Holiday Roast Wild Duck
Whole wild duck is marinated overnight, stuffed with apples, potatoes, carrots and cranberries to mellow its gamey flavor, then slow-cooked until tender and finished under the broiler for crisp, bacon-draped skin.
Ingredients
- 1 large duck or 2 mallards
- 2 chopped carrots (for stuffing)
- ½ cup vinegar
- 2 chopped apples
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, cut up (for crock-pot rack)
- 2 medium potatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salt
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup cranberries
- Rice, baked potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes, for serving
- Cooking oil
- 2 strips bacon (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Cold water, enough to cover duck in marinade
Instructions
- Soak the duck(s) in a marinade of vinegar, garlic, salt, and enough cold water to cover. Marinate overnight.
- Remove duck from marinade and season with salt and pepper, inside and out.
- Brown the duck well in a lightly oiled skillet to help remove excess fat.
- Stuff each cavity with the chopped potatoes, carrots, apples, and cranberries (this stuffing will be discarded after cooking; it absorbs unwanted fat and wild flavor).
- Place the 2 cut-up carrots in the bottom of a crock-pot to act as a rack for the duck(s).
- Put the stuffed duck(s) in the pot and add ½ cup water.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn to low and cook for 8 hours.
- Before serving, remove and discard the chopped vegetables from each cavity.
- If the duck has been skinned, pin 2 strips of bacon across each breast and place under the broiler for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with rice, baked potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes.
Cook’s Notes
Browning the duck before slow cooking helps render out extra fat, which is especially useful with wild duck’s stronger flavor. Don’t eat the cavity stuffing—it’s meant to absorb fat and gamey taste and should be discarded.
Ingredient Swaps
Two mallards can stand in for one large duck, and other firm apples or root vegetables can replace what’s listed in the stuffing. If cranberries aren’t on hand, dried cherries or a splash of cranberry sauce works in a pinch.
Serving Suggestions
Slice and serve the duck warm over rice or alongside baked potatoes or sweet potatoes to soak up the juices. A simple green vegetable or salad rounds out the meal nicely.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover duck in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet or low oven to keep the meat from drying out.
Common Questions
Do I have to use a crock-pot for this recipe?
A crock-pot is easiest for the long slow cook, but you can use a covered cast iron skillet or oven-safe baking dish at a low oven temperature instead.
Why do you stuff the cavity if it’s just thrown away?
The vegetables and fruit inside the cavity absorb excess fat and the stronger ‘wild’ flavor typical of game duck, resulting in milder-tasting meat.
Can I skip the marinade step?
The overnight vinegar-garlic marinade helps tenderize the meat and cut gaminess, so it’s worth planning ahead, but a shorter few-hour soak will still help if you’re short on time.
