Sqwertz wrote:
>
> Word of warning - spatchcocking a duck is not easy. Not easy a t
> all. Ducks are much more sturdy than chickens. It requires a
> hacksaw, nothing less.
>
> But spatchcocking is a good idea, at the lowest point in the oven
> and tented with foil as Marty mentioned. I still think it may get
> too much heat on top and not much underneath.

Cut the ducks into parts rather than cooking them whole spatchcocked.
Start the legs tented. Add the breasts still tented. Add the wings
about the time you remove the tent.

Use a sheet pan with a rack so the melting fat drips down to be saved.
Rendered duck and goose fat are superior frying oils.

Alternately remove the main skeleton by gradually turning them inside
out. The bones in the limbs remain. Turn right side out and cook them
flat on the bottom rack. Start back up for the first half then turn
breat up for the second half. I've done the boneless thing to make a
stuffed duck and it was really good. Leaving out the stuffing to have a
mostly flat duck should work fine.

In an intact oven I've tried upright ducks beer can style. The idea was
the rendered fat would drip out better. It sorta worked but I had to
remove all of the racks to get them to fit. Not worth the effort to do
it again.