Roasted Orange Duck Recipe – For a festive holiday occasion, this amazing roasted duck with crispy skin and subtle orange flavors will make quite an impression! A who duck is browned in a skillet then roasted surrounded with marinated orange slices and aromatics then finished off with a savory-sweet orange sauce. This duck a l’orange has the crispiest skin and best flavor, seriously. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
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Ingredients list for the Duck a l’Orange recipe
- 1 3lb (1200g) whole duck, gutted and head cut off
- 2 teaspoons salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 1 small bunch of carrots, rinsed and cut lengthwise
- 2 whole heads of garlic, sliced crosswise
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Fresh bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 oranges, sliced et zested + juice of 1 orange
- 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
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Duck a l’orange recipe
This roasted duck a l’orange recipe is a twist on the classic French dish. The homemade orange sauce for this duck à l’orange recipe is specifically tailored to cut through the richness of the roasted duck meat. This roasted duck recipe uses the slow-roasting method at 325ºF (160ºC) for moist, tender duck meat with crisp, golden skin.
If you plan to serve a larger crowd, you could plan on using a large roasting pan and set two ducks side by side. The instructions would remain the same, you’d just want to double the vegetables and sauce to accommodate the extra duck meat.
How to roast duck
Roasting a whole duck in the oven does take a few hours depending on the size, but the hands-on time is minimal so there’s plenty of time to prepare the sauce while the duck cooks. First, we brown the duck skin in a skillet to render some of the fat and color the skin, then we slow-roast duck and veggies for 90 minutes at 325ºF (160ºC) – in the meantime, we prepare the sauce and marinate orange slices. Then we finish off the roasted duck by adding the orange slices and roast at 450ºF (230ºC) to crisp up the skin.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make roasted duck a l’orange: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160ºC). In the meantime, season the duck with salt and pepper and brown the whole duck in a large cast-iron skillet on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Arrange garlic heads, onion, carrots, herbs in the bottom of a baking pan and arrange browned duck on top, this helps the duck meat crisp better. Roast duck in the oven for 90 minutes, turning it upside down every 30 minutes to roast the neat evenly.
3. Meanwhile, boil the vinegar, orange juice, and honey in a small saucepan. Pour in the chicken stock little by little, stirring constantly. Set aside.
4. Blanch the orange slices in boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer to a salad bowl. Pour Grand Marnier over the orange slices, and marinate while the duck is roasting.
5. When the duck is done after 90 minutes, remove it from the oven and cover it with foil. Increase the oven temperature to 450ºF (230ºC) and arrange the marinated orange slices around the duck, sprinkle with orange zest. Return the duck to the oven and roast for 10 – 15 minutes, until the skin is crisped up.
6. To finish the orange sauce: Bring it to a simmer in the saucepan, add in cornstarch, then swirl in the butter one tablespoon at a time until thickened. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
7. To serve, carve the duck, slice de duck breasts, and arrange on a serving platter with roasted veggies and garnished with fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Transfer the orange sauce to a serving vessel. Serve the roasted duck a l’orange immediately. Enjoy! ❤️
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the roasted duck recipe
- Everyone’s oven is different, so roasting time may vary depending on the size of the duck.
- You can season the duck with salt and pepper and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to infuse the meat deeper.
What to serve with roasted duck a l’orange
If your crowd is extra hungry serve the roasted duck with mashed potatoes, or more roasted root vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, parsnips, and turnips.
What to do with roasted duck leftovers
You can keep the duck a l’orange leftovers for 2 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You may want to discard the fat and store it in a separate container so you can reheat it separately.
More roasted recipes for the Holidays
- Garlic Roasted Rack of Lamb with Butter Sauce
- Perfect Roast Beef with Herb Garlic Butter Potatoes
- Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
