Have you ever had duck? To some it may be intimidating, as it’s not an everyday meat people eat. I made a sweet and tender roast duck and boy was it absolutely delicious! It was my first time having it and making it. My husband had it once at a local restaurant called The Landing Restaurant. We are still celebrating the holiday season. Why not make a delicious roast and tender duck? Everyone says it tastes like chicken. I can confirm that is correct. The difference between chicken and duck is that duck is very fatty and has only dark meat. This explains why this meat is very tender.

What to Serve Duck with and When?

Duck can be served with just about anything. I served it with wild rice and brussel sprouts. Duck can be served anytime of the year. I have only seen it sold as a whole bird but I am sure it can be found in smaller portions. For 5 pounds I thought I would have enough for leftovers. Unfortunately It was enough for one meal. I was hoping for more since it was soo good! It would have gone well with my Pomegranate Winter Salad (Perfect for the Holidays). This is a perfect meal to serve for any holiday, such as Christmas, New Year’s or Easter.

Marinade for Duck

I wanted to go with something sweet and so I went with my Asian Dressing. This marinade is our favorite, in my home. Here is the post with my Top 3 Seasoning/Marinades to Try (Thanksgiving Turkey). My top 3 favorite marinades/seasonings to cook with. The measurements are obviously different for the 5 pound duck than what I normally cook. For a meal, I make 1.5 pounds of meat for my husband and kids. I also did not add the sriracha sauce.

Marinade the duck for at least a full day to get the ultimate flavors for your duck. It is the same process as making a Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (Herb and Citrus). Just A LOT smaller.

Sweet Roast and Tender Duck

Recipe by Azilde ElizabethCourse: Lunch/DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

15

minutes

Resting Time

24

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

59

minutes

A sweet and tender roasted duck to serve at any special occasion, especially during the holidays!

Ingredients

• 1 tbs of dried cilantro

• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tbs of onion powder

• 1/2 tbs of garlic powder

• Salt

• Pepper

• 5 cloves of garlic

• bunch of fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 cup of amino acids (preferred) or low sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup of honey

• 1 lemon, juiced. Reserve the lemon skin

• 2 splashes of fish sauce

Directions

• Take 2 small bowls. In the first bowl mix the dried ingredients (dried cilantro, red pepper flakes, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper). In the second bowl, mix together the amino acids, honey, lemon juice and fish sauce. Set aside.
• Remove the giblets from the duck and pat dry. Season the duck with the dried herb mix. Then take another small bowl and pour half of the wet marinade into the other bowl. Reserve half for vegetables or for another meal. (I used it to make brussel sprouts that I served with the duck.
• Using a basting brush, use half of the marinade to coat the duck from top to bottom. Last step is to add the lemon skin, garlic and fresh cilantro into the cavity of the duck.
• Cover with plastic wrap in a roasting pan and let it marinade in the fridge for at least 24-48 hours.
• COOKING TIME
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove duck from the fridge. Let it rest for 30 minutes before cooking. You want the bird to come down to room temperature. Add a thermometer to the thickest part of the bird. The leg is a good place for it.
• Remove plastic wrap and add about 1/2 cup of water into the roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Basting every 30 minutes.
• After 1 hour and 15 minutes, flip the duck (remove the thermometer) and roast for 45 minutes, basting every 30 minutes. After 45 minutes, flip the duck one more time (stick thermometer back) and roast for another 45 minutes or until thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven and let duck rest for 25 minutes. Cut and Serve!

Notes

Time to Serve

Cut duck and garnish with herbs and fruit. I used pomegranate and thyme. Serve with a salad or wild rice and brussel sprouts. Really anything goes with this delicious meat!

Have you had duck? If so, what is your favorite way to eat it? What is your favorite seasoning on duck?

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!