Christmas Duck - Test 1

https://www.gastrosenses.com/blog/crispy-whole-roast-duck/

http://www.inerikaskitchen.com/2010/12/roast-duck-with-quince-glaze.html

1 - The recipe link containing the quince has a very different and interesting way of cooking the duck. To try? However, the way written below worked very well indeed. I put the duck up on a rack over the roasting pan which was a very good idea because the amount of fat rendered just from roasting was phenomenal. For the quince paste, I slathered it into the cut marks in the skin, which were already crisping and pulling away. Most of the fat has rendered away and the skin was very crispy and flavorful from the spices and quince paste.

1 duck, 5-6 lbs

1 small onion

1 small apple

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

salt and pepper

3 Tbsp quince jam or preserves (plum or apricot would work nicely, too)

1. 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.
2. 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 (save all of this) and poke the bird all over with a knife. Only prick the skin, don't hit the meat.
3. Season the duck all over with salt, including the cavity. Stuff the cavity with garlic, onion, apple. 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.
4. Season the skin with salt, pepper and the spices.
5. Place the bird on the rack inside the roasting pan and cook at 350 F for 1 hour, breast side up. Remove the bird and prick the skin all over again. Flip the duck breast side down and roast for 30 minutes more.
6. Pull the duck out of the oven briefly and spread the quince jam over the breast side of the duck. Baste it a bit with the fat in the pan, then slide it back into the oven to finish roasting. Cook another 15 minutes. Take out of the oven again, increase the temperature to 400F and poke again all over before reintroducing in the oven and baking it for 15 minutes, breast side up. The meat is cooked when internal temperature of the breast is 165F.

NOTE: Do not let anyone throw away the duck bones or skin. After everyone is done eating, take all the scraps, plus whatever's left in the roasting pan, and put it all back in the pot of water in which the duck was boiled. Bring the pot back up to a simmer and let it go an hour or more. You will end up with a rich broth, which you'll strain and cool overnight uncovered. The duck fat will rise to the top. Use the broth for soup or cooking rice. Save the duck fat and use it for frying potatoes. You'll thank me.