Duck it!

[ChangeAgainAgainAgain]

AIBU to serve 2 ducks (1.8kg) for 6 people? And would I be doubly unreasonable to try to serve 8 on 2 ducks? Do I need 3 ducks?

Honestly OP you know you are just going to get a load of replies telling you to get your Ducks in a row.

Each duck should serve 4: 2 breasts and 2 legs.

If serving 8 people, there will not be enough for seconds

3 would be best as you can guarantee that someone will want extra

With what else? As like a roast, or crispy duck, or on a salad, or??

Duck a l'orange, dauphinois & veg. Starter & pud tbc

Just to be contrary, I would like to suggest serving all duck breasts.

Then you can amaze and amuse your guests with criss cross patterns on the fatty skin outsides, everybody gets the same and depending on your generosity and sense of occasion they can get slightly overfaced with a whole ducky bosom or feel a bit badly done to by having an artfully sliced and fanned out half.

There’s also no freaking out about bones and the boring conversation about, "Does it have paddles? Webbed feet?"

I’ve just checked how big the gressingham ducks Sainsbury’s sell are, and they’re 1.8kg each. I thought you were saying two would be 1.8kg total!

Two x 1.8kg ducks should be fine for 6 people. You get less duck on a 1.8kg bird than you would chicken on a 1.8kg bird, because a lot more of the duck is fat that melts off. But one duck would be fine for 3 or 4, likely no leftovers. So two should be fine for 6. It would be a lot more faff to cook 3 than 2 I think as 2 could fit in one tray.

Ducks have barely any meat on them. They certainly aren’t like a chicken or turkey. As PP said, get everyone a breast, may be more expensive but no waste and fair.

I love a crispy duck leg, with potatoes roasted alongside , so my advice would be to do a couple of large trays of legs, garlic cloves, small potatoes in their skins and some time.

For 8 people I would probably cook 12 legs , as I , or the dog, can always find something to do with the leftovers.

Op, not to be critical, but I think dauphinoise is a little bit rich with duck, but then I have not tasted that as a combo, so if it works for you, go for it.

Thanks everyone. I already have 2 whole ducks in the freezer, so don't really want to buy breasts as well.

I'm thinking 2 will be OK for 6, but if DD and her BF want to join us, I'll probably need a third.

Three ducks, too much is better than not enough. What if everyone wants a breast?

Just btw Mary Berry does a nice duck with cherry sauce recipe thinks of Sunday lunch

Agree - any more than 6 and you’d def need more.

Sounds delicious!