# Roasted duck **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838 "2011-12-11T18:57:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/1 "2011-12-11T18:57:24Z")
I’m roasting a duck later. I’m thinking I’ll do it in the usual way: Cut off the excess skin and render it for its fat (and a few pieces of duck cracklins), score the skin, season with salt and pepper, and roast on a rack, turning every so often. Any other ideas? I don’t want duck a l’orange or Peking duck; I want roasted duck. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/2 "2011-12-11T19:01:10Z")
I would cover it in foil for all but the last hour of roasting myself, to help keep it moist. And I would use a meat thermometer to make sure the thickest part of the breast had reached 165 degrees before taking it out. But you’ve got the basics down pretty well here. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/3 "2011-12-11T19:04:48Z")
> [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](#): > > But you’ve got the basics down pretty well here. Oh, yeah. Roasting and I are not strangers. But I seldom do duck. I’m looking for more interesting seasonings. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/4 "2011-12-11T19:08:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Oh, yeah. Roasting and I are not strangers. But I seldom do duck. I’m looking for more interesting seasonings. Oh. Then I would use the song classics: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Unless I were doing a turducken, in which case I would use curry powder and cayenne pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/5 "2011-12-11T19:15:26Z")
Hm. I _might_ have some dried parsley, but I don’t think so. I know I have rosemary and thyme. I’ll have to think about the thermometer. I use it for turkeys, pics, and cows; but I turn the duck every 45 minutes so it gets nice and crispy all over. I’m thinking of chopping some carrots to put in the bottom of the pan to roast in the grease. . ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/6 "2011-12-11T19:29:43Z")
No parsley, no sage. Plenty of rosemary and thyme. There’s some savory in there, as well. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/7 "2011-12-11T20:23:04Z")
Shove a lemon and an onion, a sprig each of rosemary and thyme into the cavity, gently slash the skin and salt and pepper gently. I tend to cook about halfway, then use a baster to suck out the duck fat, then toss in cut up carrots onions celery and baby potatoes into the roasting pan, and toss a bit to coat in the remaining duck fat, and finish off the roasting. I actually once used the beer can chicken method using the metal frame sold to do it sitting in a large turkey sized roasting pan with the roaster almost topped off with cut up veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/8 "2011-12-11T20:54:37Z")
When in doubt, add garlic. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/9 "2011-12-11T21:30:10Z")
Here’s what I did: I put some kosher salt, three cloves of chopped garlic, some rosemary, and a few sprigs of thyme in the cavity. Only some kosher salt on the outside. Just waiting for the oven to warm up. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/10 "2011-12-11T22:37:41Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m thinking of chopping some carrots to put in the bottom of the pan to roast in the grease. I always slice up some potatoes to roast in chicken grease. And everyone fights for those potatoes. I usually add some chicken broth to the pan, too. We’re probably going to roast a duck for Xmas for my husband and daughter, and a ham steak for me. I don’t care for duck. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/11 "2011-12-11T23:18:30Z")
Probably a little late for the OP, but I believe brining is a improvement to any poultry cooked whole – 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup sugar (brown is nice), aromatic spices (pickling spice is a easy find) each per 2 quarts water won’t make the meat too salty, but will add a lot of moisture. You can do it overnight, or more than a day, as you prefer. But if I have something special, like a duck or a goose, I’d fire up the charcoal grill. Yes, in snow, sleet or freezing temps. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roasted-duck/605838/12 "2011-12-12T02:15:00Z")
I seasoned it with kosher salt, rosemary, minced garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme on the inside, and just kosher salt on the outside. I chopped up some carrots and let them cook in the drippings. A little salty, but darned tasty. Dressing was out of a box from Trader Joe’s (first time for me). I made gravy from the drippings, cooking the roux for a few minutes, scrapings from the pan, milk, salt, freshly-ground pepper, and savory. No cranberry sauce for the duck, but I have lingonberry (mountain cranberry) jam. I pronounce dinner yummy.