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Total Time:
2 hrs 30 mins
- 2
large oranges
- 2
(5lb) duck, preferably with giblets (see tip)
- 2
large sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
- 60 ml
(4tbsp) oil
- 2
shallots
- 5 ml
(1 level tsp) plain flour
600ml (1 pint) home-made chicken stock
- 25 g
(1oz) caster sugar
- 30 ml
(2tbsp) red wine vinegar
- 100 ml
(31⁄2fl oz) unsweetened fresh orange juice
- 100 ml
(31⁄2fl oz) fruity German white wine
- 30 ml
(2tbsp) orange liqueur, eg Grand Marnier (optional)
- 15 ml
(1tbsp) lemon juice
Mint, glazed orange quarters and deep-fried orange rind to garnish (see tip)
- Step 1
Using a zester, remove rind from oranges. Place rind from one orange in a pan of cold water; bring to the boil, drain and set aside. Reserve remainder. Remove pith from oranges; cut flesh into segments.
- Step 2
Remove giblets; reserve. Place thyme and reserved rind inside the duck; season. Rub the skin with 30ml (2tbsp) oil, sprinkle with salt and place breast- side up on a grid over a roasting tin. Roast at 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 11/4-11/2hr until just cooked (see tip). Baste every 20min, turning after first 30min. Turn breast-side up for last 10min.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, cut the gizzard, heart and neck into pieces. Roughly chop shallots. Heat remaining 30ml (2tbsp) oil in a heavy-based pan, add the giblets and fry until dark brown. Add chopped shallots and flour; cook for 1min. Pour in stock, bring to the boil and bubble until reduced by half; strain.
- Step 4
Place sugar and vinegar in a heavy-based pan; dissolve the sugar over a low heat. Increase the heat and cook until it forms a dark caramel. Pour in the orange juice; stir. Cool, cover and set aside.
- Step 5
Lift the duck off the grid; keep warm. Skim all the fat off the juices to leave about 45ml (3tbsp) sediment. Stir the wine into the sediment, bring to the boil and bubble for 5min until syrupy. Add stock mixture and orange mixture. Return to boil; bubble until syrupy, skimming if necessary. To serve the sauce, add blanched orange rind and segments. Add Grand Marnier, if using, and lemon juice to taste.
- Step 6
Carve duck, garnish with oranges and rind and serve.
Cooking the duck
Instead of a whole duck, you could use four breast fillets, part-boned breasts or legs. Score through the skin and fat of the breasts, then oil and salt the skin. Grate rind of one orange and use to season flesh sides of the duck portions. In a heavy-based, preheated frying pan, brown the skin of the duck until golden. Transfer to a roasting tin; cook at 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 15min, plus 15min standing for fillets; 40min for part-boned breasts and legs, plus 10min standing. Complete sauce as in step 5.
To glaze oranges, quarter them, dust with a little caster sugar and grill until caramelised.
To check the duck is cooked, pierce the thigh deeply with a skewer; the juices should run clear.
Per Serving:
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
