Roasted Duck

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (5 pound) whole duck
• 0.5 cup butter, melted, divided

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove the neck and giblets from the duck cavity and reserve them for another use or discard. Pat the duck very dry with paper towels.
2. Combine paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; rub the spice mixture over the duck skin. Place the duck breast-side up in a roasting pan. You can use a roasting rack if preferred to help the heat circulate around the duck.
3. Roast uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Carefully spoon or pour off excess rendered fat if it begins to collect in the pan. Spoon ¼ cup melted butter over the duck and continue roasting for 45 minutes.
4. Spoon the remaining ¼ cup melted butter over the duck. Roast until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast, thigh, and wing, away from bone, should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).