Recipe Wednesday #8: Roasted Duck

We raised ducks for eating and had two left in the freezer, small male mallards.  I decided it was time to finally roast them before the freezer got the better of them.  I've roasted duck several times before, but was never really pleased with the results.  I tried this method/recipe and was very pleased.  So was the rest of the family.  I don't have an after picture because they were eaten that quickly.  LOL!

Here are my ducks getting prepared.  The herbs on top were stuffed into the birds.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Place your ducks breast side up in a roasting pan with water in the bottom.

Carefully pierce the skin of the ducks all over with a knife tip, being careful not to prick the meat underneath.

Cut a lemon in half and rub them all over the ducks, then stuff them inside the cavity.

Generously salt the ducks and rub the salt into the skin.

Add a peeled and thickly sliced apple into the cavities of the ducks along with fresh sprigs of parsley, rosemary and sage leaves.

Cover and place ducks in preheated oven, allowing them to roast for at least an hour and a half.

Baste the ducks occassionally and check temperature.

When the ducks are nearly cooked, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Baste ducks one more time and let them roast for another 10-15 minutes at that temperature.  This should crisp up their skin nicely, but be careful not to overcook the duck itself.

Remove roasting pan and let the ducks "rest" for 10 minutes before transferring them to the serving dish.

Carve and enjoy!

*I found this recipe made the ducks tender and flavorful.  I loved finding bits of meat and skin near the lemons and tasting the burst of flavor.

*If you're using a larger duck, your cooking times are going to be longer.