Duck with Orange Sauce

duck

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner and more affordable than duck.

white wine

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Apple cider vinegar adds acidity without alcohol.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil provides healthy fats and is often less expensive.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasonings

Vegetable broth is lighter and can be homemade easily.

Clean the duck by removing the gizzards and trimming excess neck skin.

Season the inside of the duck with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper.

Insert a sprig of fresh thyme and two small bay leaves into the cavity of the duck.

Truss the duck using kitchen twine to ensure even roasting.

Rub 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter all over the outside of the duck.

Season the outside of the duck with salt and black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place the duck in a roasting pan fitted with a rack.

Roast the duck breast side down for 25 minutes.

Flip the duck over and add chopped vegetables (1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 medium onion, and the white part of 1 leek) around the bottom of the pan.

Pour dry white wine into the pan to prevent it from drying out during roasting.

Return the duck to the oven for another 25 minutes.

Flip the duck breast side up and roast for an additional 25 to 35 minutes, checking for an internal temperature of 155-160°F (68-71°C).

Zest three oranges and one lemon using a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith.

Boil the zest in water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Squeeze juice from the oranges using a potato ricer after cutting off the outer peel.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons sugar, bringing it to a boil to reduce until it caramelizes.

Strain the drippings from the roasting pan and add the orange juice to the saucepan.

Bring the mixture back to a boil and reduce it down to half or one-third of its volume.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: