SAVORY ROASTED DUCK

The first time I ate duck, I was struck by how delicious and moist the "chicken" was. That statement made everyone laugh, although I didn't get it, at the time. I just kept eating the delicious dark meat, savoring every mouthful, and thinking what a great cook my aunt was. It wasn't until years later that I realized why everyone had a good chuckle that day at my expense. The chicken I loved, had actually been a duck. That was my first experience with roasted duck. Needless to say, I was hooked from that day forward.
Ducks gets a bad rap! The most frequent thing I hear, is that "duck is just so greasy". That is anything, but the truth! When roasting a duck, YES, there will be quite a lot of fat rendered in the pan. But... that most certainly does not, carry over to the meat.
Duck is succulent, tender and delicious. It is versatile and goes well with so many other dishes. There are no mysteries when cooking a duck either. As long as the bird is set, high enough in the pan so it is not swimming in the juices, you WILL end up with a perfectly cooked duck, every time.
If you look through a ton of recipe books and online demonstrations, you will find a 1000 different ways to prepare a duck.
Many prick the skin all over, to allow the grease to seep from the meat during cooking. Some will tell you that with a sharp knife, separate the skin upwards from the meat before cooking. Again, to let the fat drain. Some boil/simmer the entire duck for 30 min. before roasting. I have even seen people cook a  5-6 lb. duck anywhere from 11/2 to 6 hours! I have tried them ALL!  And... with absolute certainty, I can tell you that NONE of it is necessary.
Roasting a duck in easy. It takes very little time, and is only difficult, if you make it that way.
The key to a perfect duck, is to make sure it sits high in the pan, AND... when done, place a long handled wooden spoon, into the cavity and tilt the duck up vertically, over the roasting pan, while removing it, until all fat has drained from the cavity of the bird as well. That's it!
If you can roast a chicken, you can roast a duck.
And... for those who might not know, duck... is all dark meat. Roasted Duck, served any way, is most likely, my favorite fowl of all time!

 

Prep time: 30 min.     Cook time: 2hr. 30 min +/-      Servings: Makes 3-4 serving

                   

Ingredients:

1 - 5-6 lb. Duck. (Remove giblets, and neck, and set aside.)

Rinse duck well, and pat dry. (I do cut off, just the tips of the wings, because they do have a tendency to burn at such a high cooking temp.)

1 tablespoon sea salt. (regular salt is fine as well.)

1 teaspoon black pepper.

1 small can, mandarin oranges in light syrup, (drain, saving syrup.)

11/2 tsp. thyme.

2 whole bay leaves 

11/2 tsp. marjoram.

1 tsp. parsley.
(a little extra of each spice above for sprinkling on duck when placing in oven)

1 medium-large onion, cut into 8 sections
1/2 cup orange juice (no pulp or seeds)

1/2 cup white wine.

1 cup chicken stock, halved. (or reduced-sodium chicken broth if you prefer.)

2 carrots.

2 celery ribs.

Salt and pepper to taste
Deep roasting pan, with rack

TIP: **There will be a large collection of grease at the bottom of the pan as the duck cooks. After, each time you baste the bird, remove some of the juices from the pan if necessary, and discard. You just don't want the bottom of the bird, sitting in the liquid.**
 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Mix together salt, thyme, marjoram, parsley and pepper. Set aside. (The next 6 steps, are ONLY needed, if you are going to make the sauce as well.)
• Place giblets, onion wedge, wing tips that were removed, and neck (cut neck into pieces if necessary) in small saucepan.



• Cover with 1/2 cup chicken broth and water if needed, then stir.
• Salt and pepper to preference.
• Bring to a boil,  then cover. Turn heat down to a low simmer, and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes. (Liquid should be reduced by about half.)
• Taste again, for salt and pepper.
• When ready, stain stock into bowl, discarding parts and giblets. Set aside the "duck" stock you just made. Now... Back to the duck again. 
• In this order, on the bottom of the rack in your roasting pan. Place a wedge of onion, a whole carrot, a whole celery rib, onion wedge, whole carrot, whole celery rib and last onion wedge. (We are going to place the duck on top of these, in the rack, to help lift the bird up a bit higher, so the bottom of the fowl does not sit in the fat that it will render.) The vegetables will be discarded once the duck and sauce are cooked.
• Place several onion wedges inside the cavity of the duck.
• Now using a spoon or your hands, place 3/4's of the mandarin oranges inside the cavity as well.
• Again, with a teaspoon, sprinkle the cavity with the spice mixture that you made earlier, spreading evenly over onions and mandarin oranges.
• Tuck in the neck flap
• Place duck on rack, breast side up and salt and pepper well.
• Sprinkle duck with thyme, marjoram and parsley. You only need a little of each.
• Place the last few mandarin oranges on top of the duck too.



• Place in oven, and cook for 30 min.
• Mix the wine, bay leaves, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and mandarin orange syrup we had set aside earlier, and pour it over the duck.
• Now, lower oven heat to 350 and cook for approximately 2 hours.
• Baste well, about every 25 minutes.
• The skin, will darken quickly. THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE. So don't worry. (The meat is going to be so tender you won't even need a knife.)
• The dark, crunchy skin of the duck, is what is called the "crackle", and is considered a delicacy in many parts of the US. The layer beneath the "crackle" is the fat, and once cooked, separates easily from the skin and meat in a thin single strip. Secretly, it's my favorite part. :D
• When the duck is registering 175 degrees, and the duck legs are easily movable. It is done.
• There will be quite a lot of grease in the bottom of the pan, as well, as inside of the duck.
• Using a long wooden spoon, place the spoon into the cavity of the duck, and tilt it downward, over the roasting pan, and allow to drain, before removing it.
• Once, drained, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes on a rack.
• Carve, place on platter, and serve with or without, sauce on the side.



Sauce Ingredients: This is an optional step. The duck is equally good, with or with out a sauce. So the choice is yours!

1 healthy tbsp. cornstarch,

mixed well with 3/4 cup "cold " water.

1/2 cup orange juice.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

More spices (thyme, marjoram and parsley) if desired.

About 3/4 -1 cup pan drippings, after skimming off as much grease as possible. Making sure you remove the bay leaves. (This is what will give your sauce, it's rich brown color.)
 

HOW TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
THIS IS ALSO A SAUCE THAT YOU MUST TASTE AS YOU GO!
 

Scrape the bottom of the roasting pan, mixing them with the skimmed panned drippings you have saved.
Transfer to a sauce pan, and add the strained giblet stock.
Mix well.

Bring to a simmer.

Add orange juice  (this step is optional, and is dictated by your own taste.

(The sauce is not supposed to be sweet, it is supposed to be savory with a hint of orange, for the best taste. I do add it.)

Taste for salt and pepper.

Add the cornstarch and water that is mixed well, to the pan to thicken.

Add more seasoning if desired. (again, this is optional)

Cook on low/med. heat at a soft simmer, stirring often, until thickened to your preference. About 3-5 min.
Taste one last time for salt and pepper.

Strain, and serve on the side to spoon over duck if desired.

 

 

Now Enjoy!

 



© 2013 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen