Duck Roasting

[kuan]

Can I roast a duck MR and then carve the breast, then finish roasting to well done for the legs?

 

[mike9]

I don't see why not, or you could just break it down prior to roasting and put the breasts in last.

 

[french fries]

Or you could start making cuts to separate the thighs from the carcass then cuts to separate the legs from the thighs to make the legs cook faster than the breasts that are still attached to the carcass.

 

[CatManDoo88]

Can I roast a duck MR and then carve the breast, then finish roasting to well done for the legs?

That is a very traditional French method going back to Escoffier if I recall correctly. They would roast the duck to medium rare, present it table side, carve off the breasts and serve, take the legs back to finish cooking and then shove the rest of the carcass in a press to squeeze out all of the blood, jus, and flavour for a sauce.

 

[french fries]

That is a very traditional French method going back to Escoffier if I recall correctly. They would roast the duck to medium rare, present it table side, carve off the breasts and serve, take the legs back to finish cooking and then shove the rest of the carcass in a press to squeeze out all of the blood, jus, and flavour for a sauce.

It sounds like you may be talking about "Canard au sang"? If it is, then that's not exactly the technique you're describing: the duck is roasted whole, then all meat (breasts and legs alike) taken off the carcass, then the carcass squeezed to make the sauce.

I know of traditional French techniques where the legs are taken off the raw duck and cooked separately from the breasts which are still attached to the carcass, however I don't know of any French techniques where the duck is roasted whole then at some point the breasts are carved off while the legs continue roasting. It obviously does not mean it can't be done!

 

[CatManDoo88]

It sounds like you may be talking about "Canard au sang"? If it is, then that's not exactly the technique you're describing: the duck is roasted whole, then all meat (breasts and legs alike) taken off the carcass, then the carcass squeezed to make the sauce.

I know of traditional French techniques where the legs are taken off the raw duck and cooked separately from the breasts which are still attached to the carcass, however I don't know of any French techniques where the duck is roasted whole then at some point the breasts are carved off while the legs continue roasting. It obviously does not mean it can't be done!

Yes, I was talking about Canard au sang or Canard a la presse. Yes, your description is correct. I typed my post rather quickly while looking for the video and realized it is misleading. I did not mean to suggest that the pressing came after the finishing of the legs.

P.S. I corrected the linked video and substituted the Ritz-Escoffier one I was looking for.

 

[french fries]

Cool video! I didn't see it when I posted my last reply.

 

[CatManDoo88]

Cool video! I didn't see it when I posted my last reply.

Yeah, Michel Roux is fun. It's so weird seeing such a well-pedigreed French chef with a British accent.

I taught myself how to make pommes persillade after that discussion we had about them in another thread, using one of his videos where he gives his mom's recipe, which he flat out states is miles better than those made by his 3-Michelin Star father.

 

[kuan]

Well I did it somewhat. In the morning took the breasts before and roasted the entire carcass for a couple hours. Then took the legs off. Made a quick stock and orange sauce with demi. Did the duck breast the normal way. So a hybrid method. Heh. I didn't feel like roasting the duck with the breasts on for such a short time would render the skin fat properly. These were skinny ones too.

 

[chrislehrer]

Nevertheless, yes, the method is quite traditional. Canard au sang was a highly specialized development from that very technique. I believe, however, that the breast skin was not usually especially crisp. This is the kind of prep that largely vanished because it required two diners to eat the same several-course meal.