how can i cook a whole duck for christmas dinner?

Answer 1

Just roast it, like you would a chicken, but prick the skin all over first and keep draining the fat from the tin (to cook your roast potatoes in). Whatever you do, make sure you have enough for everyone - however much it weighs, there's never very much meat on it. One ducky serves 3 at most I reckon. Good luck xx

Answer 2

Thaw the duck completely. Take the giblets from the body and neck cavities and rinse the bird inside and out, then pat it dry. Rub the skin with salt. You can also lift the breast/belly skin and rub a sage/thyme/rosemary mix onto the meat just underneath the skin. Prick the skin in a few places so the fat will drain.

Put the duck on a rack in the roasting pan so it will not sit in the fat as it melts from the bird as it cooks. Oven temperature should be about 325. You may want to use a bulb baster to annoint the skin with some of the melted duck fat from the pan so it crisps brown instead of burns.
The bird is done when the leg joint is very loose from the body.

Although it's not traditional to stuff a goose like a turkey, the stuffing does taste wonderful.
Separate the melted fat from the meat drippings in the bottom of the pan, and make gravy with the meat drippings.

Answer 3

Steamed and Roasted Whole Duck:

time to make 2½ hours 30 min prep

1 whole duck (4 to 5 pound)
1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 slices fresh ginger, big
4 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch green onions
1 tangerine, peel cut in big strips
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce



1. To reduce the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body.
2. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
3. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
4. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out.
5. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate.
6. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel.
7. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
8. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
9. Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium.
10. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up.
11. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
12. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically.
13. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
14. In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat.
15. Bring to a boil and simmer and stir for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
16. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
17. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
18. Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out.
19. Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan.
20. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze.
21. Stick the whole thing in the oven.
22. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color.
23. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark.
24. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done.
25. Carve and serve.

Answer 4

You sure can. you can buy one frozen in the grocery store. Bring it home and wash it very good. I let mine thaw first so i give it time for that. It will cook quicker. Make some cornbread and mix with chopped onion for the stuffing. Wrap the pan top with aluminum foil and cook it. The wieght of the duck will determine how long to cook it. Season to taste, Merry CHRISTMAS!

Answer 5

I remember my mum cooking duck all she did was put it in oven with some salt rubed in and a little water as there is lot's of fat and that will cook it anyway .Good luck

Answer 6

Love a roast quacker,put in oven in flat tin with
a bed of thickly sized potatoes,them base it with fat,plenty
will come out of duck,keep doing this till ready.mmmmmm

Answer 7

Make sure you buy a gigantic duck. When I cooked my first one for a dinner party, there was only enough meat for two people.

Answer 8

the same as you would when you roast a turkey or a chicken...my advice is to inject it with your favortie injectable marinade...such as Emeril's marinades....and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours then roast it in a roasting pan on a wire rack...good luck...also a good tip is to stuff the cavity of the duck with onions green bell peppers celery and half a lemon

Answer 9

YOU WILL NEED TO PRICK THE DUCK ALL OVER,THEN RUB SALT INTO THE SKIN. PLACE THE DUCK ON A TRIVET OR WIRE RACK,THIS ALLOWS THE FAT TO DRAIN OFF. IT WILL TELL YOU ON THE PACKET HOW LONG TO COOK IT FOR.

Answer 10

Pretty much the same way as you would treat a chicken. In the pot or in the oven.