Duck and turkey: crisp skin, juicy breast and carving properly
How to render duck fat and get crisp skin, duck breast with a pink centre, duck with apples. How much turkey per guest, how to thaw it, dry brining, roasting time per kilo, breast and thigh temperatures, spatchcocking, stuffing on the side and carving.
Duck: the main job is rendering the fat
Under a duck's skin is a thick layer of fat. If you don't render it, the skin is rubbery and the meat greasy. Render it properly and the skin turns thin, crisp and golden — and you get a jar of the best fat for roasting potatoes.
- Dry the duck with paper towels inside and out.
- With a sharp knife, score the skin of the breast and thighs in a close 1 cm crosshatch — skin and fat only, not into the meat. Or prick the skin all over with a needle or fork.
- Salt inside and out — 1–1.5% of the weight. Leave uncovered in the fridge overnight, or at least a few hours: the skin dries and crisps better.
- Roast on a rack over a tray so the duck doesn't sit in its own fat.
Whole roast duck
A 2–2.5 kg duck serves 4. There's less meat than it looks: ducks have lots of bone and fat.
Roast at 170–180 °C for about 1.5–2 hours, pouring the fat off into a jar every 30 minutes and turning the duck. For the last 15–20 minutes raise the heat to 220 °C for crisp skin.
Doneness: the juices from the thickest part of the thigh run clear and the leg wiggles easily in its joint. The thigh should read 80–85 °C: duck legs are tough and need a high temperature to turn tender.
The classic partner is apple. Put 2–3 tart-sweet apples in wedges inside with thyme and orange zest for aroma. You can also add apples around the duck for the last 40 minutes.
Duck breast (magret)
Unlike chicken, duck breast is served pink, like a beef steak. It takes 20 minutes.
- Score the skin in a crosshatch without cutting the meat and season with salt and pepper.
- Lay the breast skin-side down in a cold, dry pan with no oil and set it over medium-low heat.
- Cook for 8–10 minutes without moving it, pouring off the rendered fat. The skin should become thin, golden and crisp.
- Turn and cook 2–3 minutes on the flesh side.
- Rest for 5–10 minutes under foil. Centre temperature: 54–57 °C pink, 60–63 °C medium.
- Slice thinly on the diagonal. Cherry, orange or berry sauce goes beautifully.
Turkey: how much to buy and how to thaw
Allow 500–700 g of whole raw turkey per person, bones included. A 5–6 kg turkey serves 8–10 guests with leftovers.
Thaw a large frozen turkey only in the fridge: 24 hours per 2–2.5 kg. A 6 kg turkey needs 2.5–3 days. Thawing at room temperature is dangerous: the surface warms up and bacteria multiply while the middle is still frozen.
Short of time? In cold water in a sealed bag, changing the water every 30 minutes: about 30 minutes per 500 g.
Dry brining: a juicy breast
Turkey breast is very lean and easily dries out while the thighs cook through. Dry brining in advance is the best protection.
Rub the turkey outside, under the breast skin and inside with salt — 1% of its weight (60 g for 6 kg), with sugar, pepper, dried herbs and zest if you like. Leave uncovered in the fridge for 1–3 days. The salt penetrates the meat and helps it hold its juices, and the skin dries and crisps.
Before roasting, rub the skin with soft butter; you can also push herb butter under the breast skin.
Roasting turkey
Take the turkey out of the fridge an hour before roasting. Roast on a rack or on a bed of onion, carrot and celery at 170–180 °C.
- Time: about 35–40 minutes per kg unstuffed. A 5 kg turkey takes about 3–3.5 hours.
- If the breast browns too fast, cover it with foil.
- The thickest part of the breast should read 70–72 °C, the thigh 80–85 °C.
- Rest the turkey under foil for 30–40 minutes — the temperature rises another 3–5 °C and the juices settle. It won't go cold.
- The tin juices are the base for gravy (recipe in our article on sauces for meat).
Stuffing on the side
Stuffing inside the bird soaks up raw meat juices and heats up slowest of all. To make it safe (74 °C in the centre), the breast has to be overcooked and dries out.
Better to bake stuffing separately in a dish, moistened with stock and tin juices — it's just as tasty and gets a crisp top. Put half a lemon, an onion, garlic and a bunch of herbs inside the bird for aroma instead.
If you do stuff the bird, do it just before it goes in the oven, pack it loosely and check the temperature of both stuffing and meat.
How to carve a bird
- Put the bird breast up on a board, legs towards you. You need a long sharp knife and a carving fork.
- Pull a leg away, cut the skin between leg and body and bend the leg back until the joint pops. Cut through the joint. Separate thigh and drumstick at their joint.
- Remove the wings the same way, at the joint by the body.
- Take the breast off whole: cut along the breastbone and slice the meat away, running the knife along the ribs. Then slice it across the grain into 1 cm slices.
- That way every slice has skin and the meat doesn't shred as it does when carved on the bird.
Duck fat and leftovers
Strained duck fat keeps in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 months, or up to a year frozen. It's the best fat for roast potatoes: it handles high heat and gives a crisp crust with a special flavour.
Keep leftover turkey and duck in the fridge for 3–4 days. They make salads, sandwiches, pancake fillings, pasta, soup and bakes. Boneless meat freezes in portions for up to 3 months.
Questions and answers
Why was my duck tough?＋
Most likely it was undercooked: duck legs only turn tender at 80–85 °C. Or it was an old bird. A young duck (under 3 months) can be roasted; an older one is better braised.
Why is my turkey breast dry?＋
It was overcooked while waiting for the thighs. Dry brining, foil over the breast, spatchcocking and a thermometer all help — take it out at 70 °C in the breast.
Should I baste the bird while roasting?＋
Not necessarily. Opening the oven often lengthens roasting, and basting makes the skin less crisp. Dry brining and butter under the skin work better.
Can I roast the turkey ahead?＋
Yes: roast it the day before, cool, slice and refrigerate. Reheat the slices covered with foil and moistened with stock at 150 °C for 15–20 minutes.
How long to roast turkey breast fillet?＋
A 1 kg boneless turkey breast takes about 50–60 minutes at 180 °C, to 70 °C in the centre. Rest for 10 minutes.
Try it in practice
More kitchen secrets
Sushi and rolls at home: restaurant-style rice, fillings and safe fish
Which rice to use and how to rinse it, the water ratio and seasoned vinegar, how to cool rice properly. How to roll maki and inside-out rolls that don't fall apart, which fish is safe raw, fillings without raw fish, baked rolls and storage.
Read the articleHow to assemble a cake at home: level layers, soaking syrup, smooth sides and drips
How to cut a sponge into even layers, how much soaking syrup each layer needs, why to pipe a dam and do a crumb coat, how to smooth a cake with a scraper, how much frosting a 20 cm cake needs, how to make chocolate drips, stack a tall cake and transport it in one piece.
Read the articleHomemade ice cream without a machine: rich vanilla, sorbet and banana ice cream
Two-ingredient ice cream with condensed milk, a classic custard-based vanilla, why ice crystals form and how to prevent them, sorbet with the right amount of sugar, frozen-banana ice cream, ice lollies and storage tips.
Read the article