Duck Recipes?

[Gone Hiking]

A local grocery store had whole frozen ducks, which is very unusual, and since I've never made duck I bought the smallest (6.5#) one to try. I've been scouring recipes online, but haven't found one I love. Does anyone have any suggestions? Part of me wants to just spatchcock the thing, season, and throw it on the smoker like I do with chickens, but something tells me there must be a great, classic French recipe for whole duck that I need to try.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Well I suppose there's canard a la presse. Bit complicated, perhaps. No, on second thoughts, really complicated.
Just as a thought, I pulled out a book called "The Cookery of England", by Elizabeth Ayrton.
I found roast duck, duck a l'orange, duck in port, duck with green peas and roast duck with cucumbers, from a 1747 recipe. Might be interesting, although you might need to adjust the flavours a bit.

 

[badjak]

Peking duck?

Or take the thing to pieces and then the classic duck breast, seared on the fat side first, served rare.
The remainder briefly on the smoker?

Or Balinese duck? Bebek something. I'll find it just now

Bebek betutu...
More duck recipes here: Ayam - poultry - Page #51 (scroll down a little)

 

[badjak]

And keep the fat!
Potatoes fried in duck fat are absolutely delicious