Danish Roasted Christmas Duck

Step 1

Remove the giblets and clean the in- and outside of the duck thoroughly. Put the giblets in a large oven tray.

Step 2

Cut off some of the fat/skin at the neck and end of the duck. Put the fat/skin in a large frying pan together with two diced apples, onions and prunes. Add salt, pepper and some dried thyme or a couple of fresh thyme twigs to the pan. Fry it all for a couple of minutes at medium heat.

Step 3

Rub the duck thoroughly with kosher salt, both inside and outside.

Step 4

Use a spoon to stuff the duck with the fried apples, onion and prunes but leave out the fat/skin. Close the end/opening of the duck using food metal needles or thread so that the stuffing don't fall out.

Step 5

Cut off the tip of the wings - they only tend to get burned anyway.

Step 6

In the oven tray with the giblets, put the tip of the wings and pour over 1 liter (1/4 gal) of water. This water can later be used to make gravy.

Step 7

Place the duck on an oven grid with the back upwards. Place the grid, with the duck, at the middle position in the oven and place the oven tray, with the giblets, underneath so that the fat from the duck can drip down into the tray.

Step 8

Cook the duck at 150 C (300 F) for about 35 minutes per half kg (30 min. per pound) - therefore, a 3 kg/7 lb duck should cook for about 3.5 hours. Cook the duck without using circulating air this will dry out the duck. When half the time is up turn over the duck so that the breast is upwards. Sprinkle the breast with plenty of salt. It's the salt that makes the skin crisp.

Step 9

Cook the duck until it's done. A good indication that the duck is done is when the legs are loose and can be pulled of easily.

Step 10

If you want the skin of the duck more crisp use the grill function in the oven - just remember to keep an eye on the duck, so that you don't burn the skin.