NEW YEAR RECIPE: Easy Roast Mallard!

Mallard is truly free range having full access to acres of clover-rich and pesticide-free pastures and are topped up with home-grown Wheat without any additives or growth promoters.

Our mallard are slow grown to a maturity of 6-7 months to develop a natural marbling of the meat, and a beautiful fat layer under the skin.

Enjoy our ethical mallards and this super simple recipe that brings out all of the natural flavours of this excellent bird.

Easy Roast Mallard

Ingredients:

One mallard (chilled but not frozen), 5kg

Sea salt

Black pepper

Instructions:

2 hours before you cook the mallard, remove the bird from the fridge.

Check cavity and remove giblets. 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

While the oven is heating, massage the mallard firmly to weaken the fat so it will render more easily while cooking.

Prick skin all over on both sides with a fork, paying special attention to the breast. Do not pierce the meat JUST the skin.

Rub a generous amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper all over the mallard skin not forgetting the salt cavity.

Truss the mallard and place it breast-side down in a roasting pan. When the oven is the correct temperature slide in the roasting pan.

After 20 - 25 minutes, pull the mallard out and prick the side facing up with a fork.

Use a baster to suck out any fat that has rendered thus far and save it in a jar.

After another 25 - 30 minutes, the back should be getting brown. If not, leave it in a little longer. Otherwise, remove more of the fat from roasting pan and reserve. Flip the mallard, prick the breast again, and put mallard back in the oven.

Every 20 - 25 minutes, pull the mallard out and remove some of the fat. For beautifully browned skin, brush some of the fat over the mallard skin. Remove the mallard when an inserted thermometer reads 80 degrees C - this should be after 2 1/2 hours total cook time.

Rest mallard for at least 20 minutes.

Remove the twine - then cut the thighs and legs away from the breast. Cut off wings and set them aside for making stock.

Use a sharp knife to cut down the centre of the breast, then cut each side of breast away from rib cage. Take the two halves of the breast and cut them into medallions as you would a duck and serve.

Enjoy!