Can't believe I did not post this sooner...
for baking birds:
If you release the connective tissue with a knife between the skin on the breast and the meat, the fat will cook out faster basting the meat and the skin will crisp up nicely forming a hard shell that really helps to keep the meat moist.
After you pluck/clean/gut the bird, run a narrow filet type knife just under the skin along the breast meat to loosen the skin. Do this with the bird on it's back on a cutting board with the neck away from you. enter under the flaps of skin around the cavity opening. Be careful that you do not cut through the skin. You want the just separate the skin from the breast. If the bird doe not have a lot of natural fat, I find it helps to use a butter knife and slide bacon strips in between the skin and breast meat to help baste the meat. :thumbsup:
It also helps to uncover the birds the last 30-45 minutes and raise the temp to kind of broil them. This really helps the fat under the loosened connective tissue melt out and crisp the skin. :thumbsup:
Season the skin to your liking and then lightly dust the duck with baking powder. Place on a rack in a baking pan and refrigerate uncovered over night. Then when you do normal roasting it will crisp up the skin. The key is the baking powder, not baking soda (will work but also makes it a little salty) and make sure it rests uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 18 hours. This draws out the moisture for a crispier skin.
I get crispy skin after I heavily salt the bird and make slits in the skin with a sharp knife. I am not sure if one or both of these methods contributes to crispy skin. I also usually cook my ducks in the oven at 450, or on a very warm grill.
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