Duck Duck (Devils)

In honor of our first weekend in our new state (I recently moved to Kansas with my boyfriend, for those that do not know), I decided to be fancy and roast up a duck.  It also happens to be ASU vs. Oregon weekend so I thought it was fitting.

Ingredients - serves two

1 - 5lb Duck (Peking is what you'll find at Whole Foods, which is what I used)

Kosher Salt - to taste

Black Pepper - to taste

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup Agave Syrup

3 tablespoons Cointreau

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon (or more) Siracha

Prep - 3 to 24 hours for defrosting, 30 for cooking prep

• Defrost the duck.  This can either be done by placing it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours OR by placing it in a cold water bath for three hours.  If you do the cold water bath, I recommend changing the water every 30 minutes or so
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and place the oven rack on the third level from the top.
• Remove the innards from the duck (liver, kidneys, etc) and rinse out the cavity. 
• Cut off any access skin from around the neck and cavity but be careful not to cut into the actual meat of the bird.  Ensure that any residual feathers are removed
• At an angle, score the skin (again, careful not to hit the meat) so that the back of the bird looks like it has a diamond pattern
• Pierce the skin all over with the knife.  This ensures that the fatty juices are released and makes for a crispier bird
• Cross the bird's legs and secure with butchers twine, then fold the wings under the belly of the bird 
• Sprinkle the bird with salt and pepper to taste and place on a roasting pan

Cooking Instructions - 4 hours

• Place bird, breast side up, in the oven for 1 hour
• At the one hour mark, remove the bird from the oven.  Pierce the skin with a sharp knife to release the fat, then flip the bird over so the breast side is down.  Place the bird in the oven for 55 minutes
• 1 hour, 55 minute mark - remove bird, pierce, flip (breast side is now up) and place back in the oven for 55 minutes
• Two hour, 50 minute mark - remove bird, pierce, flip (breast side is down) and place back in the oven for 55 minutes
•  Make the glaze: Combine all remaining ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk consistently until the ingredients become a syrupy glaze (takes about 10 minutes).
• Three hour, 45 minute mark - remove the bird from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees.  (If you want to save the duck fat for future cooking, you will want to empty this out now.)  Flip the bird so that is it breast side up and cover it in the glaze.  When the oven reaches the optimal temperature, place the bird back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Remove from oven.

It will come out looking something like this:

Congratulations, you just roasted a duck.  Serve with your favorite Pinot, maybe a risotto and asparagus.