How to roast duck to render the fat and get crispy skin?

Question

Get tips to roast duck with crispy skin and well-rendered fat.

Answer 1

To roast duck to render its fat and achieve crispy skin, score the skin, prick it all over, start at a high temperature (e.g., 400°F/200°C) to render fat, then reduce to a lower temperature (e.g., 325-350°F/160-175°C) to finish cooking.

Detailed Explanation:

Roasting duck involves a delicate balance of rendering its abundant fat while ensuring the meat remains tender and the skin becomes incredibly crispy.

1. Preparation: Pat the duck dry thoroughly, inside and out. Using a sharp knife, score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. This helps the fat render more efficiently. Then, use a fork or skewer to prick the skin all over, especially in fatty areas like the breast and thighs, to create small channels for fat to escape.
2. Initial High Heat: Place the duck on a roasting rack set in a pan. Start roasting at a relatively high temperature, such as 400°F (200°C), for the first 20-30 minutes. This initial burst of heat helps to aggressively render the fat, causing it to drip into the pan below.
3. Drain Fat: As the fat renders, it will collect in the roasting pan. Periodically (every 20-30 minutes), carefully pour off the rendered fat into a heatproof container. This prevents the duck from simmering in its own fat and ensures the skin can crisp up. (Save this flavorful duck fat for other cooking!)
4. Reduce Temperature and Continue Roasting: After the initial high-heat rendering, reduce the oven temperature to a more moderate 325-350°F (160-175°C) and continue roasting until the duck is cooked through. The total cooking time will depend on the size of the duck.
5. Final Crisp (Optional): If the skin isn't as crispy as desired at the end of cooking, you can increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) for the last 5-10 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
6. Rest: Allow the duck to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.

Pro Tip:

For extra flavor and to further aid fat rendering, rub a mixture of salt, pepper, and sometimes a little five-spice powder or dried orange zest onto the duck skin before roasting.