Instructions

1. Reposition your oven racks as necessary so the duck is approximately centered in the oven when it's in the roasting pan. Preheat for at least 20 minutes to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast initially at a high temperature to crisp the skin.

2. Prep a shallow roasting pan by lining the bottom with aluminum foil and applying cooking oil or nonstick spray to its rack.

3. Trim off the duck's wing tips with poultry shears if they're still attached. Pull out any fat deposits in the body cavity and rinse it out in the sink. Prick through the duck's skin all over with a sharp fork; this allows the fat to seep out as it melts. Fold the loose neck skin under the body.

4. Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Place the duck in the sink and pour the water over it to contract the skin. Tip the duck so the water drains from the cavity. Transfer the duck onto the roasting pan's rack, breast side up, and blot the skin and inside the cavity dry with paper towels.

5. Pat salt and pepper all over the surface of the duck and in the body cavity, as well. Put it into the middle of the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 F. Turn the duck over after about another 25 minutes, so the breast is facing down, and then again after an additional 45 minutes to return the breast upward after a total cooking time of 90 minutes.

6. Prepare a sweet glaze. Orange blossom honey or real maple syrup are good options. Heat about 1 cup gently over medium-low heat in the small saucepan. Add some citrus juice and zest to honey or a splash of bourbon to syrup for more depth of flavor. You could also use pineapple, orange or another sweet fruit juice as the base for a sweet glaze; bring it to a boil, stir in some brown sugar, then simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce to a glaze consistency. Add a little salt, pepper, soy sauce or other desired seasonings to any sweet glaze for a more complex flavor.

7. Take out the duck and brush some of the glaze onto its entire surface as soon as it's ready. Only apply a glaze for about the last 30 minutes of cooking time so it doesn't burn -- expect your duck to take about 2 1/4 hours in total. Return the duck to the oven, then apply a second coating about 15 minutes later.

8. Read the duck's internal temperature with a cooking thermometer at the center of the thickest part of its breast and at the innermost part of a thigh to determine done-ness. Both areas should register 165 F for the bird to be considered safely cooked. The fat deposits beneath the skin should be completely melted away by then.