Ever wondered how to cook duck? It's much simpler than most people think. This Roast Duck has tender and juicy meat, crispy skin, and it's glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look. Perfect holiday main dish recipe or something you can make any time for a special occasion.
It's a great-looking dish - perfect for any special occasion, and with the holidays coming up, this roast duck will look great on any Thanksgiving menu (my 50 best Thanksgiving recipes), or as a Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner idea. By the way, the honey-balsamic glaze in this recipe DOES NOT MAKE THE DUCK SWEET - I did not want a sweet duck. It only gives a nice crispiness and beautiful look to the duck skin. Your duck will have a very savory and juicy flavor from the garlic and lemon that you'll stuff inside the duck cavity. SO GOOD! Cooking this duck does take some time and effort, which makes it a perfect holiday main dish or a special occasion dinner.
This recipe has very detailed instructions (with step-by-step photos) on how to prepare and cook the duck - which could be very helpful if you've never cooked the duck before. The duck will be roasted in the oven at 350 F for about 3 hours, and in addition to the beautiful duck, you'll end up with a lot of duck fat which I highly recommend you save and use for roasting vegetables, potatoes, and even cooking your breakfast eggs with it!
If you want a really beautiful and festive presentation for your holiday duck, use my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash glazed with Cinnamon & Maple Syrup, with Pecans & Cranberries as garnish for the duck (this is what you see on the photo below). You can garnish the duck and decorate the serving platter with these colorful veggies - they will have all the holiday colors and flavors and will look very pretty with duck:
How to prepare a whole duck for roasting
Step-by-step photos and instructions start here (the complete recipe without photos is at the bottom of this post). I recommend that you read and look through these photos and then scroll down to the recipe box itself for more condensed version of the recipe (without photos).
If using frozen duck, make sure it's completely defrosted (defrosted in the refrigerator for a couple of days). Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels:
Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast side in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. The 2 deep cuts to the right of the photos is the example of how NOT TO SCORE, but it's still OK, as I did not cut through the meat but did reach the meat in those 2 cuts on the right:
The duck breast should be scored in a diamond pattern:
This is what the duck should look like, breast side up, scored (see 2 deep scores on the right - try not to do that but it's OK as long as you don't cut into the meat itself):
Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except for where the duck legs connect to the duck body).
Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over.
Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking).
The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside.
Tie the duck legs with butcher’s twine or butcher's string (or, in my case, I just used folded aluminum foil to tie up the duck legs, because I forgot to get butcher's twine):
Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).
How to roast a duck in the oven
THIS IS A RECIPE OVERVIEW WITH STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS. SCROLL DOWN TO THE RECIPE CARD TO SEE THE COMPLETE RECIPE.
Here is the recipe for a duck cooked to the final internal temperature of 165 F (well-done, not dry, not overcooked, just juicy and well-done). Use an internal meat thermometer at all times to guide you through the process. Adjust the cooking times proportionally if you prefer to cook your duck medium (140 F internal temperature) or medium-rare (130 F internal temperature).
1) Roast the duck for about 40 minutes at 350 F, breast side up, then remove the duck from the oven, it should look like this after the first 40 minutes of roasting:
2) Then, flip the duck breast side down, and roast for 20 or 40 minutes at 350 F breast side down. After 20 minutes of roasting, check the duck's internal temperature with an instant meat thermometer. If the temperature reaches 140 F, proceed to the next step. If the meat temperature is below 140 F, roast the duck for 10 or 20 more minutes or until the temperature reaches 140 F. The duck should look like this - it's breast side down on this picture:
3) Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven, careful not to spill the juices (fat) in the roasting pan. Carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out - keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.
4) In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon and ¼ cup of honey. Set the duck breast side up again on the roasting rack in the roasting pan. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 40 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture. Continue to measure the duck's internal temperature with the meat thermometer.
5) Add more honey to the mixture if it's too thin; it should be relatively thick. Roast the duck for another 20 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 5 minutes with honey balsamic mixture.
6) Take the duck out of the oven once the internal temperature reaches 155 F (and after you've briefly broiled it if needed). Let it rest, uncovered, on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. During this time the duck will continue cooking in residual heat until it reaches 165 F.
