Christmas Duck Cooking Guide

Method

Free Range, Great Ocean Duck

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C. Pat your duck dry with a paper towel (optional: stuff cavity with quartered apples and prunes). Gently score the skin of your duck, ensuring you do not cut through the meat. This will allow the fat to render out during cooking. Rub the skin all over with salt, then seal the cavity with a skewer and put the duck in a dish with about 300ml of chicken broth.
2. Roast for about 35 mins, adding more liquid if it evaporates (you need liquid to prevent the duck drying out).
3. Reduce the heat to 160°C and cook for a further 1 hours and 10 mins. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read at an internal temperature of 67°C in the leg (ensure it's not touching bone).
4. When it's done, rest the duck for 15 - 20 mins.
5. Serve with duck fat roasted potatoes and a gravy made from the duck juices.

Mini Bacon Turducken Roll

1. Roast for 45 mins per kilo of meat on 180°C. For example, a 3kg Turducken would need 2 hours 15 mins. You should not need to baste this piece as it is self-saucing from the bacon fat. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read somewhere between 67 - 70°C. Once cooked, rest for 20 mins.
2. Serve with simple green vegetables such as brussell sprouts or broccoli.

Whole Goose

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C. Season the skin and cavity of your goose with your favourite flavours (e.g. herbs, citrus, salt). Brown the skin of your goose in a heavy based fry pan or on the BBQ (optional) for a few mins. Place in a roasting dish, or close the BBQ lid, and bake for 10 - 15 mins. Then reduce heat to 170°C and roast for a further 20 - 30 mins per kilo (depending on your preference for doneness), basting every 30 mins or so. If your goose is browning too fast at any point, cover with foil. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read somewhere between 67 - 70°C.
2. Rest at least 30 mins before serving.
3. Serve with steamed potatoes and a gravy made from goose juices.