Roast Duck with New England Rub

Steaming the duck before roasting it renders out a lot of the fat, leaving you with a moist but less fatty dinner.

One 5- to 6-pound duck, giblets and neck removed

New England Rub
• 2 tablespoons frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil
• 21⁄2 teaspoons minced sage leaves or
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon salt

• Split the duck in half, tip to tail. (If you like, have your butcher do this for you.) Cut off any excess skin at either end, removing any extra fat as well. Prick the skin and fat all over with a fork, taking care not to prick down to the meat.
• Place about an inch of water in a large Dutch oven or a large roasting pan with a cover. Place a roasting rack in the pan (with feet high enough so that the rack’s mesh or slats do not sit in the water). Place the duck halves skin side down on the rack, then set the pan over high heat and bring the water to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and steam for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Remove the duck from the Dutch oven or roaster; discard any fat and liquid in the pan. Brush the spice mixture over the skin on both halves.
• Place a wire rack over a large lipped baking sheet. (You can use a wire rack for cooling cookies, provided it has feet to lift it up a bit and those feet are not covered in plastic or rubber.) Place the ducks on the rack skin side up. Roast, uncovered, until brown and tender, until the wing joints move freely and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the thigh without touching the bone registers 165°F (our preference) or 180°F (the USDA recommendation), 2 to 21⁄2 hours. Cool on the rack for 5 minutes before transferring to a carving board.

New England Rub
• Mix any of these together in a small bowl.

Makes 4 to 6 servings