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free range duck raw

Method

  1. Remember, after removing your bird from the packaging, pat dry and bring to room temperature
  2. Preheat your oven to 210°C temperature fan assisted or 220°C for ovens without a fan.
  3. Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork, being careful not to pierce the meat beneath the skin.
  4. Scald the duck with 1 litre of boiling water by placing on a wire tray over the sink and slowly pouring the boiling water over the bird.
  5. Choose a large, heavy based roasting tray, ideally with deep sides and handles for easy movement.
  6. Season with good quality fine sea salt.
  7. Make a trivet by roughly chopping equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery (or our preferred choice of celeriac, the root of the celery) plus a bay leaf, sprig of thyme and a few black peppercorns. Another nice addition is an orange cut in quarters and put in the bird's cavity.
  8. Reduce the temperature to 160°C fan assisted or 170°C for ovens without a fan and carry on roasting for 40 minutes per kilo. Baste the duck every 15 to 20 minutes, reaching a minimum core temperature of 62°C.
  9. Place the duck onto a clean tray and keep warm by covering with a sheet of tin foil. Rest for 30 minutes before carving.
  10. Use the clear duck fat from the tray to make crisp roast potatoes and parsnips.
  11. For the gravy, saute the giblets in the roasting tray with the vegetables then make up 500ml of light poultry stock and deglaze the roasting tray with this stock, stirring in all the caramelized juices from the tray then bring to the boil.
  12. Skim any fat that rises to the surface then thicken with a little corn flour mixed with some cold water.
  13. Pass through a fine sieve and serve.