Alright, so today I’m sharing my attempt at a classic French duck dish. Let me tell you, it was a journey!
First off, I bought a whole duck. Yeah, a whole one! It was sitting there in the butcher’s case, looking all… duck-y. Figured, why not? I’m gonna try this!
Got it home, unpacked it, and promptly stared at it for a good ten minutes. Where do I even begin?! So, I googled “how to prepare a duck.” YouTube became my best friend that day.
The first thing everyone seemed to agree on was drying the duck out. So, I poked it all over with a fork – seriously, like a million tiny holes – to help the fat render out. Then I sprinkled it with salt and pepper, inside and out, and left it uncovered in the fridge overnight.
Next day, the actual cooking began! I preheated the oven to a low temp, like 325°F (around 160°C). The recipes all said low and slow was the way to go. I placed the duck on a rack in a roasting pan – gotta let that fat drip! – and stuck it in the oven.
Now, here’s where the fun started. I drained off the rendered duck fat every hour. And man, was there a lot of it! I now have a jar of liquid gold in my fridge – perfect for roasting potatoes later. I roasted the duck for about 3 hours, maybe a little longer, until the internal temperature hit around 165°F (74°C). I used a meat thermometer. Don’t judge!
To get that crispy skin everyone raves about, I cranked up the oven to broil for the last few minutes. Seriously, I watched it like a hawk! You gotta be careful or it’ll burn in a heartbeat. Once the skin was nice and golden brown, I pulled it out.
Resting time! I let the duck rest for about 15 minutes before carving it. That’s important, keeps it juicy, they say. I carved that thing up. Wasn’t pretty, but I got the job done.
Served it with some roasted veggies and a simple pan sauce I whipped up with some wine and the duck drippings. Not gonna lie, it was pretty darn good! Was it perfect? Nah. But it was definitely worth the effort.
What I learned:
- Duck fat is amazing. Save it!
- Poking holes is crucial.
- Low and slow is the way to go, followed by a quick blast of high heat.
- Resting is your friend.
Would I make it again? Absolutely! Maybe next time I’ll try a different sauce. It was a fun cooking experiment! Give it a shot if you’re feeling adventurous.
