To persuade DH to roast the potatoes separately from the duck

[dustallergy]

DH is roasting some duck legs for friends coming today. Jamie Oliver et al are telling him the duck should sit directly on the oven rack so the fat can drip onto the potatoes underneath.

But ... I suspect Jamie Oliver doesn't have to clean his own oven rack! It's not exactly an easy job - last time I cleaned it I had to soak it in a bath of chemicals and scrub lots. It took a long time and I'm not planning to do it again any time soon.

I though I had the solution - I've ordered him a roasting tray with it's own rack, small enough to go in the dishwasher. But when it arrived, I realised the rack isn't high enough to put the potatoes underneath.

I think he should put the potatoes in a separate roasting dish and baste them periodically with the duck fat that collects under the new roaster rack.

However DH thinks he should balance the new roaster rack on top of some scrunched up foil to give it the height it needs, so the potatoes can be fitted underneath.

DH is doing the cooking, and my persuasive powers have not yet convinced him. AIBU to try?

Or, are we both BU (as well as Jamie Oliver) - should he just ditch the rack altogether and put everything together in the bottom of the roaster?

Oh that's naaasty.

I would put the duck in a roasting tin with the potatoes round it.

Putting the roasting rack on foil sounds quite sensible.

I have one of those roasting racks. It does amazing pork.

use a foil baking tray and chuck it after?

One oven rack really won't take more than a few minutes to clean with a metal scourer.

However, the way I would do it is to score the legs and put in a large frying pan (or in batches) on low heat and constantly drain off the fat while turning the legs, and once legs are all browned and the fat saved,heat the fat in a roasting dish, with the par boiled potatoes, and finish the duck in a separate dish.

Oh god I saw a Jamie episode today where they roasted goose on the rack and made gravy with the veg that sat in and tray below. You could see the fat splashing up and about and the cleaning would have been horrendous.

He does what he likes and then spends an enjoyable Sunday scrubbing the oven?

Oh sorry it's the oven rack that's the problem to clean. I'm being thick. And didn't read the op properly.

crispbutty makes a good suggestion.

Or just use some goose fat. Your guests probably won't be able to tell the difference.

But yeah, some of Jamie Oliver's suggestions aren't the most practical.

'Serve it on a big wooden board so everyone can help themselves'

I got the goose crown from lidl the other week and cooked it as I described above too, it worked really well and we loved it.

Sainsburys have jars of duck fat. Just use that and roast separately!

Brillo pad. Amazing for the oven. If you have a dishwasher just shove the tracks in there.

He can do it however he likes, but he's then in charge of cleaning.

'Serve it on a big wooden board so everyone can help themselves'

What's wrong with that? I do it

Let your DH get on with it on the understanding he deals with the oven rack.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen me too!

Buy duck fat, cook roasties separately

But he does it with really impractical things that involve gravy and sauces!

Maybe I'm just a particulalry messy server

Roast them separately and put this on the potatoes.

Why can't he clean it?
He might change his cooking methods then...

I once made Jamie Oliver's gravy with about 5lb of chicken wings and a barrow load of root vegetables. It took hours and I don't have his special touch so it was a bit crap.

Sainsbury's do tubs of delicious fresh chicken gravy that are easily enough for four. You can empty them in a saucepan and put it in the dishwasher with the spoon afterwards. The tub goes in the recycling. If you're feeling festive they always do a special turkey one for xmas.

Why wouldn't you be cleaning it?

Oops meant 'would'

Who washes oven racks?

Can you raise the new rack up a bit, so there is enough sauce underneath for potatoes?

I made Jamie Oliver's gravy once too. Never again.