Slow Cooker Whole Duck
Sounds good, and easy. Key thing is to elevate the duck above the bottom of the slow cooker and the Low temp setting on the cooker. On my to cook list.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck
- oranges, as needed, quartered
- fresh carrots, as needed
- onions, as needed
Instructions
- Prep the duck by removing the giblets from the inside (if a local bought duck from an open market, remove the head, neck, and feet if they are still attached). Trim off any fat around the cavity open but do not discard, just set that aside, you will need that in a few minutes.
- Rinse the duck inside and out. pat dry with paper towels. Place quartered oranges inside the duck, plus the fat you trimmed off. Close the cavity opening best you can with toothpicks.
- Place several carrots cut in half lengthwise and/or onions that are peeled and cut in half on the bottom of your slow cooker, this is to keep the duck elevated above the bottom where the fat will collect.
- Heat a large non stick pan and place the duck, breast side down in the pan, cook until the breast is lightly browned. Remove the duck from the pan and place breast side up on 2 layers of cheesecloth that is large enough to wrap around the duck, pick the duck up with the cheesecloth and set on top of the vegetable in the slow cooker, loosely push down the cheesecloth around the duck. Prick the skin, not the meat on the breast in several places, this helps allow the fat to render out but results in juicy meat. Reason for the cheesecloth is so you can lift the duck out without it falling apart when it is done cooking. This is a fall off the bone duck.
- Cook on Low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Check the fat level at the 3 hour mark, remove excess fat if the duck is resting in the fat. Reserve the fat, great for cooking fried potatoes.
- At 6 to 7 hours, check the duck for tenderness, should be fall off the bone tender, when ready, lift the duck out with the cheesecloth to a platter, serve.
Notes
I have to buy another duck, last time I bought one, I think it was 250 Baht, but I will verify this when I buy a duck. I will say fair value for now until I confirm the cost.
