5- to 6-lb) Pekin duck (also known as Long Island duck)
• 2 cups boiling-hot water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instruction:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
2. If necessary, cut off wing tips with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Remove and discard giblet bag and excess fat from body cavity and neck, then rinse duck inside and out. Prick skin all over with a sharp fork. Fold neck skin under body, then put duck breast-side up on a rack in a 13- by 9- by 3-inch roasting pan and pour boiling-hot water over duck (to tighten skin). Cool duck, then pour out any water from cavity into pan. Pat duck dry inside and out, reserving water in pan, then rub duck inside and out with kosher salt and pepper.
3. Roast duck breast-side up 45 minutes, then remove from oven. Turn duck over using 2 wooden spoons so that the duck legs are exposed, and roast 45 minutes more. Turn duck over again (breast-side up), tilting duck to drain any liquid from cavity into pan. Continue to roast duck until skin is brown and crisp, about 45 minutes more (total cooking time: about 2¼ hours). Tilt duck to drain any more liquid from cavity into pan. Transfer duck to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for another use. Editor’s note: This recipe was originally printed in the September 2006 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared online in August 2012. Head this way for more of our best Christmas dinner ideas →

Roasting a Whole Duck – Simple and Delicious