Understand you want to go alcohol free... here is another recipe for roasting a whole duck that I've made using a recipe from Ina Garten. If you have not cooked a duck before you may want to read this blog
the best way to roast a duck with crispy skin [color:"blue"]ROAST DUCK[/color]Ingredients
2 (5 to 5 1/2 pounds each) ducks, innards and wing tips removed
6 quarts chicken broth
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.
Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot which can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt until it boils. Add the ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn't enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed. When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.
When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Place them in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. If you have time, allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!) Roast the ducks for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
This is very similar from Food and Wine... check it out, it uses a Hair Dryer to dry off the duck! It's name is,
[color:"blue"]"Hair Dryer Duck"![/color] <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
INGREDIENTS
Two 5-pound Long Island ducks
1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
4 bay leaves
3 juniper berries
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons good gin or brandy
2 garlic cloves
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the ducks inside and out. Pull off any loose clumps of fat. Pat the ducks dry, inside and out.
In a spice mill, grind the peppercorns with the cloves, bay leaves, juniper berries, salt and thyme until very fine. Pour into a small bowl and stir in the brown sugar and gin.
Rub the spice mixture all over the inside and outside of each duck. Put a garlic clove in each cavity, then put each duck in a snug-fitting sturdy plastic bad and close securely. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours; whenever you open the refrigerator, press the bags to work the spices into the skin.
Remove the ducks from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the ducks from the bags and pat any moist places with a paper towel. Set a V-shaped roasting rack or a vertical roasting rack in each of 2 small roasting pans. [color:"red"]Get out your hair dryer (the higher the wattage, the better), wipe it clean and using very high heat, begin to dry the ducks; you can stick the nozzle right into the cavities. The drying time will vary but shouldn't be more than 10 to 15 minutes per duck. Be sure to dry the ducks on all sides, inside and out. Take special care to dry and creased areas.[/color]Transfer the ducks to the racks, breasts up and roast them for 30 minutes. Reverse the pans front to back and roast for 30 minutes more.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Prick any fatty parts of the duck skin with a needle, but do not pierce the flesh. If using V-shaped racks, turn the ducks over; you can do this with tongs or by grabbing the hot ducks with a kitchen towel and flipping them. Roast for 30 minutes, then reverse the pans front to back and roast for 15 to 30 minutes longer, or until the ducks are golden brown and most of the fat has melted away. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 to 3 hours.
Using poultry shears or a heavy cleaver, cut each duck into 12 to 14 serving pieces, taking care that each piece has its own covering of the delicious browned skin. Serve at room temperature.
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