In the end, the duck should be nicely browned with crispy skin like this:
Untie the legs:
If you want a really beautiful and festive presentation for your holiday duck, use my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash glazed with Cinnamon & Maple Syrup, with Pecans & Cranberries.
You can garnish the duck and decorate the serving platter with these colorful veggies - they will have all the holiday colors and flavors and will look very pretty with duck:
Thanksgiving side dishes
- Garlic and Bacon Green Beans - crispy and crunchy green beans sautéed with garlic and bacon in olive oil and butter on stove top.
- Creamy and Crunchy Salad with Peas, Bacon, and Pecans - easy and beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Gorgonzola cheese - Brussels sprouts smothered in heavy cream and mustard with bacon, apples, Gorgonzola cheese and nutmeg. Cooked on stove top.
Roast Duck Recipe
Ingredients
Roast Duck
- 6 lb whole Pekin duck
- salt
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 lemon small or medium, chopped
Glaze
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon , freshly squeezed juice
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
HOW TO THAW FROZEN DUCK
- If you purchased frozen duck, make sure to defrost the frozen duck in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Once the duck is completely thawed (in the refrigerator), take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it more or less to room temperature.
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 Fahrenheit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).
PREPARE THE DUCK
- Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, ensuring you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except where the duck legs connect to the duck body). Season the duck generously with salt both inside the duck's cavity and outside on the skin, legs, and all over. Place the duck breast side up. (refer to step-by-step photos on scoring duck's skin above this recipe card - please scroll up).
- Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher's twine.(again, refer to the step-by-step photos above).
GENERAL GUIDELINES on roasting the whole duck safely in the oven
- Before you go ahead with the recipe, please review these general guidelines.
- According to USDA, to safely cook the duck in the oven at 350 Fahrenheit you have to cook it for 30 minutes per pound, which equals 3 hours for a 6-pound duck. Of course, one should use a meat thermometer and cook the duck to one's preference (medium-rear, for example), but at your own risk. 🙂 Here is the link for the USDA's safe cooking guidelines for whole ducks.
- The duck is considered safe to eat (according to USDA) when an internal temperature reaches 165 °F using a meat thermometer. That's when it's well done. If you take the duck out of the oven once the internal temperature is 155 F and let it sit for 10-15 minutes on the counter until it reaches 165 F - the duck will be well-done, delicious, and safe to eat. Check the internal temperature in the thigh's and wing's innermost part and the breast's thickest part.
- If you prefer to cook your duck rare or medium-rare, the internal temperature (as measured by a meat thermometer) at which you take it out of the oven is 130 Fahrenheit. For medium, take it out at 140 Fahrenheit. But it could be not safe to eat (according to USDA). Do so at your own risk. 🙂 The USDA recommends roasting the duck for 30 minutes per pound at 350 F to be safe.
RECIPE OVERVIEW
- With these considerations in mind, here is the recipe for a duck cooked to the final internal tempearture of 165 F (well-done, not dry, not overcooked, just juicy and well-done). Use an internal meat thermometer at all times to guide you through the process. Adjust the cooking times proportionally if you prefer to cook your duck medium (140 F internal temperature) or medium-rare (130 F internat temperature).
HOW TO ROAST THE DUCK IN THE OVEN
- Step 1. Roast for 40 minutes. Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck). Roast the duck, uncovered, breast side up, for 40 minutes at 350 F.
- Step 2. Roast for 20 minutes (or up to 40 minutes). Flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 20 more minutes, uncovered, at 350 F. After 20 minutes of roasting, check the duck's internal temperature with an instant meat thermometer. If the temperature reaches 140 F, proceed to the next step. If the meat temperature is below 140 F, roast the duck for 10 or 20 more minutes or until the temperature reaches 140 F. Keep in mind this recipe is for a well-done roasted duck. Please take a look at the 2 sections above GENERAL GUIDELINES and RECIPE OVERVIEW if you want your duck roasted medium or medium-rare. And always use a MEAT THERMOMETER.
- Step 3. Remove duck fat. You now have roasted the duck for 1 hour (or 1 hour 20 minutes total). Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven, careful not to spill the juices (fat) in the roasting pan. Carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out - keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.
