Canvas-back Duck, Philadelphia Style
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Pluck, singe, and draw the duck.
Wipe it with a wet towel.
Truss the head under the wing.
Bake
Place the duck in a dripping pan in a very hot oven at 400°F (200°C) and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve
Transfer the duck to a lighted chafing dish.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the gravy from the baking over the duck and serve immediately.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Canvas-back duck
- Is the main protein, providing the meat and fat that define the dish.
- Coarse sea salt
- Seasons the meat directly after roasting, enhancing its savoury flavour.
The step that matters
Bake in a very hot oven. A very hot oven browns and crisps the skin while the fat renders out, so the bird cooks through without drying. Too low a temperature leaves the skin pale and flabby.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipes
Mutton Broth292 recipes
Yorkshire Pudding264 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.