Crisp Roasted Ducklings

Flavored with lemon and glazed with tangy hot-pepper jelly, these ducklings are the stars of an elegant dinner. Finish them a few minutes before guests arrive, and keep them warm while you sit down to your appetizer.

Number of servings : 8 servings

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: About 2-1/2 hours or 30 minutes per pound

Type of meal : | Main Courses | Main Courses

Special diet :

Ingredients

2 ducklings (5 pounds each)

6 lemons

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup hot-pepper jelly

Directions

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove necks and giblets from ducklings. Rinse ducklings thoroughly and drain well. Pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Remove excess fat; trim and discard neck skin.

 

Step 2:

Prick skin all over with a fork. Rub each duckling with juice of 1 lemon. Rub each duckling with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut remaining lemons into chunks and stuff into cavities of each duckling.

 

Step 3:

Place ducklings, breast-side-up, on a rack in roasting pan. Roast about 2-1/2 hours (30 minutes per pound). About halfway through cooking, prick ducklings again all over with a fork. Meanwhile, melt pepper jelly. With a brush, baste ducklings with melted jelly during last 20 minutes of cooking. Cover ducklings with aluminum foil and keep warm for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Nutritional information: