Plain Roast Duck
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: Approximately 3 hours roasting time
1 4-5 pound duck, fresh or frozen
2-3 russet potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
1-2 onions or shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled, cut in longish pieces
As many large garlic cloves as you wish, left whole and unpeeled
a little salt for the vegetables
salt for the duck if you haven’t pre-salted (see discussion of pre-salting, above and in instructions below)
a good grinding of black pepper
a little Vermouth or white wine for the pan
optional, for the cavity:
piece of bread, more garlic, half a lemon
Pre-salting the duck (optional)
Up the three days ahead of cooking, remove giblets. Rinse bird in cool water and dry very well. Using about 3/4 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt per pound, salt bird inside and out. Place on baking sheet or pan that will hold duck comfortably. Cover loosely with foil. Refrigerate.
Take duck out of refrigerator one hour before cooking.
Preheat oven to 400 F/200C
Place duck in large roasting pan or leave it in pan it presalted in.
I like to line the pan with foil, for ease of cleaning later.
Either cut wingtips off with sturdy scissors or wrap them with foil to prevent burning.
Surround with duck vegetables of your choice: potatoes, carrots, onions and/or shallots, and the unpeeled garlic.
Place heel ends of bread, more garlic, or lemon in the cavity.
Pour a little Vermouth or white wine into the very bottom of the pan
If duck is pre-salted, salt the vegetables only. If duck is not pre-salted, salt everything generously. Add pepper.
Place in oven. Have jar or other heat-proof, food-safe vessel ready.
Cook duck at 400F/200C for one hour, checking every 15-20 minutes to remove the excess fat from the pan. Be extremely careful while doing so; frequent checking makes this safer and easier. As the duck cooks, it will let off less fat.
After one hour, turn the oven down to 325 F/160C. Cook for another 2-2 1/2 hours, until the duck is absolutely tender. The legs should wiggle free easily, even start coming away a little bit. If the skin starts browning too much in the final hour, cover with foil.
It’s okay to leave a little fat in the bottom of the pan. Turn the vegetables gently so the upper portions don’t dry out.
Best served with green salad.
Notes:
Giblets are highly perishable. Either freeze liver immediately or sauté in a little butter or olive oil and eat within two days.
Heart, gizzard, and neck may be lightly salted, then roasted with bird or frozen for broth making. Keep refrigerated at all times.