Hosting a holiday party? This a great recipe if you are not hosting a formal Christmas Dinner but want to elevate your holiday get-together with a protein like duck. This roasted duck has a juicy, spicy sweet flavor with an Asian flare that is served shredded on tortillas. Perfect for your holiday party without an intimating duck recipe.
This is my second installment testing Christmas entrees. This recipe is Bon Appetit’s Jerk-Spiced Duck. I have never cooked duck before so I was a little anxious. I have heard horror stories about duck being too greasy and too fatty. However, I was intrigued by the hands-off approach to this dish. I was also impressed with the outcome as it exceeded my expectations.
There is very little hands on time making this recipe which is great if you are hosting party. The duck needs to marinate for at least 12 hours. Don’t be thrown off by the powerful aroma of the marinade! The duck fat will absorb it, and you are left with that perfect sweet and spicy flavor.
Since it was my trial run, I only roasted one duck. My duck was slightly over 5 pounds. The preparation of the marinade is literally the hardest part but not hard at all. When you are ready to roast, you remove it from the marinade, place on the rack, and stick it in the oven. The recipe calls for roasting 4 1/2 to 5 hours. I roasted my duck close to 6 hours just to get the very dark brown, crispy skin. The breast temped at 170 degrees. The recipe calls for 195 degrees but from what I have read 165 degrees is the goal typically. And….it took me 6 hours to get to 170. It was ready to shred at 6 hours and very tender.
While the duck rested, I prepared the garnishes. I recommend preparing 2 ducks instead of one if you are hosting a party. After shredding my one 5 pound duck, it produced probably ten 8 inch soft tacos.
I like the Jerk-Spiced Duck for several reasons. It is easy, and I mean easy! It is a great dish to elevate your protein for an informal holiday party. Not everyone has a formal, sit down Christmas dinner. This jerk-spiced duck can be served buffet style, and guests can prepare their own plates. The seasoning is sweet with a hint of spicy creating the perfect balance for your taste buds. I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely recommend trying at home. Enjoy!
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