Duck

Pat the skin dry and score it in a shallow crosshatch without cutting into the meat. Put it skin-side down in a cold pan, then cook over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes to render the fat; turn and cook the other side until the centre reaches 75 °C, then rest before slicing.

Prick the skin all over, especially around the legs, without piercing the meat, so the fat can drain as it roasts. Set the duck on a rack over a roasting tin and cook at 180 °C until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75 °C; pour off the rendered fat during cooking.

Strain warm duck fat through a fine sieve into a clean, dry container, let it cool, then refrigerate it. Use it to roast potatoes or root vegetables; discard it if it smells rancid or becomes mouldy.

Keep raw duck covered on the bottom shelf, away from ready-to-eat food, and cook it within 1–2 days. Freeze it if you will not use it in that time, and thaw it in the fridge rather than on the worktop.

Duck’s richness works particularly well with sharp fruit such as orange, cherry or apple, and with bitter greens or cabbage. Roast potatoes cooked in duck fat are a classic pairing.

Duck has more: 28 g per 100 g, compared with 24 g in smoked turkey. Smoked turkey has less fat, at 4 g per 100 g, compared with 0.8 g in duck.

For the safest result, cook duck until the thickest part reaches 75 °C; check with a food thermometer, keeping it clear of bone. Colour alone is not a reliable way to judge whether it is fully cooked.