roasted gressingham duck with garlic, onion, and sage stuffing

Stuffing
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14-ounce bag cubed herbed stuffing mix
1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed or ground dried sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup chicken stock or canned broth

Goose
1 Gressingham duck, 7–8lbs.
1 lemon, halved
3 bacon slices

For stuffing:
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery and garlic and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Combine stuffing mixture, sage, salt, oregano, thyme, pepper and Italian Seasoning in large bowl. Stir in onion mixture and eggs. Add stock and mix well. Set aside.

For the duck:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Rinse duck inside and out; pat dry, using paper towel. Rub duck inside and out with halved lemon. Season goose inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill main cavity and neck cavity loosely with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in small buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Run fingers between breast meat and skin to loosen skin.

Place bacon slices under breast skin. Wrap goose in cheesecloth.

Place duck on rack set into large roasting pan.
Roast duck 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part to thigh registers 180°F., basting every 20 minutes with pan juices, about 1 hour 20 minutes. (Place stuffing in covered baking dish in oven during last 40 minutes.) Remove cheesecloth. Transfer duck to platter. Pass stuffing separately.