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Roast Duck with Duck Fat Potatoes

Whole roast duck, the perfect indulgent Sunday lunch & this recipe comes with glorious potatoes that are almost confit & a red wine gravy.

This recipe is the perfect alternative Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner for a couple leaving modest leftovers. Alternatively, you could scoff the lot, we do!

Red wine gravy poured over roast duck, with a whole duck in the background.

The Perfect Duck Dinner.

Regular readers will know that I am rather fond of the occasional duck recipe. Whether it is duck breast in my pan-fried duck breast with orange sauce, or slow-cooked duck legs in my duck donburi or hoisin duck recipes, or quickly cooked in this duck stir fry!

This, however, takes the whole duck and does something quite magical with it.

I use a technique from a chef called Michel Roux Jr, so pretty much as close as you get to food royalty as far as I am concerned!

It features the very best potatoes I have ever eaten or cooked. Slowly roasted as the fat from the duck drips over them resulting in almost confit potatoes. They are heavenly and take roast potatoes to a whole new level.

It is finished with a wonderfully silky red wine gravy made from the giblets of the duck.

It is a complete heart of a Sunday lunch and ideal for a Christmas dinner for a smaller family. In that vein, it is very similar to my roast guinea fowl and roast pigeon recipes!

Roast duck breast from a whole roast duck with duck fat potatoes.

The Secret to Cooking a Whole Duck.

I’ve spent years playing around with different techniques for roasting duck. This one results in a perfectly cooked duck with crispy duck skin.

I’ve seen everything from searing the bird to boiling it before placing it in an oven.

This technique is insanely easy and has no preparation aside from stringing together the legs.

The bird is thrown in the oven at a very high temperature and then the temperature is dropped whilst the cooking continues.

The secret that really makes a difference with this roast duck recipe is to not cook it in a roasting pan!

It allows the hot air to circulate around the bird freely which really helps render out that fat.

One of the downsides is that it does make your oven a little muckier than using in a roasting tin.

But this is a special meal and not your average Sunday roast! Cleaning the oven after really is worth it!

Roast duck leg served with duck fat potatoes and red cabbage.

Serving Suggestions.

This whole roast duck recipe provides you with the perfect base to build a fantastic Sunday lunch for a couple or smaller family.

All you have to do is go to town with whatever vegetables you want, I personally favour a wee bit of braised red cabbage.

If you want some greens you could go with my garlic green beans or my air fryer asparagus.

If you want mash maybe look a little outside the normal mashed potato. Consider some celeriac mash or carrot and swede mash (rutabaga for my US readers).

Whole crispy roast duck with duck fat potatoes and red cabbage.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions you can ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Oven.
  • 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
  • Griddle pan (optional).
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Baking tray.
  • Kitchen foil.
  • Fine mesh sieve.
  • Stirring and serving spoons and or tongs.
Whole crispy roast duck with duck fat potatoes.
Yield: 2-4 Servings

Whole Roast Duck Recipe With "confit" roast Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

A whole roast duck always feels special and this recipe comes bundled with the very best potato recipe that I know and a foxy red wine gravy!

Ingredients

For the Duck:

  • 2.5kg (5-5½ lb) Whole Duck
  • Salt to Taste
  • Pepper to Taste

For the "Confit" Roast Potatoes:

  • 800g (3½ Cups) Potatoes
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • Salt to Taste
  • Pepper to Taste

For the Gravy:

  • Giblets from the duck
  • 350ml (1½ Cups) Water
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Stick Celery
  • 200ml (1¼ Cups) Red Wine
  • 75g (5 Tbsp) Butter

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 240°C 450°F.
  2. Trim up the duck of any excess fat around the cavities and season inside and out generously with salt.
  3. Tie the legs of the duck at the 'ankle'.
  4. Place a roasting tin on the lowest shelf of the oven to catch the dripping fat from the duck.
  5. Then place the duck in the oven directly on a cooling grid and not in a roasting tin, this allows the duck to cook evenly.
  6. Cook on this high heat for 20 minutes.
  7. Whilst this is happening heat a griddle pan over a high heat.
  8. Slice the potatoes into 1cm thick scallops.
  9. Pour the oil over the potatoes and season generously with salt and pepper.
  10. Grill the potatoes for a couple of minutes on each side to get some nice grill marks.
  11. Once the potatoes have the griddle marks and your duck has been cooking for 20 minutes arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the tray under the duck.
  12. Reduce the heat to 180°C or 350°F and cook for a further 40 minutes.
  13. Roughly chop the onion and celery for the gravy.
  14. Place the giblets from the bird in a 20cm or 8" saucepan with the onion, celery and water bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for the amount of time it takes to cook the duck.
  15. Remove the duck from the oven and tent it with foil and rest for 20 minutes. This is THE most important part of this recipe!
  16. Shift the potatoes to the middle of the oven and baste them with the juices they are sitting in and allow them to cook on for the 20 mins resting time.
  17. After the duck has been resting for 5 minutes heat a dry pan over a high heat and add the red wine for the gravy and reduce by two thirds.
  18. Drain off the stock created from the giblets and add it to the wine reduction along with a generous pinch of salt.
  19. Reduce by half again, skimming off any foam.
  20. Add the duck resting juices and whisk in the butter just before serving being sure to taste and season as required!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 988Total Fat: 66gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 810mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 39g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Rosie Meech

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

Hi there. Looking forward to cooking this in my Halogen oven for Xmas this year. I confit my own legs & breastsin a slow cooker, then roast off in the Halogen. Will let you know how this turns out.

Brian Jones

Saturday 5th of November 2022

Superb, enjoy... I've never used a halogen oven, but I'm sure you have got this covered, I love this recipe!

Judith Humphrys

Friday 8th of February 2019

Sounds and looks delish. We love duck and braised red cabbage, they go together. I am Hungarian born and live in British Columbia , Canada. Are either of you of Hungarian heritage?

Brian Jones

Monday 11th of February 2019

Duck and cabbage certainly is a match made in heaven... Both my wife and I are British born, we just kinda love the quiet life in the Hungarian countryside.

Lauren Vavala | DeliciousLittleBites

Monday 29th of October 2018

I've never had duck. I've never seen it in stores around where I live and I'm afraid to order it out in case I don't like it haha. We did just find a legit butcher shop though - will have to check it out soon and get a little more adventurous int he kitchen because this recipe looks so good!

Brian Jones

Tuesday 30th of October 2018

You should definitely give it a try, order it next time you are out! We love it, such a wonderfully tasty meat!

Ben Myhre

Monday 29th of October 2018

I like duck, as well. In fact, it is hunting season where I am right now. Unfortunately, I just cannot go this year so I hope my friends and family can drop off a duck or two for me to experiment with!

Brian Jones

Tuesday 30th of October 2018

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Shashi at SavorySpin

Monday 29th of October 2018

Wow - a meal fit for royalty indeed! What a delicious and exquisite treat! Your duck looks wonderful - so tender and potatoes are perfection!

Brian Jones

Tuesday 30th of October 2018

Thank you!

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