Make a smaller Christmas gathering feel extra special with our Christmas Whole Duck, roasted until the skin is crisp and golden. Serve with creamy garlic mash, buttery Savoy cabbage with smoked streaky bacon, and a rich cherry gravy gently infused with star anise. Our Christmas Chicken Stock and Chicken Gravy make the sauce straightforward, while optional pigs in blankets add another festive favourite to the table.
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Remove the duck’s packaging and any giblet bag from the cavity. Weigh the duck without the giblets and check the cooking instructions supplied. Pat the skin thoroughly dry with kitchen paper; do not wash raw poultry.
Use the tip of a clean skewer to prick the fatty skin around the thighs and lower breast, taking care not to pierce the meat underneath. Rub the skin with the salt and Coarse Ground Pepper. Leave the cavity unstuffed and place the duck breast-side up on a rack in a deep metal roasting tin.
Follow the cooking instructions supplied with your duck. As a general guide at this temperature, allow 40 minutes per kilogram plus 10 minutes—approximately 1 hour 50 minutes for a 2.5kg bird. After about 45 minutes, carefully remove excess rendered fat from the roasting tin with a baster or spoon into a heatproof container. Repeat if a deep pool develops. Avoid basting the skin so it can crisp.
If including Pigs in Blankets, arrange them on a separate baking tray and put them into the oven approximately 30–35 minutes before the duck is expected to finish. Turn once and follow any cooking instructions on the pack. Before serving, check that the centre of the thickest sausage reaches 75°C for at least 30 seconds.
About 30 minutes before the duck is expected to be ready, put the potatoes into a saucepan of cold, lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes until completely tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to steam-dry for 2 minutes. Warm 100ml milk with the Garlic Granules in a small pan, then mash into the potatoes with 50g butter. Add the remaining milk gradually if needed. Season to taste, cover and keep hot over a pan of gently simmering water.
Start checking the duck 15–20 minutes before its estimated finishing time. Insert a clean food thermometer into the thickest part of each breast and thigh, avoiding the bones. Each area should reach at least 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue roasting if necessary. Once cooked, transfer to a warm platter and rest for 20 minutes, loosely tented with foil rather than tightly wrapped.
While the duck rests, put the cherries, Chicken Stock and whole Star Anise into a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes until the cherries soften, crushing a few with the back of a spoon. Stir in the Chicken Gravy and red wine vinegar, then simmer for another 5 minutes until piping hot and slightly thickened. Remove and discard the Star Anise. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 10g butter.
Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large frying pan over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add the remaining 15g butter, the shredded cabbage and 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and the excess moisture has evaporated. Taste before adding salt, as the bacon already provides seasoning.
Carve the duck, dividing the breast and leg meat between four plates. Serve with the garlic mash, bacon cabbage and pigs in blankets, if using. Spoon the cherry gravy alongside the duck, rather than over all the skin, to preserve its crisp finish.
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