Shredded Roast Duck Recipes

Steps:

• 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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Loosen the skin on the duck by wriggling first your fingers, then your hand between it and the flesh until it pulls away - be careful not to break the skin. Trim off any excess fat from cavity and skin around the neck. Rub the skin all over with the five-spice plus a good sprinkling of salt. Put the duck in a roasting tin and push the star anise, orange peel and orange halves inside. Spoon the vinegar, rice wine and stock into the cavity, don't worry if it spills out again. Cover the roasting tin with a tent of foil and cook for 2 hrs.
• Turn oven up to 240C/220C fan/gas 7. Take foil off, pour off any juices (keep for the noodles, see 'Goes well with') and return duck to the oven for 30-40 mins or until the skin is browned and crisp.
• Once cooked let it rest for 10 mins. Slice off the breasts and shred meat and skin. Pile onto a plate, keeping meat and skin separate. Keep warm in a low oven, covering meat with foil to stop it drying out but skin uncovered to crisp it further. (Remove the rest of the meat in chunks for the noodles - see 'Goes well with'.)
• Heat the pancakes and serve the duck with accompaniments.

Steps:

• The duckHeat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the honey and five-spice in a bowl, then brush all over the duck. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for 25-30 mins until bronzed. Cool for 10 mins, then shred the meat and finely slice the skin.
• Plum sauceWhile the duck is cooking, put all the plum sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently over a medium heat for 15 mins or until the plums are soft and the sauce is thick. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
• PancakesWhile the sauce is cooking, put the flour, 125ml boiling water and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix together until it forms a dough. When cool enough to handle, knead for 5-10 mins. Divide it into 10 little balls and roll each one out as thin as you can. Brush a frying pan with the oil and cook each pancake over a medium heat for 20 secs each side or until cooked but not browned.
• To serveSpread a pancake with a little plum sauce. Top with the shredded duck, a few pieces of cucumber and spring onion.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Trim duck of all visible fat. Using a fork, prick the skin all over without piercing the meat; season with salt and pepper. Place duck on a rack set in a roasting pan and transfer to oven; roast for 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue roasting until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 30 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Reserve any duck fat from roasting pan. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks. Remove skin from duck and discard. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat and serve or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 3 days.