Barefoot in Paris: Roast Duck

I love Ina Garten. She is one of my favorite TV Chefs to watch. I do not like to make things that have a ton of ingredients and her recipes are very simple and always taste great. So, from my first cookbook of this challenge, Barefoot in Paris,  I chose to make my very first duck.

Let me start out by saying the duck came out perfectly! Although, in the process, our kitchen was like a bonfire. Ina does mention in the recipe "be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!" Well she was right. IT SMOKED!!! My husband had to go take down the smoke detectors so they were not continually going off. I thought for sure by how hazy the kitchen looked the duck was going to be burnt to a crisp. It was delicious!! I have never had duck before so I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I am a dark meat girl anyway and it tasted very similar to the dark meat of chicken. I will definitely be filing this one away for the future. Ina's recipe called to make 2 ducks, but for me and my husband, I figured we would be quite safe with one. So I halved her recipe:

Roast Duck
Adapted from Ina Garten's: The Barefoot in Paris


1 Duck (5 to 6 pounds), innards and wing tips removed
1 32 oz box chicken broth
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper

Allow duck to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin only, not the meat, all over. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot pour in the chicken broth, then fill with enough water to cover the duck. Heat the liquid with 1/2 tablespoon salt until boiling. Add the ducks and bring back to a boil. Place a plate on top of the ducks to keep them submerged. When the liquid comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Skim off enough fat from the top of the stock to pour into the bottom of a large roasting pan. This will keep the duck from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Take the duck out of pot and allow to drain. Place in roasting pan and pat duck dry with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. (BE SURE YOUR OVEN IS CLEAN OR IT WILL SMOKE (she is right!!!)
Roast duck for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow duck to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes.

Next time I try this recipe I may have my husband put in on the rotisserie on the grill to finish it off, to keep the smoke out of the kitchen. Smoke aside though it was a great first duck!

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