Roasted Duck

Directions

1. 1
   1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
2. 2
   2. Rub salt, pepper, and paprika into the skin of the duck. Place in a roasting pan.
3. 3
   3. Roast duck in preheated oven for 1 hour. Spoon 1/4 cup melted butter over bird, and continue cooking for 45 more minutes. Spoon remaining 1/4 cup melted butter over duck, and cook for 15 more minutes, or until golden brown.
4. 4
   My Note: I added a bit of garlic to the rub, I also put half a stick of butter in the duck before putting it in the oven and the last 15 minutes of cooking I glazed it with the orange sauce, and it was just so good. We have duck every year during the holidays and this was the best I have ever turned out.
5. 5
   I had always liked the inside of duck, but was not fond at all of the sweet sauce that was always on top. Noone else seemed to know how to do a savory skin.
6. 6
   Some time I put a quartered lemon and some sprigs of fresh thyme and savory in the cavity. I did not add butter but basted it with the rendered fat. I made a gravy with the pan drippings (fat separated)and some stock made from the neck, gibblets and wing tips along with chopped carrots, onions and celery.I took the advice of previous reviewers and reduced salt by 1/2t and overall cooking time by 15 minutes A great recipe that you can fancy up or make as is. added just a little garlic powder to the rub just because we love garlic.
7. 7
   One tip, get a food thermometer that you can keep in the meat while it's cooking. The probe runs a wire to the outside of the oven attached to the display. You can see the internal temp w/out opening the oven. The full 2 hours would have been a little too long for my bird.
8. 8
   Next time though, I'll bet you be making two small ducks so there will enough for all four of us: