If possible, buy a duck with its blood (smothered) - the meat is more flavorful and moister because the blood stays inside, so it can be cooked like red meat.

For a whole duck, you can tell that the bird will be tender if the lower part of its beak and the wing tips are flexible.

Whole duck is available on the market, as well as the following cuts: legs, suprême (breast), magret (breast from a force-fed duck) and giblets (liver and gizzard).

Remove the duck from its wrapping, wipe it with a damp cloth, and empty and rinse the cavity, if necessary. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

Dry the duck inside and out. Season the cavity with salt and pepper.

The cooking time may vary depending on whether you have a Peking or Barbary duck, wild or farmed. Recipes are not necessarily interchangeable. Peking is fatter than Barbary.

For a whole duck, the internal temperature should reach 74° C (165° F) on a meat thermometer, and 70° C (160° F) for breasts.

Whole
Season and brown each side in a hot skillet. Cook in a 225º C (450º F) oven for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and desired degree of doneness. Let rest before carving.

Something different
Take two duck breasts and tie them together like a little roast. Brush with oil and garlic flower. Sear in a skillet and finish cooking in the oven. There will be little shrinkage and the meat will be moist and tender.

To check for doneness, stick a trussing needle into the fat of the thigh. If the juice that comes out is pink, the duck is rare. If it is clear, almost transparent, the duck is perfectly cooked.