How do you clean a duck?

1. Dry pluck large feathers, leaving down.

2. Cut off ends of wings (wings have three joints; cut off the last one)

3. Hold the neck and dip bird in hot water (NOT boiling) that has a block of paraffin wax melted in it (available in the canniing section of most grocery stores) Dip twice.

4. Drop duck into a bucket of COLD water to let the wax set. Skip this if it is very cold out.

5. Once wax is set, pry it off. The feathers will come with it. In loose skin areas, hold down the skin wth one hand while you are pulling with the other.

6. Chop off head. Chop off neck where it meets the body. Save neck for stock.

7. Cut around the legs just above the "knee," bend the knee back and wriggle it around. Holding the drumstick end very tightly at the bone, pull the feet off with the idea that you're taking tendons with it. Not all will come, but that's OK.

8. With a cleaver or large knife, cut the tail off above the ass. You won't cut the gizzard.

9. Reach inside and grab everything out. Save liver and heart, they're yummy!

10. Clean inside of bird with cold water, scraping out the lungs, which are bright red and will be attached to the backbone. Dry the bird off.

Remember: DO NOT OVERCOOK! Ducks want to be eaten rare-to-medium.