Make these holidays extra special by serving up Crispy Whole Roast Duck! This method ensures crispy skin with finger-licking glaze and super moist meat inside!
Roast duck is a perfect dish for any special occasion, and is a great idea for a smaller crowd during holidays. To roast a duck it does take a few hours, but it’s incredibly easy to do. Be sure to watch all recipes viaIG Reels for a nice visual.
HOW DO YOU MAKE DUCK SKIN CRISPY?
Be sure to completely defrost your duck in the refrigerator for 1-2 days if using a frozen duck. And then leave the duck uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This will ensure the bird dries perfectly before roasting which means crispier skin!
Then score the skin on the breast to help release some of the fat during the cooking process. Just take a sharp knife and make cuts in a diamond pattern, without reaching the breast meat below. The fat will escape (a process called “rendering”) while the duck slow roasts in the oven. Poke the bird all over with a knife. Only prick the skin, don’t hit the meat.
By slowly roasting the duck in the beginning for a few hours and finishing up at higher temperature you will achieve the beautiful crispy golden skin. Follow my step-by-step instructions in the recipe below and you are into different kind of delicious!
I highly suggest to collect the rendered fat from roasting the duck for future use. We love using it for roasted potatoes or fried eggs. Once the drippings are cool enough to handle, strain it through a fine mesh sieve and place in the fridge until cold. The fat will separate from the liquid and turn solid. You can scrape it off and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for weeks.
At the end brush the duck with glaze and finish for a few more minutes.
Let it rest and serve the Crispy Whole Roast Duck with mashed or roasted potatoes and the greenest salad ever. Pure comfort!
More Holiday Feast Recipes:
Cranberry Pecan Stuffed Baked Brie
Pomegranate Bracelet Salad
Holiday Berry Trifle
Citrus Moscow Mule
Print Recipe
Make these holidays extra special by serving up Crispy Whole Roast Duck! This method ensures crispy skin with finger-licking glaze and super moist meat inside!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: roasted duck, crispy duck, thanksgiving recipe, christmas recipe
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Cavity Stuffing:
- 4 garlic cloves halved
- 2 shallots halved
- 1 orange quartered
- 1 apple quartered
- 1/4 cup prunes
Glaze:
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp hoisin sause
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
Presentation:
- fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, tarragon), pomegranate, figs, grapes
Instructions
Completely defrost the duck in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, if using frozen. Once defrosted, rinse and pat dry. For best results, let the duck sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This will help to dry and crisp the skin.
Use a sharp knife to score the skin on the duck's breast in a diamond pattern, trying to cut only the skin without reaching the breast meat below. Cut off excess fat and poke the bird all over with a knife. Only prick the skin, don't hit the meat.
Season the duck all over with salt, including the cavity. Stuff the cavity with garlic, shallots, orange, apple and prunes. Use 2-3 toothpicks to sew the skin around the cavity opening tightly together, to keep the inside moist during roasting. Cross the legs and tie them together with a cooking twine. Fold the wings under the duck.
Place the bird on the rack inside the roasting pan and cook at 350 F for 1 hour, breast side up. After 1 hour, remove the bird and prick the skin all over again. Flip the duck breast side down and roast for another hour.
Prepare the glaze by combining the glaze ingredients in a medium pan. Simmer until thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
After 2 hours, remove the duck from the oven, poke once more, turn up heat to 400 F and blast for 15 minutes, breast side up. Then brush with glaze and finish for another 5-7 minutes.
Rest. Carve. Enjoy!
Notes
Save the duck fat (just before blasting) from roasting as it has a lot of flavor and it's great for roasting potatoes.
Be sure to remove the neck, giblets and such from inside the duck, if necessary, and reserve them for another use.
Have you made my recipe?Let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below! Don’t forget to take a picture and tag@gastrosensesand use#gastrosensesonInstagramso I can see your beautiful creations! Happy eating!
Related
FAQs
Completely defrost the duck in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, if using frozen. Once defrosted, rinse and pat dry. For best results, let the duck sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This will help to dry and crisp the skin.
