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slow roasted duck/goose?

post #1 of 9
7/20/09 at 3:03pm
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Hi. Was just wondering if anyone here has tried roasting a duck or a goose at around 200 F (or somewhere between 200 F and 275 F) for a long time, say, 4 hours or so for a 5 lb duck. Being a huge fan of slow roasted prime rib, I'm thinking it should work just as well for fatty birds, but thought I'd just ask beforehand. Thanks in advance.

p.s. Yes, I heard many times that it's better to cook the breast and legs separately, and I kinda agree, but I'd still like to know how to cook the whole bird well. What I'm looking for is super crispy skin and reasonably juicy meat (even when it's well done, and yes, I'm all about the skin).
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post #2 of 9
7/20/09 at 4:37pm
This technique will not give you the skin quality you're looking for. It would be more tough and rubbery.
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
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post #3 of 9
7/21/09 at 8:03am
I think it would certainly be worth a try.

Thirty years ago when my wife, then girl friend, wanted to surpise me with a duck dinner things didn't go according to plan. This was only the second time she'd ever used an electric oven and didn't realise the main lower element had in fact, burned out early on in the process, roasting the duck by the heat of the anemic top element only. An approx 5 pound duck took about 4-4 1/2 hours to cook, but was succulant and had a delicous crisp skin. I can only guess the oven was in the 200 degree temp range. The only prep done to the bird was washing, salting and pricking the skin.

The duck wasn't quite as crisp as a Peking Duck, but all these years later I recall it as one of the best ducks I've ever eaten.
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post #4 of 9
7/21/09 at 8:18am
I've actually had success with duck and turkey on a smoker, running at around 225 degrees for between 3-5 hours (depending on size of bird) - a mild wood like maple or red oak gives it a nice character without overpowering the meat.

As to crisping the skin, that's a simple matter of heating up a cup or two of oil to fry temperature (350 or so) and "basting" the bird with it when it's finished cooking. Just ladle the oil over the bird while suspending it over the oil.
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post #5 of 9
7/21/09 at 8:18am
I agree about the skin. If you want it super crispy, a low, long roast won't get that for you. You'd need higher heat, at least at the end.
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post #6 of 9
7/21/09 at 8:28am
I've had success smoking duck and other whole birds around 225-250.

The way to get around the rubber skin problem is just bathe it in hot oil after the cooking process is finished. Common technique in oriental kitchens, not so much here stateside.
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post #7 of 9
7/21/09 at 12:29pm
So do what the Chinese do and bathe it in hot peanut oil after you're done roasting it.

I do that with smoked duck (I use a very, very mild wood like Maple or Red Oak for this treatment) and it crisps up beautifully.
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post #8 of 9
7/21/09 at 2:31pm
I've done this several times now, with very good results. The skin will be very crispy, but you still run the risk of overcooking the breast a bit (like roasting any bird).

Try the recipe given in the first result from searching for '5 hour roast duck' (I would post the link, but I'm too new here :))
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post #9 of 9
7/23/09 at 1:36am
There is an interesting way to slow-cook duck in Europe. Whole duck (extra fat removed, skin pierced, marinated in white wine with honey and aromatics) goes into oval dutch oven with lots of quartered skin-on Granny Smith apples all over it and cooks inside at 250-275, covered, for 2-3 hrs. Bird, basically, starts to roasts dry, but melted fat mixed with released apple juice makes it alike to confit method. You'll never achieve all-around crispy skin that way but it forms a tasty brown caramelized crust at bottom and top skin crisp up a little too (apple-fat only covers it 1/3 way up and most apples stay chunky thanks to skin). It just melts and falls of the bone and smells divine. Sour apples cut the fat just right. I think, might work well for hash next morning too?:confused:

Otherwise, slow roasting is perfect way to par-cook before crisping up in hotter oven or (totally agreed with esteemed TheMetalChef) with hot oil. If you do it over hot grill, use blow drier to create some convection and dry the skin as much as possible.
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