Recipe

Slow Roast Duck

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merrill's Notes: This Christmas, my family and I went to Washington, DC to visit my sister, Abs, her husband and their two children -- the second of whom was not yet a month old. We decided to do Christmas...
This Christmas, my family and I went to Washington, DC to visit my sister, Abs, her husband and their two children -- the second of whom was not yet a month old. We decided to do Christmas dinner potluck-style, with my mother and me bringing the veggies, and my sister handling the main event and dessert. She bought a ham and two ducks, which my mother then proceeded to show us how to crisp perfectly on Christmas afternoon.

I had never slow roasted a duck before, and I'll admit I was a little worried about the meat drying out. But my mother insisted that her method -- taught to her by her own mother years ago -- was foolproof. We watched as she pierced the fat of the duck with a carving fork at least thirty times, both front and back, salted the bird all over, and put it in the oven at 250 degrees. As the hours went by, she would periodically remove the duck, pierce it all over again, and then return it to the oven. Once it started to look browned and slightly crisp, she carved it into pieces, turned up the heat a little and stuck the pieces back in the oven on a cookie sheet. They emerged mahogany and almost impossibly crisp and crackling.

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Serves 6 to 8

1 duck, about 5 pounds Ask a question about this ingredient

Kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the duck and rinse the bird inside and out with cold water. Dry the duck thoroughly with paper towels, including inside the cavity. Salt the cavity well.
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Using a sharp carving fork, pierce the skin of the duck, working at an angle so you don’t cut into the meat, all over. (You want to pierce it at least thirty or forty times, all over the entire bird.) Salt the skin liberally, and place the duck, breast side down, in a roasting pan. Tuck the wings behind the neck and put it in the oven.
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Cook the duck, removing it every half hour or so and re-piercing the skin so that the fat can escape. After 2 hours, flip the duck onto its back, piercing the fat over the breast well. After about 3 hours, the duck should start to look crisp and lightly browned. At this point, turn the heat up 350 degrees F and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or so, until dark brown and very crisp. (Alternatively, you can cut the duck into pieces, arrange the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and return them to the oven to crisp that way.) Let the duck cool for 5 to 10 minutes before carving and serving.
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15 Comments on Slow Roast Duck

Chantrelle added 4 months ago

I have decided that duck is the next thing I'm going to master. I'll try this recipe first, it seems like a good starting point to get used to the fat, etc. Hopefully trying it tonight!

Summer of Eggplant added 7 months ago

I made this last night, it was great. Thank you. I did pour off the fat about every other time I removed the bird from the oven.

davegorf added 7 months ago

What do you think about this. As one of many sort of small tapas dishes for a couples snack/drinks/poker game if you cut the duck into pieces BEFORE cooking....1. would you have to poke it with a fork at all since there would be a whole side of flesh/skin/fat exposed to heat and a place to let the fat escape; 2. would the cooking time change?

DianneV added about 1 year ago

do your pour off the fat periodically

JoshATL added about 1 year ago

Question: how do you cut up the duck after it's been cooking for 3 hours? Isn't it super difficult because it's so hot?

Merrill is a co-founder of food52.

added about 1 year ago

All you need is a sharp knife and a carving (or other sharp) fork to hold the duck in place!

agmalivesinbk added about 1 year ago

This duck is incredible. Thank you for sharing such an easy, delicious recipe! I only screwed up one way and that's that I don't have a proper roasting pan. I see now why this is important :) At least I know for next time.

Pattiji added about 1 year ago

It's 9 pm, and I just pulled my duck out of the oven. It's beautiful, crispy and smells yummy. I actually butterflied it so I didn't have to flip it at all - super easy. It did get a bit smoky in the house during the last 30 minutes when I raised the heat.

Now the discussion is: what/how to use/deal with the fat and drippings?

mig_nyc added 4 months ago

cook potatoes in them.

Pattiji added about 1 year ago

Ok, duck is in the oven! I'll let you know how it goes.

AntoniaJames added about 1 year ago

I bet this duck would be terrific shredded and tossed in Mr Hirschfeld's lo main with Chinese celery. I had the best shredded duck lo mein about six months ago, which I keep thinking about, but have never roasted a duck before. That is about to change, soon. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! ;o)

limonana added about 1 year ago

Since I've learned this method (both roasting at low temp. and piercing the skin) few years ago I now never roast duck any other way. The result is incredibly tender, juicy, falling-off- the-bones meat. I like to season duck with caraway seeds both inside and out.

Lisa Dobbs added about 1 year ago

I also roasted a duck this Christmas for the first time ever (also in Washington DC!) - but yours looks to be the better method. I'll try it next time! Thanks!

dymnyno added about 1 year ago

I remember my mother using a similar method to cook duck. I have always been a little afraid of cooking a whole (domestic) duck because of the incredible amount of fat. It looks delicious, so maybe I will go for it!

Merrill is a co-founder of food52.

added about 1 year ago

I hope you do! And let me know how it turns out.