- Step 4. Make a honey-balsamic glaze and roast for 20 minutes, brushing the duck with the glaze. Flip the duck breast side up again on a rack in a roasting pan (the pan will have no fat juices now). In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of balsamic vinegar + the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon + ¼ cup honey. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 20 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture. Continue to measure the duck's internal temperature with the meat thermometer.
- Step 5. Roast for 20 minutes and continue brushing the duck with the glaze. Add more honey to the mixture if it's too thin; it should be relatively thick. Roast the duck for another 20 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 5 minutes with honey balsamic mixture.
- Step 6. Broil the duck (optional and if needed). You can carefully broil the duck for about 5 or 10 minutes (check it regularly to ensure it doesn't char too much). Broiling the duck is a great option if the skin is not crispy enough. It will speed up the caramelization of the skin if your duck is already cooked to a desired internal temperature (as measured by a meat thermometer).
- Step 7. Remove the duck from the oven. Remove the duck from the oven once the internal temperature reaches 155 F (and after you've briefly broiled it if needed). Let it rest, uncovered, on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. During this time the duck will continue cooking in residual heat until it reaches 165 F.
- Step 8. Discard the lemon. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve!
Notes
Updated recipe
I updated this recipe on October 28, 2023, to make it comprehensive. Let me know in the comments what you think (if the updates are helpful) or if you "miss" the old recipe (which I can repost).Why is the calorie amount in the Nutrition Section so huge?
The huge calories (about 3,000 calories per serving) you see on the nutrition label (the nutrition info on my site is approximate anyway!) include a large amount of duck fat rendered when you roast the duck. You will not eat this fat with the duck (it's rendered and then removed from the roasting pan). But you can save it and use some of it to roast the potatoes or eggs for the next several days.Duck's weight matters!
Ducks come in different sizes. The recipe, as written, is for a 6-pound duck. If your duck is half that size (3 pounds), adjust cooking times accordingly (in half). Use a meat thermometer as your guidance.Looking for Thanksgiving side dishes to serve with duck?
I have created a comprehensive recipe collection of 60 Thanksgiving side dishes conveniently categorized by ingredient: Green Beans, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc. It's a great resource to browse through for a last moment holiday inspiration! This side dishes will also work great for Christmas and New Year's Eve.Looking for a complete Thanksgiving menu?
Be sure to check out my 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu) - it includes everything: Fall-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu features proven, tried, and true Thanksgiving dishes that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes since 2012).⬇️⬇️ My most popular Thanksgiving side dishes, salads, and desserts are below. They will pair beautifully with the roast duck. I highly recommend you check them out. ⬇️⬇️
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My most popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Thanksgiving Side Dish with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples (cooked with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice)
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Cheese
- Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, Dried Cranberries, and Balsamic Glaze
My most popular Thanksgiving Salads
- Fall Pasta Salad with Spinach, Roasted Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, Cranberries, and Goat Cheese
- Apple Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Goat Cheese, and Maple-Lime Mustard Dressing
- Christmas Salad with Baby Spinach, Mandarin Oranges, Pomegranate Seeds, Cranberries, Pecans, and Honey-Mustard Lime Vinaigrette
Robert
Julia, the duck is in the oven - how close should it be to the broiler?
Julia
Hi Robert! Do you have a regular oven where the heat source comes from the bottom? Then, the duck should be in the center. The duck does not have to be broiled - it's optional. The skin should caramelize without broiling. However, if you do choose to broil it, do it at the very end for only 10 minutes or so. And in that case, you don't have to move the duck close to the broiler, just leave the duck where it is - on the center rack.
Also, use a meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer.
Sky
Thank you for sharing this masterpiece of a recipe! I used a smaller duck and reduced the cooking time, and added a bit of ginger powder and soy sauce to the mixture for a hint of oriental flavor. Definitely the best dish I've ever had on Christmas Day - my girlfriend agrees and thanks you as well!
Julia
Sky, your comment made my day! So glad the recipe turned out well and that you liked it! Love the idea of adding ginger powder and soy sauce to the sauce.
Monika
Hi,
Does the roasting option in the oven (zigzag+fan) needs to be used from the very beggining?
Marthese
Cane out amazing just in time for Christmas. Thanks for the recipe
Julia
You are very welcome! I am very pleased the recipe turned out well for you! 🙂
Sam
Quick question! It doesn’t specify but I assume you should; do you roast the duck covered or uncovered?
