I buy food from a local farmer - order online and it gets dropped off at my local YMCA on Monday evening. I get local fresh veggies, eggs, grass-fed ground beef, chicken thighs. When I went to order tonight I saw that they had whole ducks for sale, so on a whim I bought one.

Now I have never cooked a duck in my life. I know they produce a lot of fat. Anyone have any experience with cooking ducks who has some tips, or any favorite way to cook ducks. I'm looking forward to trying it.

I will have to check in my recipe files. I love duck, and goose. And the rendered fat is excellent stuff! I roast a goose most Christmases. Last December it was a duck, as we were only 3. I will look for some of my recipes, and let you know.
Are these whole ducks, or dismembered. And, if whole, are you comfortable with cutting them apart yourself if needed?

Thanks. I believe it's a whole duck. I was assuming I would roast it whole but have no problems with dismembering.

Ooh, I subscribed to this thread. I have not made duck myself but have access to plenty of different varietes from cooked to fresh around here. I've seen a way to make breast by Jacques Pepin (probably my favorite tv cook besides anthony boudain or david chang or Julia, or, etc...

http://ww2.kqed.org/jpepinheart/201...and-cracklings/

Here are some duck heads I was curious about. Perhaps they are good in soup!

http://downhaul.com/lowcarb/keto113...ds/Pages/7.html

I've cooked several ducks through the years.
You need to put it up on a rack in the roasting pan and stuff it with a whole onion (which you throw away later,will taste bad)
You are so lucky to get a fresh duck!!!

Prick the duck skin all over so that the fat can drain out and then roast on a rack in a pan in an oven preheated to 220C/425F for 20 mins a pound plus 20 mins. I also like to rub chinese five spice on the skin before cooking.

Definitely use a meat thermometer because nothing is worse than an over cooked duck.

I looked in my recipe files, and find that I don't have much for duck. Apparently I have been cooking "by feel" when roasting duck, and don't have anything written down. Last Christmas I roasted a whole duck, with a blood orange sauce; couldn't find the exact recipe anymore, but there are several that pop up when googled. And there is this, from my journal, on duck breasts: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost...4&postcount=101

Looking at my old favorite recipe for roasted duck with walnut glaze (I know skip the glaze)in the Good Housekeeping cookbook and all of the roasted whole duck recipes say to bake at 325 for 2 1/2-3 hours. Any higher temp. and the meat will be stringy.(cook too fast)
But the meat thermometer is a must to know when the duck is ready.

I've always wanted to try cooking a whole one! Supermarket carries duck breast and duck legs, Maple Leaf brand (I think low or no additives/preservatives).

I prefer the duck legs, roasted with pepper or light seasoning. They cook in their own fat, very good! And the local meat market sometimes gets duck legs confit (frozen) from Canada, I love those.

When I lived in Chicago, I used to buy cut up roast duck at an Asian market with five-spice type seasoning.

Ha-ha. I just actually bought some 5-spice seasoning recent at a new store selling organic spices and teas. Will have to check out.