Whole-Roasted Duck Recipe

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to prepare roast duck for your next special dinner. For starters, the meat is incredibly savory and an excellent accompaniment to a wide assortment of side dishes. Or perhaps you're bored of eating chicken but want to stick to poultry for the occasion. Or maybe you've never tried duck before and are curious to taste something new. Much like chicken, you can buy duck legs or breasts individually, but if you're feeding more than 2 people or want to have leftovers, a whole duck is the way to go. 

You might be intimidated as you eye the large bird in the supermarket or at the butcher shop, but roasting it whole is as straightforward as dealing with an entire chicken. Mashed recipe developer Christina Musgrave brings us this whole-roasted duck recipe that will take all the guesswork out of the equation. "I love how this recipe is fairly simple and makes roasting a whole duck approachable," she shares. For a flavor-packed result, she seasons the bird with paprika and fresh herb butter.

For this delicious whole-roasted duck recipe, you'll definitely need a good duck. Musgrave recommends swinging by the butcher for a bird weighing 5-6 pounds to serve around 6 people. To season the meat, you'll need to make a compound butter using salt, softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, paprika, and chopped fresh parsley and rosemary.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 F. Then, take a paper towel or tea towel and pat the duck to ensure that it is fully dry. This will help increase the crispiness of the skin. In a small bowl, mash up the softened butter with the salt, minced garlic, paprika, and chopped parsley and rosemary. 

Using your hands, rub the mixture over the entire bird, including in the cavity so the flavor spreads all over. Duck meat is naturally rich and tasty, but Musgrave notes that "the key to the flavor of the duck is the herb butter."

Cut a piece of cooking twine, then cross the duck's legs and tie them together. Fold the wings under the bird and transfer it to a roasting pan with the breast side up. (Using a roasting pan, rather than a normal baking dish, is important so the hot air can circulate around the entire bird.) Cook the duck for 1 hour.

After an hour, flip the duck so it is breast side-down, and cook it for another hour. Finally, raise the oven temperature to 400 F and cook the meat for another 15 minutes to achieve a golden brown color on the exterior.

Once the duck is nicely browned, remove it from the oven and let the meat rest for 15 minutes. Musgrave instructs to then "carve the duck like you would a chicken, by removing the breasts and legs and slicing accordingly."

Serve this delicious poultry dish with your choice of sides. If you're in need of inspiration, Musgrave suggests white rice and veggies like roasted eggplant or steamed bok choy. She also points out that "you could use the cooked meat in any recipe that calls for cooked duck," though she prefers making this special preparation the feature of the meal. 

Store any leftover meat in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days.