How do you crisp a whole duck? ›
It's easier to crisp the skin on a duck breast than a whole duck but the principle is the same:
- Dry the skin well first, preferably overnight for a whole duck.
- Score or prick the skin all over so the fat can melt and escape.
- Keep the fat hot and don't add any liquid to the skin-side of the duck as it cooks.
Remove duck from packaging and take out the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse under cold running water both inside and out, then pat dry using paper towel to get a more crispy skin. Season. Cover the wings and legs with aluminium foil to avoid them from drying while cooking.
How do you get crispy skin on wild ducks? ›
Slice your duck and it should be super red like you would want your steak. Pour sauce over this. if you want to really knock it out of the park, turn your oven on broil and put the duck skin side up directly under so it starts to crisp, and it will flame up. This will crisp the skin and will only take another minute.
Why is my duck skin not crisping? ›
One effective technique for achieving crispy skin on roast duck is to air-dry the duck in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before roasting. This helps to remove excess moisture from the skin. Additionally, scoring the skin and seasoning it with salt can help to create a crispy texture.
How to get crispy skin on a duck breast? ›
Pan-fried duck breast recipe
Season well, then set aside to bring the meat to room temperature. Put the breasts skin-side down in a cold frying pan and slowly heat the pan. This will melt the fat and help the skin to crisp up without burning.
How do you get crispy skin on smoked duck? ›
Broil. Preheat your oven to broil and transfer your duck to the oven. Allow the duck to broil for 2-3 minutes to finish rendering the fat, caramelize the glaze, and give the skin a nice, crisp exterior.
What duck is used for crispy duck? ›
Nowadays, Peking duck is prepared from the American Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica). Newborn ducks are raised in a free range environment for the first 45 days of their lives, and force fed 4 times a day for the next 15–20 days, resulting in ducks that weigh 5–7 kg (11–15 lbs).
How long does a whole duck take to cook? ›
How to cook duck. Roast (whole duck: 2 ¼ hours for ducks weighing 1.75-2 kg, 2 ¾ hours for ducks weighing 2.5-3 kg; breasts, 30 mins). Dry fry, grill or barbecue (3-4 mins on each side). Stir fry (cubes or strips, 5-7 mins).
Should I sear a duck before roasting? ›
The journey towards perfectly roasted or baked duck breast entails commencing with a searing process. This initial step sets the foundation for achieving the ideal oven-roasted duck breast—a tantalizingly golden and crisp exterior juxtaposed with a succulent, flavorful interior.
The boiling water helps pull the skin taut, making it easier to score in a crosshatch pattern. That, in turn, allows the fat to render out as everything roasts. The result is a perfectly cooked duck with pink, juicy meat and burnished, crunchy skin.
What do you soak duck in before cooking? ›
By definition, a brine is simply a mix of water and salt. Some like adding seasoning to the brine, but that is a matter of personal taste. Blood is drawn out when wild game meat is soaked in the brine, and the brine penetrates the meat. The result is milder, more tender meat for your favorite recipe.
Why is my duck rubbery? ›
Crispy duck skin
We want the fat out and the skin crisp—if we don't render it properly, the skin stays squidgy and rubbery. What is a cook to do? First, we need to allow the fat to escape, and that means holes.
What temperature should wild duck be cooked at? ›
Information. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. A whole duck or goose must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the bird.
How do you crisp duck skin after smoking? ›
Broil. Preheat your oven to broil and transfer your duck to the oven. Allow the duck to broil for 2-3 minutes to finish rendering the fat, caramelize the glaze, and give the skin a nice, crisp exterior.
Why pour boiling water over duck? ›
The boiling water helps pull the skin taut, making it easier to score in a crosshatch pattern. That, in turn, allows the fat to render out as everything roasts. The result is a perfectly cooked duck with pink, juicy meat and burnished, crunchy skin.
How to get perfect crispy chicken skin? ›
You can also get a nice crust on chicken by starting it out in the oven: follow your recipe, or heat the oven to between 400° to 450°F, place a rack in the top third (the hottest part) of the oven, and slide a pan of chicken pieces in, skin side up. The skin will be crisp by the time the chicken is cooked through.
