The Great Duck Experiment Part 1

I thought I would document my duck adventure here, since my favorite guinea pig is not available and flatmate D is also not around to admire my duck-work. I think if you click on the pictures you can see them bigger or something, but don't hold me to that. Anyway, onto the blow by blow so you can experience all the joy right there with me. First, I wanted to share my inspiration for this experiment. Notice it's just words there. That's the recipe. Just read along and vaguely do what it says.....Here is my duck. It is longer than a chicken, longer and then seems narrower. Duck isn't particularly cheap, but the cost of this duck is around the same cost as 1/4 crispy duck at a restaurant. So... not terrible. If it works. Because the duck is so long, I needed to make sure it fit in a pan. Of course I have more cooking equipment than most people in this country so it was very likely that I would have a pan that would fit the duck. What I didn't really have was a grill layer to keep the duck off the bottom and let the fat drip. There goes one of my three cooling racks. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure I used it for this before.Okay, it's time to get down and dirty and roll up the sleeves!First thing to notice, a duck is REALLY not like a chicken. It does not smell like a chicken, it seems to have a lot more bones and things than a chicken, and there was a very long flap of skin which I assume was neck skin that is definitely not on a chicken.Hehehehehehehehehehehe. Hahahahahahahahahah. *snort* *chortle* I am so easily amused.Here is my duck all seasoned. Notice the small piece of ginger tucked in it's ass. There are two more shoved inside. There's a really funny joke there about ginger and butts, but you'd have to have more information about figging to truly understand.Of course the best part of getting a whole bird is the giblets. Look, it's liver! I love liver. Just grill that puppy down with a whole load of salt. Very, very bad for you. And very, very good.And there it is all done. My duck has been in one hour now. I think it needs to go for two. But I need to go scoop out some fat so it crisps up. I hate taking large hot things out of the oven. I'm always terrified that I'm going to drop it and burn myself.So I've had my mid-cooking snack, and it's time to keep going. Stay tuned for the uber exciting great duck experiment part, deux.