The Cookbook/Roast Duck

Basic roast duck.

Ingredients

• 1 young duckling (3-6 lbs, 1 1/2 - 3 kg)
• salt and pepper
• Butter flavored nonstick spray

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Rinse and wipe duckling, removing giblets.
3. Set bird aside in an airy place to allow the skin to dry.
4. Rub inside cavity with salt and pepper.
5. Insert vertical oven roaster (used for "beer can chicken") into bird and prop it upright.
6. Coat bird on all sides with butter-flavored spray and sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over the skin.
7. Place bird and vertical roaster into a large roasting pan (use a wire rack insert if you have one) and add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
8. Leave bird in oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325F until done. No need to prick skin or baste bird, as the fat slowly renders off leaving a wonderful crispy skin. Keep the bottom of the roasting pan covered with water to prevent smoking.
9. Pour off fat and save, reserving drippings and liquid from the roasting pan. (The fat and liver can be cooked together to make a very tasty pate' so don't throw any of it out!)