Canvas-back Duck
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point.
Prepare
Pluck the duck.
Singe the duck.
Draw the duck.
Wipe it with a wet towel.
Truss the head under the wing.
Place the duck in a dripping pan.
Roast and serve
Roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 minutes, basting often.
Season with salt and pepper when done.
Pour the gravy 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
- Provides the main meat, whose rich fat renders and keeps the flesh moist during roasting.
- Gravy from the duck
- Adds moisture and savory flavor to the carved duck just before serving.
The step that matters
Basting often during roasting. Spooning pan juices over the bird keeps the surface moist and helps it brown evenly, while the fat renders out. Skipping it can leave the skin dry and pale.
“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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