Basic Roast Duck - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (4 -5 lb) duck, excess fat removed, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0; prick duck skin all over with a sharp fork, skewer, or thin-bladed knife; try not to hit the meat (the fat layer is usually about 1/4 inch thick).
Season the duck with salt and pepper and place it, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast the duck for 15 minutes, prick the exposed skin again, then roast another 15 minutes.
Brush with a little soy sauce, and then turn it breast side up.
Prick again, brush with a little more soy sauce, then roast until the meat is done, about another 45 minutes; all juices, including those from the center vent, should run clear and the leg bone should wiggle a little in its socket.
When the bird is done, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh will measure about 180\u00b0.
Increase heat to 400\u00b0 for the last 10 minutes of cooking if the duck is not as brown as you like.
Carve duck and serve.