Roast duck is so easy to make when you know how. Because you’re cooking it on the bone it has so much flavour and you can make the most wonderful gravy from the rich juices. Another bonus? This roast duck recipe will give crisp skin and you’ll find lots of excess fat in the bottom of the pan once you’re finished roasting off your bird. Tip this into a dish and keep in the fridge for the next time you’re making roast potatoes – it’ll give you the most flavoursome spuds ever!
With a prep time of only 15 minutes, this one-ingredient roast really is the quickest and speediest option that’s perfect for a Sunday roast with family and friends. The only thing you need to consider is having enough time for the duck to roast. Set aside a couple of hours on the weekend and make this easy roast duck – while it’s in the oven, you can put your feet up, or you can prep the other ingredients to make sure you’ve got a fab Sunday lunch. Make sure you serve the duck up with all the sides, like crispy roast potatoes for a feast.
Ingredients
- 1 free-range whole duck, around 2 to 2.2kg (41/2 to 5lb)
Method
Pierce the skin of the duck all over with a skewer. Place on a rack in the kitchen sink, and pour over 2 full kettles of boiling water. Pat it dry with kitchen towel and leave it to dry on a plate in the fridge for an hour. You do this to release the subcutaneous fat layer under the skin to give crispy, not fatty, duck.
Preheat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Place the duck on a rack or trivet over a deep roasting tin, as it will release around 300g (10oz) fat into the tin.
Add plenty of sea salt and roast for 90 minutes. Strain off the fat and keep it for the best roast potatoes ever.
Don’t try to carve a roast duck; joint it. Remove the legs just as you would a chicken. Now take the whole breasts off the bone, which will make the duck go much further. Ease your knife along the breast bone then slice the breast. This will give four good servings of tender meat without any fattiness.
