Name: Crisp Roast Duck
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 (5–6-lb.) Pekin duck (also known as Long Island duck), thawed if frozen; 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Roast duck carved on a platter with a red endive and orange salad on the side.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews

While a whole roast duck might seem like a special occasion dish—something you’d serve for Christmas dinner or order in certain Chinese restaurants—it’s actually very simple to make. If you can prepare a Thanksgiving turkey (or even a roast chicken), you can cook a whole duck. In some ways, cooking duck is even easier than cooking chicken: Thanks to duck fat, the bird’s breast meat is less prone to drying out, making it easier to achieve crispy duck skin and juicy meat.

This simple main dish uses a technique common in traditional Peking duck recipes: dousing it with boiling water. Pouring hot water over a room-temperature duck tightens its skin, which is necessary for proper rendering. (Afterward, you’ll need to pat the duck cavity and skin with paper towels to dry them thoroughly.) Then all you need to do is season the bird and roast it at a high oven temperature, flipping it occasionally, until the internal temperature of the duck meat reaches 135°F for medium-rare (or to your desired doneness).

If you want to take this duck a step further, start glazing it after the final turn. Use our favorite ham glaze (with brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and honey), or make a glaze of marmalade, soy sauce, and hot mustard. Brush it across the skin every 15 minutes to develop a burnished shellac and the ultimate crispy skin.

Wondering what side dishes to make alongside this roast duck recipe? Start with a sweet-tart plum applesauce. We also love this dish with garlicky green beans, a bittersweet endive and orange salad, and savory scallion pancakes, soft Mandarin pancakes, or fluffy Parker House rolls.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours 45 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

1 (5–6-lb.) Pekin duck (also known as Long Island duck), thawed if frozen

1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1
Place rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2
If necessary, cut wing tips off 1 (5–6-lb.) Pekin duck (also known as Long Island duck) with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Remove and discard giblet bag and excess fat from body cavity and neck. Prick skin all over with a sharp fork. Fold neck skin under body, then put duck breast side up on a rack in a 13x9x3" roasting pan. Pour 2 cups boiling hot water over duck (to tighten skin). Cool duck until you can handle it, then pour out any water from cavity into pan. Pat duck dry inside and out, reserving water in pan, then rub duck inside and out with 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt and 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.
Step 3
Roast duck breast side up 45 minutes, then remove from oven. Turn duck over using 2 wooden spoons so that the duck legs are exposed, and roast 45 minutes more. Turn duck over again (breast side up), tilting duck to drain any liquid from cavity into pan. Continue to roast duck until skin is brown and crisp, about 45 minutes more (total cooking time: about 2¼ hours). Tilt duck to drain any more liquid from cavity into pan. Transfer duck to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Discard liquid in roasting pan.
Cook’s note: Strain liquid in the pan, cool, and chill. The duck fat will rise to the surface and is an excellent fat for cooking. Use it to roast baby potatoes with a few smashed garlic cloves, shallot wedges, and a few sprigs of thyme. The liquid that collects below the fat will be salty but can be used like stock.
Editor’s note: This roast duck recipe was first printed in the September 2006 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our best Christmas dinner ideas →