Properly Free Range Duck

Preheat the oven to 180C. Make sure you have removed the giblets from your duck and set them aside to use later to make a gravy. Prick the skin of the bird all over, concentrating on the fattiest parts, but be careful not to pierce into the flesh. Season the bird well with sea salt and pepper, including the internal cavity. Place the bird into a good sized roasting dish, we like to create a trivet using root veg like carrots, celery and onions. If you are not stuffing your bird, simply place half a lemon, half a bulb of garlic and a handful of herbs inside the cavity. Place the bird in the oven and cook for 30 minutes per kg. If you have stuffed your bird, add a further 15 minutes on to this time. You can check to see if your bird is cooked by inserting a metal skewer into the join between the leg and the breast, if the juices run light pink-clear this is a good indication your duck is done. Rest your bird uncovered for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Technically, poultry is classed as white meat. However, duck tends to have a darker colour than chicken and turkey, and in the culinary world is often treated more similarly to red meat.

Fun Fact: A group of ducks is commonly referred to as a "flock" when they are on the ground or water. When they are in flight, they are called a "team" or a "brace" of ducks.