Whole Roasted Duck

Here's how to cook a whole oven roasted duck! It's great for a special occasion and makes a wonderful change from other meats!

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I don't eat that much duck now that I live in the US - it isn't as easy to buy (or as cheap) compared to living in the UK. In fact, this is only the second duck post on the site - the first being the wonderful Pan-Fried Duck Breast Salad! So when I saw this whole duck in CostCo one day - I just knew I had to have it! This was my first time roasting a whole duck - and due to the fat content the method is slightly different from cooking a whole chicken. But the end result was wonderful, so I encourage you to try this keto duck recipe!

How to Cook a Whole Roasted Duck

To prepare the duck, remove any "extras" from the bird's cavity (giblets etc), then trim the wing tips and remove any excess skin. You could probably make stock with all the extra bits - but I'm afraid on this occasion I didn't bother!

Use a knife to prick the skin all over, being careful not to also pierce the meat (as it will dry out). Place the duck on a roasting rack (breast side up) and transfer it to the sink. Pour boiling water over the skin (a kettle is perfect for this task!). Repeat with more boiling water.

Empty out any water from inside the bird, then pat the skin dry all over. Leave for one hour.

Transfer the rack and the duck to a roasting pan, then season with salt and pepper. You may like to add other flavorings at this point: paprika would be a great choice. However, because I was planning to use the meat for Peking Duck, I sprinkled some Chinese Five Spice Powder over the bird.

Roast breast side up for 30 minutes in a preheated oven.

Use poultry forks to turn the duck over, draining any fat from the cavity as you turn. Roast for another 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and use a probe thermometer to check the temperature. Return to the oven (if necessary) until the desired level of doneness has been reached. My duck was 4.5lb and didn't require any additional cooking time.

A note on cooking temperature: Technically, duck is poultry, so the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 165F. However, because duck is not a common carrier of salmonella, and the meat is more similar to lamb or beef, chefs often cook duck to somewhere between 130-140F. The cooking time you choose may depend on how well done you like your duck (there won't be any pinkness if you cook it to 165F!), and what you intend to do with the duck once it's cooked. 

Remove the roasted duck from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes then carve.

Top tip: Don't discard the duck fat! Although it is well known for adding fantastic flavor to roast potatoes - you can also use it for all kinds of other roast vegetables - like my Duck Fat Roasted Cauliflower!

Now... I have to confess that I'm not an expert carver, but one way or another I did get all the meat off the carcass, plus the wings (not much meat on those, sadly), and the drumsticks.

Remember to check out my Peking Duck recipe! What's your favorite keto duck recipe? Let me know in the comments!

📖 Recipe

StepAwayFromTheCarbs.com

Whole Roasted Duck

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Here's how to cook a whole oven roasted duck! It's great for a special occasion and makes a wonderful change from other meats!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Makes: 4 Servings

Net Carbs: 0

Calories: 458

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 4.5 lb whole duck
• boiling water
• salt and pepper
• seasonings eg paprika or Chinese five spice

Equipment

• Turkey Lifter Forks - Set of 2 Stainless Steel Turkey Lifters with Slip Resistant Grip
• Soeos Culinary Chinese Five Spice, No MSG, 1 oz
• HIC Harold Import Co. Wire Turkey Roasting Rack, Nonstick, 15 inch x 11 inch

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

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1. To prepare the duck, remove any "extras" from the bird's cavity, then trim the wing tips and any excess skin.
2. Use a knife to prick the skin all over, being careful not to also pierce the meat. Place the duck on a roasting rack (breast side up) and transfer it to the sink. Pour boiling water over the skin. Repeat with more boiling water.
3. Empty out any water from inside the bird, then pat the skin dry all over. Leave for one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400F.
5. Transfer the rack and the duck to a roasting pan, then season with salt and pepper. You may like to add other seasonings at this point.
6. Roast breast side up for 30 minutes.
7. Use poultry forks to turn the duck over, draining any fat from the cavity as you turn. Roast for another 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and use a probe thermometer to check the temperature. Return to the oven (if necessary) until the desired level of doneness has been reached. See notes for temperature guidance.
9. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes, then carve.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 0gProtein: 13gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 26gMonounsaturated Fat: 95gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 1067mgFiber: 0gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 857IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 12mgNet Carbs: 0g

Notes

A note on cooking temperature: Technically, duck is poultry, so the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 165F. However, because duck is not a common carrier of salmonella, and the meat is more similar to lamb or beef, chefs often cook duck to somewhere between 130-140F. The cooking time you choose may depend on how well done you like your duck (there won't be any pinkness if you cook it to 165F!), and what you intend to do with the duck once it's cooked.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.