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Roast Duck with Cranberry Sauce on a metal rack in a roasting tin
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5 from 27 votes

Roast Duck with Cranberry Glaze

This delightful roast duck with cranberry glaze recipe is a game-changer for family gatherings or Christmas Dinner. With its crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, it's a dish that combines simplicity with gourmet flavours.
Our step-by-step guide ensures a foolproof cooking experience, even for beginners. We've also included handy ingredient substitutes in the blog post and helpful visuals to make your culinary journey as smooth as possible.
So roll up your sleeves and get ready to impress everyone at the dinner table with this mouthwatering roast duck. Happy cooking!
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time1 hour 20 minutes
Resting Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Celebration Meal, Christmas, Dinner, Main Course, mains, Roast Dinner
Cuisine: American, British, European
Keyword: 2kg duck cooking time, best roast duck recipe, christmas duck, cranberry glazed duck, duck christmas dinner, duck with cranberry, roast duck recipe, roast duck, cook duck, crispy skin duck, roasted duck, turkey alternative, whole duck, whole roast duck
Yield: 4 People
Calories: 959kcal
Author: Luke and Kay - Flawless Food

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1.9 kg whole duck
  • Sea salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Few sprigs of Fresh thyme

Glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400F/ gas mark 6. Bring the 1.9 kg whole duck to room temperature about one - two hours before cooking.
    A whole duck uncooked on a marble chopping board
  • Remove the duck from the packaging and pat it dry. Dry duck skin is essential for a crispy skin. Remove giblets from cavity if included (we do not need them for this recipe).
    Patting dry the whole duck using paper towel
  • Using a sharp knife, score the duck skin in a criss-cross pattern, on both sides being careful not to cut into the meat.
    Scoring a whole duck with a sharp knife
  • Also cut into the leg fold of skin. This will allow the fat to escape and help the skin to crisp up during cooking.
    Scoring inside the duck legs skin with a sharp knife
  • Add a Few sprigs of Fresh thyme in the duck cavity.
    Stuffing inside the whole duck with fresh sprigs of thyme
  • Season the duck generously with Sea salt and Black Pepper on both sides.
    A whole duck seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Place the duck, breast side down on the rack in a roasting tray.
    A whole duck seasoned with salt and pepper in a roasting tin on top of a rack
  • Cook in the preheated oven at 180°C fan / 200°C / 400F/ gas mark 6. With breast facing down for the following time (depending on size of duck)
    1.6kg - 2kg - 40 minutes
    2.1kg - 2.5kg - 50 minutes
    2.6kg - 3kg - 60 minutes
    * Please note this is not the total cooking time, just the time before you flip the bird.
    Roast Duck on a rack in a roasting tray
  • Flip the duck over so the breast side faces up. Then continue to roast the duck for the same time as before.
    1.6kg - 2kg - 40 minutes
    2.1kg - 2.5kg - 50 minutes
    2.6kg - 3kg - 60 minutes
    Roast Duck in a roasting tin on top of a metal rack
  • Optional* 10 minutes before the end of cooking, pour and spread Cranberry Sauce all over the top of the duck with a silicone brush.
    Read the blog post for other glaze ideas.
    Coating the roast duck in cranberry sauce using a brush
  • Finish cooking for the final 10 minutes with cranberry sauce on. Place the cooked duck onto a plate and loosely cover it with foil. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
    Roast Duck with Cranberry Sauce on a roasting tin with rack
  • Use the duck fat for cooking your roast potatoes!
    Roasted potatoes cooked in goose fat in baking tray
  • Place the roasted duck in the centre of the platter with the carrots and potatoes.
    Roast Duck with Cranberry Sauce on a platter plate with roast potatoes,carrots and Yorkshire puddings
  • Carve duck into 2 legs, 2 wings and 2 breast joints.
    Slicing the duck leg with a sharp knife
  • Now carve the breast into thinner slices.
    Two duck legs, two wings and sliced duck breast on a wooden chopping board
  • Serve with the usual roast dinner side dishes.
    Gravy being poured over a Roast duck roast dinner which consists of a duck leg roast potatoes, carrots, honey roast parsnips, cauliflower, broccoli cheese, stuffing balls peas and Yorkshire puddings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 959kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 12mg