Julia
Sam, The duck is roasted UNCOVERED the whole time. If your duck is smaller than the one I cooked (smaller than 6 pounds), make sure to watch the cooking times and reduce them – if you review the last few comments I posted you will see the tips and suggestions I have for roasting smaller duck.
Also, it’s critical to use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck. The cooked duck will measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer.
Barbara Knispel
2 questions. This is my first time. I am going to do what I see in the picture, use the oven broiler rack and place the duck on that inside the broiling pan. Will that allow fat to accumulate under duck?
And is that where I drain the fat and use rest for the 2 glazes?
Not sure how to use the glaze and be able to bast
With that rack?
Julia
Hi Barbara, yes, if your broiler rack fits inside the broiling pan and lifts the duck from the bottom of the pan - go ahead and use that. If there is going to be too much duck fat accumulating early on, just remove the duck fat sooner.
Baste the duck starting from step 4. In the previous step 3, you will remove all the duck fat and the drippings from under the duck to a separate heat-proof bowl or container, and after that, you will start basting the duck with the glaze in step 4 while the duck still roasts on the rack in the roasting pan, but with the fat and the drippings gone (removed to a separate heat-proof bowl or container).
Aussie Andrew
I used this recipe yesterday for a Xmas eve lunch.
I had a smaller duck (1.8KG) and cooked it on the Weber BBQ at fairly high heat. I wrapped the legs and wings in aluminium foil to prevent them being overdone. Was cooked in less than two hours. Super crispy skin and very tender, moist and tasty. Served with separately cooked smoked quail. Absolutely superb and a big hit with the family.
Thank you Julia!
Julia
Andrew, you are very welcome! So glad you found this recipe useful. Sounds like your duck was delicious with nice, crispy skin. I love quail - what a wonderful combination to serve this with quail.
Rob Griffin
OMG! Julia! Yu are the best. This is my first duck and I have looked through all of my recipe books and no one has this down like you do. I am actually studying your directions tonight so I am not a total newb! I'll send photos!
Julia
Thank you, Rob! I hope you won't get disappointed with such high expectations from this recipe! 🙂 Just be sure to watch for cooking times and measure the duck's internal temperature early on, especially if the duck is smaller than 6 pounds. And review the last few comments I posted for suggestions on how to roast the smaller duck (if that's the case). Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Wesley Carter
I have never cooked a whole duck before and after reading this recipe I decided to look no further. I will let you know...thanks for the simplicity!
Julia
Thank you, Wesley! Enjoy the recipe - I hope you like it! 🙂
Nik
Just a quick question for you! I'm planning on using this recipe tonight, and I'm just wondering if the duck should be covered in the pan with a lid at any point during the process, or should I leave it open for the entire cooking process? Typically i cover turkey or chicken for the majority of cooking time, and then towards the end I will leave it open to get a crispy skin.
Julia
Hi Nik! The duck is roasted UNCOVERED the whole time. If your duck is smaller than the one I cooked (smaller than 6 pounds), make sure to watch the cooking times and reduce them - if you review the last few comments I posted you will see the tips and suggestions I have for roasting smaller duck.
Also, it’s critical to use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck. The cooked duck will measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer.
Jean Johansen
Just wondering if the Nutritional Facts are correct, is this really almost 3,000 calories per serving!?! YIKES!
Julia
Jean, the calorie count is an approximation. In this particular case, the calorie count includes all the DUCK FAT to be rendered from the duck, and that’s A LOT OF CALORIES!
I have no way of excluding the duck fat from the calorie count here.
But, obviously, you won’t eat the duck fat – duck fat is to be reserved and refrigerated to be used later for cooking meats and veggies, and you probably won’t even use all of the duck fat.
Jean
Thanks Julia, that makes a whole lot more sense, I thought it might be a typo :>)
Julia
It's the duck fat! 🙂
Kerry
Seems far too long to cook, absoloute max 2 hrs!
Julia
It depends on the size of the duck and the type of oven (convection vs regular).
Raven
Hi Julia,
I've seen other recipes recommend broiling at the beginning and then turning oven down to 350 to bake. Is it better to broil at the end or the beginning of the process?
