Roast duck

Crisp-skinned Czech roast duck with caraway, served the traditional way with sauerkraut and bread dumplings — a celebratory plate worth the slow roast.

Ingredients

• duck2 kg
• caraway2 tsp
• sauerkraut400 g
• onion1 pcs
• bread dumpling8 slices
• salt1 tsp

Method

1. Prepare the duck. Pat the duck thoroughly dry with kitchen paper — moisture is the enemy of crisp skin. Score the skin all over with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut into the meat, then rub generously with salt and the caraway seeds, pressing them into the scores.
2. Rest before roasting. Leave the seasoned duck uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional). This brief rest helps the salt begin drawing out surface moisture.
3. Start the slow roast. Place the duck breast-side down on a rack in a deep roasting tin and roast for 45 minutes. Starting breast-side down renders fat from the back and keeps the breast meat moist. Drain off the rendered fat from the tin halfway through — reserve it, it's precious.
4. Flip and crisp the skin. Turn the duck breast-side up and roast for a further 60–70 minutes at 200°C fan (220°C conventional), until the skin is a deep mahogany brown and completely crisp. When you pierce the thigh at its thickest point, the juices should run clear with no trace of pink.
5. Rest the duck. Transfer the duck to a board and rest, loosely tented with foil, for 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes carving much easier.
6. Warm the sauerkraut. While the duck rests, finely slice the onion and soften it in a spoonful of the reserved duck fat in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the sauerkraut, stir well, and warm through gently for 10 minutes — it should be hot and glossy, not dry.
7. Warm the dumplings. Steam or briefly microwave the bread dumpling slices until heated through and just tender — they should feel soft and springy, not gummy. Two slices per person is the traditional portion.
8. Carve and plate. Quarter the duck with a sharp knife or poultry shears, giving each person a portion of leg and breast. Arrange alongside a generous mound of sauerkraut and two dumpling slices, spooning any resting juices over the duck to finish.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Duck must be cooked through. Unlike beef, duck should reach an internal temperature of at least 74°C at the thickest part of the thigh. Clear, not pink, juices are a reliable visual cue, but a meat thermometer gives you certainty.
• Handle rendered duck fat safely. The roasting tin will collect a significant amount of very hot fat — drain it carefully using oven gloves and a ladle, and never tip the tin over an open flame or hot hob ring.