Devon Organic Duck, Pekin

Succulent organic duck from our friend on the farm, Ross, who raises organic free-range ducks in the rolling East Devon hills.

Duck is most certainly not just a festive treat. A beautiful roast crisped up in a hot oven with golden roast potatoes and a full-flavoured, fruity gravy. 

Duck Size Guide

This is our recommendation: 

4-5kg - approx. servings 4-6

5-6kg - approx. servings 6-8

6-7kg - approx. servings 8-10

Good To Know

Ingredients & Nutritional's

Organic and free-range Duck.

How To Store

Please Note: If you plan to purchase a Duck before December 18th, please remember to store it in the freezer until you’re ready to cook it. Properly freezing your Duck will ensure it stays fresh and flavourful for your Festive celebrations.

Remove the Whole Duck from its wrapping, making sure you keep hold of the exact weight of the bird (you’ll find this on the card label, please remove the giblets bag before cooking). Place the Whole Duck onto a wire rack and sit the rack on a plate. 

Pop the plate into the bottom of the fridge, making sure you have allowed space around the bird for the air to circulate. It is really important to make sure your bird stays cold and dry and must be kept refrigerated below 3°C. 

Thawing:
If your roast is frozen, planning for proper thawing is important to ensure even cooking and food safety. For best results, allow 24 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator for every 2.5 kg of meat. For this means you should allow approximately 2 to 3 days for the roast to thaw in the fridge fully.

Here are a few additional tips to ensure your roast thaws properly:

• Keep it in the original packaging while thawing to prevent any potential contamination or mess from leaking juices.
• Place the roast on a tray or in a shallow dish to catch any liquid that might escape as it defrosts.
• Ensure your refrigerator stays at or below 4°C

Avoid thawing the roast on the countertop at room temperature, as this can lead to uneven thawing.

 Our Farms & Suppliers

From an organic parent flock of Peking ducks, our ducklings arrive with our lovely farmer, Ross for a first week on the farm cosying up under heat lamps. On the East Devon farm, they then spend another week pottering indoors before they are ready to go wild exploring further afield on the Devon hills. With a fresh pool to splash and bathe in, and straw-filled houses to recline when all the frolicking gets too much, these ducks are a chilled-out bunch. Open fields to roam allow for a totally organic and natural development. The riverbed of the Otter is the perfect backdrop for slow growing plump, well-fed ducks

How To Cook  

We recommend:

Cooking Times for Whole Duck

Here are the approximate roasting times for whole duck at 180°C (350°F):

Cooking Steps

1. Preparation:

   • Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
   • Remove the duck from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
   • Remove any giblets from the cavity (these can be used for stock or gravy).
   • Prick the duck's skin all over, especially around the fattier areas (legs, thighs, and breast). Be careful not to pierce the meat. This will help the fat render out during cooking.
   • Pat the duck dry with paper towels, which helps the skin crisp up.
   • Rub the duck with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs (e.g., thyme, rosemary, sage).

2. Optional Stuffing:

   • You can stuff the cavity with light aromatics like apple slices, onions, and herbs. Avoid heavy stuffing as duck cooks faster than larger birds, and dense stuffing may not heat through properly.

3. Roasting:

   • Place the duck breast-side up on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. The rack is important because a lot of fat will be rendered out during cooking.
   • Roast the duck according to the times provided above based on its weight:
     • For a 4-5 kg duck, roast for 2.5 to 3 hours.
     • For a 5-6 kg duck, roast for 3 to 3.5 hours.
     • For a 6-7 kg duck, roast for 3.5 to 4 hours.
   • Basting: Start basting the duck with its own rendered fat after the first hour. Continue basting every 30 minutes.

4. Rendering the Fat:

   • After the first hour, carefully pour off the excess fat from the roasting pan into a heatproof container. Duck fat is excellent for roasting vegetables or potatoes.
   • Continue pouring off the fat during cooking as needed to prevent the duck from sitting in too much fat.

5. Crisping the Skin:

   • For the last 30 minutes of cooking, increase the oven temperature to 220°C (425°F) to crisp up the skin.
   • If the skin browns too quickly, cover the duck loosely with foil and remove it during the last 15 minutes.

6. Check Doneness:

   • Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the duck’s thigh (avoid bones). The internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F).
   • The legs should feel loose when the duck is fully cooked, and the skin should be golden and crispy.

Resting and Serving

1. Resting: Once the duck reaches the correct internal temperature, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes, loosely covered with foil. This helps the meat retain its juices.

2. Carving: Start by removing the legs and thighs, then carve the breast meat into slices. Duck is smaller than other birds, so the portions will be more delicate.