Also, would it help to salt or marinade the duck overnight beforehand?
thank you, I'm excited to make this for Christmas Eve dinner
Julia
There is so much duck fat to be rendered from roasting the duck - I can't imagine broiling it in the beginning: the dripping duck fat will be burning and the skin won't caramelize much.
I would broil the duck at the end. In this particular recipe, you might not even need to broil it because the skin will be thin and crispy and caramelized towards the end from the basting sauce (lemon + balsamic vinegar + honey).
I don't think it's necessary to do anything with the duck beforehand.
Raven A Koeppler
Thank you! that makes so much sense. I will broil at the end if needed. I'm excited to try it. Happy Holidays!
Julia
Happy Holidays! Hope you like it!
Emma
This looks delicious! I’m planning to make it tomorrow for Christmas Eve (my first time making duck!). My question for you is on cook time... I only have a 3.6 lb duck and am trying to determine how to adjust the various roasting times since it’s so much smaller than the duck in your recipe. Any thoughts or advice you can offer? Thanks so much!!
Julia
Hi Emma! This recipe is for 6 lb duck. If you use a smaller duck, such as 3.6 pounds, I would suggest the following changes (as well as using a meat thermometer early on, after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting, to check the duck for doneness).
Here is what I suggest:
In the recipe card where it says: Roast the duck for 3 hours in 4 distinctive steps: I would follow step 1 through Step 3 (cooking the duck for 1 hour and 40 minutes total). Except that in step 1 I would roast the duck for 40 minutes, and then roast the duck for another 30 minutes in step 2 (cooking the duck for a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes instead of 1 hour and 40 minutes). All of this is done in the preheated oven at 350 F.
Then skip step 4 and move to step 5 where you are supposed to roast the duck while brushing it with the balsamic vinegar + lemon + honey mixture for 40 minutes. At this point, check your duck for doneness every 10 minutes. It’s best to use a meat thermometer. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer.
If the duck is not cooked to your preference, continue cooking the duck and brushing it with the honey-balsamic mixture, checking it for doneness every 10 minutes.
*****How to know when the duck is done? The duck is done to medium rare if the juices are pinkish when you carefully cut the duck in the fattest part. The duck is well done when juices run yellow-ish color.
*****You can also use a meat thermometer. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer. Use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck.
Joe Hogan
Hi. The recipe looks great and I am going to try it. My duck is 2.4 kg / 5.5 lb (frozen, and includes giblets etc in a bag inside). How would I calculate the correct baking time for less weight than your 6 1b duck?
Thanks in advance
Julia
Hi Joe! If your duck is 5.5 lbs - that's very close weight-wise to the duck I cooked (6 lb). Since that weight is for a frozen duck with giblets inside, I would suggest the following changes:
In the recipe card where it says: Roast the duck for 3 hours in 4 distinctive steps: I would follow step 1 through Step 3 (cooking the duck for 1 hour and 40 minutes total). Except that in step 1 I would roast the duck for 30 minutes, and then roast the duck for another 30 minutes in step 2 (cooking the duck for a total of 1 hour instead of 1 hour and 40 minutes during those 2 steps). All of this is done in the preheated oven at 350 F.
Then follow steps 3 through 5. When you start following step 5 (where you are supposed to roast the duck while brushing it with the balsamic vinegar + lemon + honey mixture for 40 minutes) - make sure to check your duck for doneness every 10 minutes at this point. It’s best to use a meat thermometer. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer.
If the duck is not cooked to your preference, continue cooking the duck and brushing it with the honey-balsamic mixture, checking it for doneness every 10 minutes.
*****How to know when the duck is done? The duck is done to medium rare if the juices are pinkish when you carefully cut the duck in the fattest part. The duck is well done when juices run yellow-ish color.
*****You can also use a meat thermometer. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer. Use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 40 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck.
Joe Hogan
Wow Julia! Thanks so much for the time and effort in your detailed reply. I am so grateful.... I really didn't expect such a "personalised" level of attention... it's not so common these days. I have bookmarked your site and when the festivities die down a little I wil be back to have a wander through your site. I am sure i will be as equally impresed as I am now.
Julia
Thank you, Joe, for your kind words! Roasting the duck for Christmas or Thanksgiving is a pretty important event in my book, so I make sure to answer any questions that I can.