Canvas-Back Ducks, Roasted
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a brisk oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the ducks
Pick, singe, draw, and wipe the ducks carefully.
Sprinkle a light pinch of salt inside each duck.
Truss the ducks and place them in a roasting pan.
Sprinkle a little salt over the ducks.
Roast and serve
Roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 18 minutes.
Arrange on a hot dish, untruss, and add 2 tablespoons of white broth to each duck.
Serve with fried hominy and currant jelly.
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 ducks
- Provide the main meat, which is rich and fatty and browns as it roasts.
- White broth
- Adds moisture and savoury flavour to the ducks as they are served.
- Fried hominy
- Adds a crisp, starchy contrast to the rich duck meat.
- Currant jelly
- Adds sweetness and acidity that balances the richness of the duck.
The step that matters
Roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 18 minutes. Duck is best cooked quickly at high heat so the fat renders and the skin crisps while the meat stays pink and juicy. Overcooking dries the lean meat and leaves the fat chewy.
“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.
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