1. Put duck on a chopping board, breast side up. With a sharp carving knife, cut wings away by slicing through joint where it meets body.

2. To remove legs, cut through skin between leg and body. Pull to lift thigh and drumstick in one piece, releasing joint from body with knife.

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3. To remove breasts, slice down middle of body, along one side of breast bone. Use a carving fork to steady bird. The knife will hit breast bone, turn it at a slight angle away from body, and use sweeping cuts to ease breast meat away. Carefully cut around leg joint to release breast meat. Repeat on opposite side of breast bone to remove other breast.

4. Remove skin from breast meat, if desired, and carve meat diagonally into roughly 1cm thick slices.

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ProChef’s knife, Pro meat fork, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. White ceramic bistro plate, Sophie Conrad. Oak chopping board, Lakeland.

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