Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumWhole roasted duck
The problem with roasting a whole duck is that the breast is usually cooked on high heat and usually served medium rare, while the legs/thighs require longer slower cooking (like confit).
My question is.. does anyone have any success in roasting a whole duck that (a) doesn't dry out the breast and (b) still cooks the legs/thighs without undercooking?
I've roasted only 2 ducks in my life, and can't seem to find that balance. If you ask a chef about how best to cook a whole duck, their answer usually is "Don't." (That is, carve it up and treat the various parts differently.)
Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions.
-g
OffWithTheirHeads
(10,337 posts)So I will be watching this thread. I know you can buy whole roast duck cooked perfectly at some of the Asian markets and it is delicious so it CAN be done.
canoeist52
(2,282 posts)lets the fat and juices run into the breast. If it's a wild duck - might need to wrap it in bacon as there is little fat under the skin. Store-bought duck usually is loaded with fat - no bacon needed.
Galileo126
(2,016 posts)About 5 lbs.
So yeah, that makes sense re: upside down. Cool tip. I would flip it over in the last 10-20 mins to get the top skin all crispy (at a higher oven temp).
And I can't wait for the extra reserved duck fat - here comes oven-roasted potatoes in duck fat!
Retrograde
(10,127 posts)and make shallow slits in the breasts to let the fat out (save it for future use - it's better than bacon fat for sautees).
It helps if you have a rack that holds the duck out of the drippings as it roasts.