Content

• Ingredients
• Whole Roast Duck
• Pan-fried duck breast
• Braised duck legs
• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Choosing a duck
• Method 2 of 4: Whole Roast Duck
• Method 3 of 4: Pan-Fried Duck Breast
• Method 4 of 4: Braised Duck Legs
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Duck has a stronger and richer flavor than other poultry, as the meat of the duck is more fatty. Duck is often served on special occasions, but it's actually easy to prepare and its meat is a versatile base for many dishes. Read on for how to choose a duck, roast it whole, fry the breast, and stew the legs.

Ingredients

Whole Roast Duck

• Whole duck
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Water

Pan-fried duck breast

• Duck breast with skin
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Braised duck legs

• Duck legs with skin
• Salt and pepper
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 diced carrots
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Choosing a duck

1. 1 Determine how many servings you need. The standard adult portion is 150 g of duck.
2. 2 Buy high quality meat that meets government standards.
3. 3 Select the duck piece you want. Whole duck is not the most popular and often found choice. You can buy a cut duck without bones, skin and fat.

Method 2 of 4: Whole Roast Duck

1. 1 Place the duck on a cutting board. Cut off the tips of the wings. Remove excess fat from the neck and body cavities.
2. 2 Rinse the inside and outside of the duck with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. 3 Pierce the skin of the duck and the thick greasy layer. Use a knife or skewer to puncture at 2.5 cm intervals. You should completely pierce the fat layer, but not the meat. You will feel resistance when you get to the meat layer. You can skip this step if you purchased a duck without skin and fat.
4. 4 Place the prepared duck, breast side up, on a rack inside the baking sheet. This is necessary so that the meat cooks properly and the fat flows down.
5. 5 Pour 2-3 cups of boiling water over the duck. Leave the water on the bottom of the baking sheet. Boiling water will begin the process of melting the fat layer and make the skin of the duck crisp.
6. 6 Rub salt and pepper on the outside and inside of the duck.
7. 7 Open the preheated oven and place the duck along with the baking sheet. Do not cover it.
8. 8 Roast the duck for about 3 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
9. 9 Remove the baking sheet from the oven and check that the duck is cooked.
   • Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the duck meat, breast, or thigh. Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bones. The internal temperature of the finished duck should be 74 degrees Celsius.
   • Check if the skin of the duck is crispy and the fat layer has completely melted. If so, then your bird is ready. If not, return the duck to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
10. 10 Transfer the duck to a cutting board. Wait 15 minutes before slicing.
11. 11 Serve.

Method 3 of 4: Pan-Fried Duck Breast

1. 1 Remove the duck breast from the refrigerator. Wash in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a knife to draw an X-pattern onto the skin.
   • This will help to make the skin crispy. Don't make cuts in the meat.
2. 2 Season the breast with salt on both sides. Place it on a plate and let it come to room temperature.
3. 3 Scrub the moisture from the duck breast. Scrape off any moisture that has formed on the breast after salting with the dull side of a knife. Excess moisture prevents the skin from becoming crispy.
4. 4 Preheat a cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the duck breast skin side down in the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the breast.
5. 5 Use tongs to flip the breast over to the other side. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
   • After you have flipped the breast, add salt to the skin. This will improve the scent and make the skin even crisper.
6. 6 Set the breast sideways to brown the edges. If you are cooking 2 breasts, lean them against each other until the edges are cooked through for about a minute.
7. 7 Remove the breast from the pan. Place on a cutting board and wait 5 minutes before slicing.

Method 4 of 4: Braised Duck Legs

1. 1 Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. 2 Preheat an oven-safe skillet or skillet over medium heat. Place the duck legs in the skillet, skin side down. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the skin is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to flip the legs over and cook on the other side for another minute. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Drain the fat from the skillet into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of fat back to the skillet and keep it over medium heat.
4. 4 Add vegetables to the skillet. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. 5 Place the duck legs back into the skillet.
6. 6 Pour the chicken stock into the skillet with duck legs and vegetables.
7. 7 Place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and cook for another 30 minutes.
8. 8 Remove the skillet from the oven. Duck legs are ready if their meat is soft and the liquid in the pan has been halved.

Tips

• If you fry the duck extra to make the skin crispy and melt the fat to the end, watch carefully, as it can burn easily at high temperatures.
• Save the duck fat and use it to fry potatoes and other vegetables. It will add a rich and plentiful flavor to any fried dish.

Warnings

• The oven and duck will be very hot during cooking. Use oven mitts to prevent burns.
• Raw duck meat should not be heated above 7 degrees Celsius prior to preparation and cooking to maintain freshness and prevent bacterial growth.

What do you need

• Ingredients listed above
• Baking tray and rack
• Oven
• Food thermometer
• Cutting board
• Paper towels
• Knife or spit
• Frying pan that can be used in the oven