Stuffed Roast Duck Recipe (2024)

4.83 from 17 votes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Author: Amira

• ▢ 2 onion (450g) roughly chopped.
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt or to taste.
• ▢ ½ - 1 Tablespoon black pepper.
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
• ▢ ½ a lime.
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
• ▢ 5-6 pounds whole duck cleaned.

• Preheat oven to 350F.

• Pat dry the duck with paper towels.

• In a bowl combine the first 5 ingredients and squeeze the half a lime over, keep the squeezed lime aside. Mix everything well.

• Stuff duck cavity with the onion mixture leaving about two to three tablespoons aside.

• Close the duck with toothpicks. You will probably need 3 -4 toothpicks.

• Take the squeezed lemon and rub the outer duck skin front and back.

• Now take the remaining onion mixture and rub the whole duck with it.

• Place duck into a prepared oven bag, tie duck legs together and close the bag. Place in the oven for 2 ½ to three hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads a minimum of 165F.

• Take the duck out of the oven and wait for it to cool down so you can handle.

• Transfer the duck to a baking pan and brown under the broiler or you can heat some olive oil in a pan and brown on stove top until you get a beautiful roasted look.

• Let the duck rest for 5-10 minutes before carving and serving.

• If the duck’s skin has a yellow-ish thin layer over the skin, rub the skin with some bran to easily get it off. I am guessing that you can also use oats, the point is using something rough to peel off that thin layer. Bran is more commonly used in the Middle East.
• Here is my grandma's way of cleaning ducks:
  • First rinse duck under cold running water, the outer and inner part of the duck, put your hand in the body cavity and cut any dangling fat or veins.
  • Rub the whole bird inside out with a little bit of kosher salt then let it set for 5 minutes rinse with cold water.
  • A Final step is rubbing the whole duck inside out with plain flour, let it set for 5 minutes then rinse again with a cold water.
  • I also like to place the duck in a big enough bowl or pot, cover with cold water then add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar to the water, let it soak there for 10 minutes then rinse with cold water.
  • Do not get intimidated by the process it only takes like 20 minutes or so but it ensures there is no unpleasant smell in the duck.
• You should tie the duck's leg with a butcher’s twine. I did not have a twine at the time so I just cut a piece of foil, shaped it into a rope and use it. Another option is to use unwaxed dental floss.
• Black pepper is a key to spice up the onion mixture, I like adding a whole tablespoon but if you do not like black pepper you might want to cut back on it to your liking.
• Some people also add a couple of garlic cloves to the onion mixture, but I am used to the onions only version.
• If you do not want to bake the duck in the oven, here is another way you can cook it. Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pot and brown the duck from all the sides. Cover with enough hot water add bay leaves, 2 cardamom pods and a quartered onion. Cook until it is done.

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