Going to be roasting a whole duck tomorrow. I'd like to do it on a roasting rack with spuds underneath. Assuming that it's cooking for about 2 hours at 180C, does the majority of the fat come out in the first half? Just trying to find a way to convince the Mrs that I won't make a mess or end up with "greasy" potatoes. Of course they will be greasy (i.e. would leave a stain if left on a piece of paper), but hopefully still crispy and not soggy with duck fat. Various recipes I've seen appear to be pretty vague about the detail here!
I'm thinking of removing the duck after about an hour of cooking, then pouring off any excess fat before introducing the potatoes. Thing is, I'm not sure how much constitutes "excess" unless I have an idea of how much more fat will emerge from the bird during phase 2 of the roast.