Whole duck

Pat it very dry, prick the skin all over without piercing the meat, and season it well. Roast breast-side up on a rack at 220 °C for 20 minutes, then at 180 °C; allow roughly 40 minutes per kg, draining the fat from the tray as it collects. Rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.

Check the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer, keeping it clear of the bone: it should reach 75 °C. The juices should run clear, and the leg should move freely at the joint; rest the duck before carving.

Allow about 400–500 g of whole duck per person, including the bones; a bird of around 2 kg will usually serve four. The amount of carved meat is much less than the bird’s uncooked weight.

Roast potatoes cooked in duck fat, red cabbage, apples and a sharp fruit sauce all work especially well. For a classic French pairing, serve duck with orange sauce; its acidity balances the rich meat.

Keep raw duck covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cook it within two days of buying, or freeze it. Refrigerate cooked duck within two hours, use it within three days, and reheat until piping hot throughout.

Thaw it completely in the fridge first, allowing about 24 hours per 2–2.5 kg. Remove the giblets from the cavity once they loosen, then pat the duck dry before roasting; cooking it frozen makes the outside overcook before the centre is ready.

No. Whole duck means the bird as a whole, including bones and usually giblets; duck meat with skin refers to edible meat and skin without the bones. The latter has 238 kcal per 100 g in the supplied comparison, so it is not directly comparable with whole duck.