Roasted Lemon-Garlic Duck

I just love duck!  We tried a new marinade on the duck in the pic.   I usually oven roast it in the oven but have also done this bird over a charcoal fire.  It comes out absolutely delicious done either way!  I’d like to share this marinate/sauce with my readers that may also be fans of duck.  This VERY nutritious recipe (check out the stats below!) is suitable for all phases of Atkins (using broth rather than wine if still in the Atkins Induction Phase).  It is also suitable for Paleo-Primal followers as well if broth is used rather than wine.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 c. white wine (use chicken broth if still on Induction)

4 T. my Lemon-Parsley-Garlic Butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

Dash each:  salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

1  whole 5-lb duck, neck and giblets removed for other use

DIRECTIONS:  Remove neck and giblets from duck and save for other uses.  My dog usually gets the giblets and neck meat I simmer until tender, but the neck will make great stock for soup if you want to add it to the carcass bones after dinner in a pot of water with chopped onion and carrot.  Duck stock makes delicious soup!

Butterfly (spatchcock) the duck by cutting up the backbone and spreading the bird out in a marinating dish.  Add wine (or broth in on Induction Phase), minced garlic and other spices.  Marinate covered in plastic on your refrigerator shelf for 2-4 hours, turning and basting 1-2 times during this period with a basting brush.

You’ll need to allow about 1½-2 hours to cook a 5# duck to internal temperature of 180º.  Duck is traditionally served a wee bit pink but you can cook it a bit longer if you prefer. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375º.  Remove duck from refrigerator and lift out of the marinating dish. Pour marinade off into a small saucepan.  Add compound butter and simmer for 5 minutes or so to allow raw duck juices to fully cook. Place duck skin side up in a large baking pan, baste with marinade and pop in hot oven.  Using a basting brush, baste duck with marinade and pan juices every half hour.  At 1 hour cooking, remove duck and cover wing tips and leg tips with small pieces of foil so they will not over brown/burn.  Pop pan back into oven, lower oven to 350º and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour longer (ovens will vary), or until a meat thermometer reads 180º at center thigh and center breast.   Serve at once with your favorite sides for fowl.  I served mine with steamed broccoli and broiled tomatoes.  This would be delicious done on the grill with grilled fresh pineapple slices alongside.   Mmmm.   How I DOOOOOOOO love grilled pineapple!  🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes 4 servings, each contains:

791 cals (think duck fat),65.3g fat, 2.4g carbs, 0.2g fiber, 2.2g NET CARBS, 36.4g protein, 485 mg sodium. 446 mg potassium, 23% Vitamin A, 45% B6, 44% B12, 48% copper, 66% iron, 11% magnesium, 66% niacin, 44% phosphorous, 47% riboflavin, 69% selenium, 30% thiamin and 45% zinc