Duck à l’Orange

Oui, that’s right! This classic holiday show-stopper is truly a main course fit for a king. Crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside, and complimented by a perfectly balanced Bigarade sauce, it’s the sort of dish that people will talk about wistfully for years to come. Whether you’re trying to change up your Thanksgiving or you’re pulling out all the stops for Christmas, New Years, or any other holiday, Duck à l’Orange is not a dish to be missed!

  • Serves: 1 Duck+Sauce
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2-2.5 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 Duck, Long Island/Pekin style OR dried in the fridge for 3 days
  • 2 juicy Navel or Mandarin Oranges
  • 1 tbsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp. Ground Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 4 sprigs each Fresh Thyme & Fresh Marjoram
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Italian Parsley
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, cut into eighths
  • 1 small Carrot, trimmed & peeled
  • 1 small Celery Rib, trimmed
  • 1/2 c. Dry White Wine
  • 1/2 c. Chicken or Duck Stock
  • 1/3 c. Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 c. Fresh Orange Juice
  • 2 tbsp. White Wine or Champagne Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Chicken or Duck Stock
  • 1 tbsp. Salted Butter, at room temp.
  • 1 tbsp. Flour
  • 1 strip Fresh Orange Zest, finely julienned

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees, and arrange with rack in the middle of the oven. Quarter 1 orange and arrange in the bottom of a large, flame-proof roasting pan along with onion, carrot, and celery. Separately, combine salt, coriander, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat duck dry with paper towels, then rub all over with spice mixture. Cut remaining orange in half, then quarter one half; stick orange quarters into duck cavity with thyme, marjoram, and parsley sprigs. Arrange duck on top of vegetables in prepared roasting pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Combine wine, stock, and juice from remaining orange half in a small bowl. After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and pour liquid mixture into the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue roasting 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh near to the bone reads 170 degrees.

  2. While duck roasts, make the sauce: heat sugar in a dry saucepan on medium-low heat until it begins to melt. When sugar has melted completely into caramel, stir in orange juice, vinegar and salt (use caution; caramel will begin to spit and steam), stirring until boiling subsides. Remove from heat when caramel has dissolved into sauce.

  3. To finish, broil roasted duck on high for about 3 minutes, leaving about 3 inches between duck and broiler. Tilt roasting pan to drain liquid into a bowl, then transfer duck to carving board and discard roasted veggies. Discard fat, and strain pan juices through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan. Add additional stock to equal 1 cup, then bring to a boil. Combine butter and flour with clean hands until it forms a paste; stir into pan juices with orange zest, whisking to combine. When sauce has thickened and zest is tender, stir in orange syrup. Allow duck to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving; serve with a generous drizzle of Bigarade sauce.

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