Roasted duck

Dry the skin thoroughly, prick it all over without piercing the meat, then roast the duck on a rack so the fat can drain away. Finish at a higher oven temperature to crisp the skin, watching closely so it does not scorch.

Roast at about 180 °C for roughly 2–2½ hours, depending on the bird’s size, and turn it during cooking for even browning. Check that the thickest part reaches 75 °C, then rest the duck for 15–20 minutes before carving.

Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone: it should reach 75 °C. The juices should run clear, but a thermometer is more reliable than judging colour alone.

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in a covered container and eat them within three days. Remove the meat from the carcass for quicker cooling; reheat it until steaming hot throughout, and crisp the skin briefly under a hot grill.

Its rich flavour works particularly well with sharp fruit such as orange, apple or sour cherry, and with red cabbage, roast potatoes or lentils. Orange sauce is a classic pairing; a tart sauce balances the fatty skin.

Roasted duck has 9.84 g of fat per 100 g, compared with 7.5 g in roasted chicken. The amount in a serving depends greatly on whether the skin and rendered fat are eaten.

A 100 g portion provides 29 g of protein. Roasted chicken is similar, at 28 g per 100 g.

Duck is often served pink in restaurants when it is a whole breast, but that is not the same as roasting a whole bird. For whole roasted duck, cook the thickest part to 75 °C for a safer result.