Duck

While duck has a higher fat content than chicken or turkey has and its darker meat is deliciously rich flavour. One drawback, however, is that ducks can be small and don't provide meat for many people. Here are our tips on cooking it whole or in portions.

Whole duck
Almost all oven-ready ducks available as fresh-chilled or frozen are actually ducklings, under six months old. They come in a large number of sizes, from very young and small to older, larger birds. It can be more desirable to buy two smaller, more tender birds, rather than one large duck. However, this will increase the cost per serving.


It's best to defrost frozen duck slowly in the fridge

The layer of fat on a duck means that it freezes well and remains succulent. As with other poultry, it's best to defrost frozen duck slowly in the fridge.

When cooking a whole duck, you'll need to prick the bird all over before cooking so that the fat is released. If you want the skin to become crispy, roast the duck on a rack in a tray. The excess fat can be drained regularly during cooking. To get a crispy skin on your duck, pour a kettle of boiling water over the bird before cooking. This will melt away some of the fat. The duck should then be dried thoroughly and roasted in a very hot oven.

Duck portions
Duck can be bought as quarter portions of either breast or leg or as trimmed breasts. These are quite expensive, but the amount of meat is guaranteed, which ensures the amount of meat you are serving per head. They can be pan-cooked, grilled or even roasted as the fat content will protect them quite well. The leg pieces are excellent for casseroles and stews, although the fat may be drawn out of them and need skimming off.