Whole Duck

1. Take the duck out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Remove the giblets and preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or Gas Mark 6.
2. Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper, then prick it all over with a skewer or fork, taking care not to pierce the meat. This helps the fat run out and the skin crisp up. Rub salt over the skin and inside the cavity.
3. Sit the duck breast-side up on a rack or trivet in a roasting tin.
Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan) or Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 1 hour 30 minutes. That’s about 2 hours in total for a 2.4kg duck.
4. Every 30 minutes, carefully pour off the fat from the tin and keep it for your roast potatoes.
5. To check it’s cooked, push a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 75°C.
6. Rest the duck for 15 to 20 minutes, loosely covered with foil, before carving.

Cooking note: Ovens vary, so use these times as a guide. Always check the thickest part has reached 75°C before serving.

Local Delivery 

We deliver across most of Hertfordshire and parts of Essex using our refrigerated van, ensuring your order arrives fresh.

• Christmas delivery dates are Tuesday 22nd & Wednesday 23rd December
• Free delivery on orders over £45 (£5 charge for orders under £45)
• Deliveries take place between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM

Delivery tracking and estimated time provided via email on the day

We deliver to the following postcodes:

• SG7, SG9, SG10, SG11, SG12, SG14, AL6, CM21, SG8 9, SG13 7, CM17 0, CM20 2, CM22 7, CM23 0, CM23 2, CM23 3, CM23 4, CM23 5

We do not offer nationwide delivery.

Collection 

Prefer to collect? Choose Collection at checkout and pick up from High Trees Farm, Beggarmans Lane, Ware, SG11 1HB.

• Christmas order collection is on Thursday 24th December
• Collection is available between 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM on your chosen date
• A reminder email will be sent on the day of collection

For more details, check out our Delivery & Collection Information page