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Original poster

Duck on Christmas Day for 10

69 replies

Bella1905 · 04/12/2024 10:32

Hi all, there will be 10 of us on Christmas Day and I'm thinking of purchasing a couple of ducks. I'm an amateur cook so wondered if people would recommend duck as a good option and does anyone have any advice on how to cook it/serve it? (We are not turkey fans). Many thanks

OP posts:
Chemenger · 04/12/2024 10:35

I think you would probably need more than 2 ducks, they are not very big.

Okayornot · 04/12/2024 10:38

Ducks don't have enough meat on them. You need a goose. Tastes similar to duck, much better than turkey.

Original poster
Bella1905 · 04/12/2024 10:58

Thanks. 2 of the 10 are young children and given there will be lots of sides I thought 2 might be enough. Plus a lot cheaper than duck. Would 1 duck be enough for 10? Do they taste similar? Many thanks

OP posts:
Blimeyitscold · 04/12/2024 11:00

One duck will feed four people if you’re lucky. You need at least two. Don’t buy a goose as the taste is different and it’s a lot greasier.

AllTangledUpInTinselAndTiaras · 04/12/2024 11:00

One duck is definitely not enough. Two will feed 10 if everyone is sensible but there won't be any leftovers and if people expect to eat loads of meat it won't be enough.

OccasionalHope · 04/12/2024 11:01

Have you never seen a duck IRL? They’re smaller than chickens,

One duck for ten people? Only if most of them are vegetarians…

RandomMess · 04/12/2024 11:02

Duck is fatty and Smokey to cook, need to be careful not to dry it out.

Mirenamirena · 04/12/2024 11:03

Unless you want small portions of meat and a lot of faffing to obtain it, I think you would need at least 3 ducks but an easier option would be to buy portions of duck breast. Not sure if they are still included in Morrisons 3 for £10 meat offer but I bought small individual portions there a couple of weeks ago and put them in the freezer.

mondaytosunday · 04/12/2024 11:12

I agree either way the buy duck breasts. It won't have that wow factor, but would be easier. You'd need at least three ducks otherwise which is a lot of oven space!

Dash0Cal · 04/12/2024 11:15

There is a lovely Nigel Slater Christmas recipe for duck where you cook it with potatoes. Definitely do two.

lemonlavendar · 04/12/2024 11:16

My Dad always said a duck is enough for two, you and the duck.

KittytheHare · 04/12/2024 11:19

I don’t think two ducks would be enough, even given child guests. Traditionally in restaurants a half duck per person would have been served. There’s very little meat on the breast. Plus they are very very smoky when roasting, and tend to set off smoke alarms!

Gcn · 04/12/2024 11:23

There is no way 2 ducks would feed 10 people! I would be v disappointed if I got less that a quarter of a duck for my Christmas dinner!

AllTangledUpInTinselAndTiaras · 04/12/2024 11:23

I agree @KittytheHare - if I were feeding 10 I'd do at least 3 but probably 4 just to be on the safe side. However I like there to be plenty of food and all the better if people have to be rolled out the door! Xmas Grin Xmas Grin

2 is doable but it would be a very restrained affair unless you have loads and loads of sides. Nothing wrong with that if it's how dinners are done, tbf!

RabbitsEatPancakes · 04/12/2024 11:23

Sorry I would be doing minimum 3, if not 4. I'd want a bit of breast and a leg at Xmas and I'm only petite. I'd imagine a large man eating a lot more.

It'll be quite faffy to be neatly carving 3/4 ducks too. And you do have to cook them accurately to not overdo them. You might be better with duck legs and breasts rather than whole ones.

Chemenger · 04/12/2024 11:24

The amount of fat that you would end up with roasting enough whole ducks for 10 would be enormous. Duck breasts would be the way to go.

Original poster
Bella1905 · 04/12/2024 11:24

Thanks all. I had planned to purchase two 2.75kg ducks which a butcher advised would be sufficient with sides. I know ducks are small so had known one wouldn't be sufficient.

OP posts:
OrlandointheWilderness · 04/12/2024 11:25

Are we talking wild duck or farmed? Tbh I think a wild duck only serves 2 decently, I roast 2 for our family of 4! I'd be having to do 5.

AllTangledUpInTinselAndTiaras · 04/12/2024 11:27

As it happens I was planning on doing duck for our Christmas dinner this year and I had planned 2 for 5 people, one of whom is a very small eater. It would have been just enough to feed everyone well and that's only because I was going to bring it to ILs where things are quite restrained. If I were hosting it wouldn't be nearly enough!

We've changed our minds, though, and will be doing a turkey instead.

butterfly0404 · 04/12/2024 11:29

I much prefer duck to Turkey, lovely with a Port sauce...but you'll definitely need 2 and kids aren't usually that keen, I'd consider some chicken as well.

Fraaahnces · 04/12/2024 11:31

If I let my son go for gold, he’d probably plough through both of them and ask if there was any more. It’s his favourite. I’m doing one for five ppl and will repeatedly tell him to keep his paws off until everyone else is served. Christmas Day and his birthday are the two days a year I will cook Daffy.

Okayornot · 04/12/2024 11:33

OrlandointheWilderness · 04/12/2024 11:25

Are we talking wild duck or farmed? Tbh I think a wild duck only serves 2 decently, I roast 2 for our family of 4! I'd be having to do 5.

Me too. DH and I once did a duck for christmas when it was just us two and my oldest DC who was then a toddler. It was only just enough, and we are really not big eaters.

MiddleClassWomanOfACertainAge · 04/12/2024 11:40

I wouldn't rely on a duck to feed more than two or three people, but they are delicious roasted with apples and served with braised red cabbage.

Fraaahnces · 04/12/2024 11:44

I can’t go past sour cherry sauce…. Yum

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 04/12/2024 11:53

I bought a 1.9kg duck last week, just for a change. I was pleasantly surprised by how much meat and how little fat was on it. I think ducks have been redesigned over the last couple of decades.
For Christmas, I'd be tempted to go the easy route and get one large duck plus 10 breast fillets. Stunt duck style.
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Fresh class A, skin on duck breast portions<br>The well-bred duck<br>The Gressingham Duck® is a unique breed that first came about when the flavourful Mallard was crossed with the larger Pekin duck, now renowned for its superior taste and succulence ma...

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