How do I cook a duck ?
Duck tastes amazing when cooked properly. Although duck is not the easiest dish to cook, you can master cooking duck by practice. You would need a duck, pepper, paprika, orange zest, season-all sat, orange or cranberry juice, sweet wine and seasonings or herbs of your choice. You would also need a tin foil, roasting rack, a rectangular baking pan, rubber bands and an oven.
After buying all the ingredients, the first thing you need to do is check the cavities of the duck and remove giblets and excess fats. Make sure to clean the duck thoroughly under running water and allow it to dry. Place rubber bands on the wings or legs can keep all the parts of the bird in place.
Season the duck with a tablespoon of pepper and a tablespoon of all-season salt. Include all the spices and herbs you want and rub it all over the bird. After preparing the over by setting it to 375 degrees, you need to cut small slits into the duck’s breast by using a knife or a large fork. Add orange or cranberry juice into the scored parts of the duck before placing it on the upper roasting rack of the oven. Place the large rectangular pan half-filled with hot water on the lower shelf, directly under the duck. Cover the duck with aluminum foil.
Generally, duck is cooked for ten minutes per each pound. After the cooking time has passed, you still need to check the duck manually to see if it’s done. If you want it crispy, you can place it under a broiler for about 10 minutes until it reaches the desired crispiness. However, make sure not to overcook the duck as this may result in tough meat. Move it to a serving plate once the duck is finished cooking and make sure to remove the rubber bands or strings you used. Garnish the duck and serve.
You can make a sauce for the duck using paprika, onions, salt, orange zest and pepper. Add water and cornstarch to thicken your gravy. If you like sweet gravy, add cranberry juice or sweet wine to the sauce.
