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Duck à l’Orange with Savory Sauce Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 57 reviews
  • Author: Lauren
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 hours
  • Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: French

Description

This classic Duck à l’Orange recipe features a perfectly roasted whole duck with crispy skin and a balanced, complex orange sauce that complements the rich, succulent meat. The sauce is a delicate blend of caramelized sugar, vinegar, citrus juice, and a rich reduced stock base, finished with butter for silkiness. With detailed roasting and sauce-making steps, this recipe results in an elegant and impressive dish perfect for special occasions or gourmet dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Duck

  • 1 whole duck (about 5 pounds; 2.25kg)
  • Vegetable oil, for drizzling
  • Kosher salt

For the Sauce Stock and Aromatics

  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large celery rib, diced
  • 2 quarts (2 liters) brown beef or brown chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) tomato paste (optional)
  • Trimmed duck wing ends, neck, and backbone (if spatchcocked)

For the Orange Gastrique

  • 4 ounces (115g) granulated sugar (about 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • Zest of 1 navel orange or 2 bitter oranges, cleaned of pith and julienned
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh navel orange juice or 1/4 cup (60ml) bitter orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (omit if using bitter orange juice)
  • Freshly ground white or black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) cold unsalted butter
  • Cornstarch or arrowroot (optional, only if needed)

Instructions

  1. Spatchcock and Trim Duck: If desired, remove the backbone using poultry shears and flatten the duck by pressing down on the breast. Trim excess skin around the neck and cavity openings, remove wingette tips, neck and giblets. Reserve trimmed parts (wing ends, neck, backbone) for the sauce stock.
  2. Prick and Blanch Skin: Prick the duck skin all over with a sharp knife without cutting the meat. Briefly dip the duck in boiling water for 2 minutes using kitchen gloves to protect your hands, then drain and place breast side up on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Season and Dry: Season duck inside and out with kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to dry the skin for crispness.
  4. Prepare Sauce Stock Base: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange trimmed duck wings, neck, and backbone with diced carrot, onion, and celery. Drizzle oil and rub to coat. Optionally rub tomato paste over duck and vegetables to deepen stock color. Roast, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 25 minutes).
  5. Simmer Stock: Transfer roasted trimmings and vegetables to a large saucepan with 2 quarts stock. Pour boiling water on the baking sheet to collect browned bits and add to stock. Simmer gently, skimming fat and scum, until reduced by half (1 to 2 hours). Strain and continue simmering strained stock until reduced to about 1 cup (225ml), about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Set aside.
  6. Roast Duck: Increase oven to 450°F (230°C). Roast duck on wire rack and baking sheet for 30 minutes; be prepared for smoke. Reduce oven to 300°F (150°C) and continue roasting until internal temperature reaches 175°F in thickest parts (about 45 minutes for spatchcocked, 1 hour for whole). Remove and rest.
  7. Make Gastrique: In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 1/4 cup water over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring with a fork until syrup forms, then simmer without stirring until deep amber (6-10 minutes). Remove from heat and slowly add red wine vinegar in small increments while swirling to prevent boil-over. Return to medium heat, boil briefly, then simmer 2 minutes. Set aside.
  8. Blanch Orange Zest: Boil about 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add orange zest and blanch until softened: ~2 minutes for navel orange or 15 minutes for bitter orange. Drain and set aside.
  9. Reheat Duck and Prepare Sauce: When ready to serve, reheat duck in oven 5 to 15 minutes to re-crisp skin. In a small saucepan, combine reduced stock with fresh orange and lemon juices (or bitter orange juice). Simmer gently until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).
  10. Finish Sauce: Add gastrique gradually, tasting until balanced sweet-sour flavor develops (about 2-4 teaspoons). Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in cold butter over low heat until sauce is smooth and glossy, avoiding boiling.
  11. Adjust Sauce Thickness and Add Zest: If sauce is too thin, mix cornstarch or arrowroot with a small amount of sauce to form a slurry and whisk back into sauce. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes. Stir in blanched zest and simmer 1 minute to infuse flavor.
  12. Serve: Carve duck and spoon sauce over or alongside for a rich, balanced presentation.

Notes

  • The sauce is designed to perfectly balance richness and acidity, cutting through the fatty richness of duck with a sweet and tangy profile.
  • Spatchcocking the duck helps it roast more evenly and reduces total cooking time.
  • Letting the duck dry uncovered in the fridge overnight helps ensure a crisp skin.
  • Reserve leftover gastrique for drizzling on grilled vegetables or other dishes.
  • Be cautious adding vinegar to hot caramel to prevent boil-over.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of duck with sauce
  • Calories: 580 kcal
  • Sugar: 10.25 g
  • Sodium: 381 mg
  • Fat: 44 g
  • Saturated Fat: 15.25 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14 g
  • Fiber: 0.5 g
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Cholesterol: 126.5 mg

Find it online: https://tastyrates.com/duck-a-lorange-with-savory-sauce-recipe/