Roasted Duck with Blackberry Balsamic Reduction Sauce

I made this roasted duck for my family Christmas dinner this year. I’ve never served duck before for a large crowd and wasn’t exactly sure how much I would need for 9 people. I decided to make 3 ducks and figured I’d make a few filling appetizers, and a thick butternut squash soup so folks wouldn’t be too ravenous for duck.

I had about half a duck left over in the end, which was perfect. I’ll have duck hash for breakfast until the new year! I served it with my favorite Anjou pear, mushroom and red onion stuffing and sesame ginger french beans!

And for dessert, oh my, I served my white chocolate cheesecake mousse with raspberry-rosemary compote. I definitely made sure to have my coffee station set up so folks wouldn’t get too sleepy driving home after such a rich dinner!

Why This Recipe is Special

It’s easier than you think to make – I was always a bit intimidated by cooking duck, so I made sure to make this recipe is VERY simple, whether your a seasoned duck expert (duckspert?) or a brand new to the process, you’ll have no trouble at all!

The blackberry reduction sauce is simply spectacular – The duck is quite impressive, but the sauce is really going to impress your guests!

How to Make Roasted Duck – Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. (176 C.) . Remove your duck from its packaging and remove the neck and giblets that are tucked inside the cavity. The giblets are usually tucked pretty far back, so make sure you find and remove it. Either discard or use in another recipe.

2. Use a sharp knife to score the duck fat, making a criss-cross pattern across the breast. You don’t want to cut into the meat, just the fat, which will be about half an inch to an inch thick. You’ll also want to slice and poke the fatty flapping skin around the cavity to allow for better fat draining.

3. Mix 3 tbsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. smoked Spanish paprika in a bowl, then give the entire duck a luxurious massage with it. Make sure to cover every inch, including the underside and inside the cavity.

4. Inside the cavity, stuff half an orange, sliced in 2 wedges, a few sprigs of rosemary, and 6-8 garlic cloves, also sliced in half. You don’t need to remove the skins, as these aromatics will be discarded with the bones.

5. Tuck the flapping skin in a bit to hold everything in, and tie the legs together with bakers string.

6. Place the duck breast-side up on the grate of your baking pan. For easy cleanup, you might want to line your baking pan with tin-foil first. Place duck on the lowest rack and set a timer for 1 hour.

7. After an hour, remove the pan and carefully flip the duck over. Place back in the oven for 40 minutes.

8. Flip the duck back to breast-side up. Check your duck’s internal temperature. If it is approaching (or has reached) 165 F. (73 C.) skip this step, and go to step 9. If it is still approaching cooked temperature,  In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp. of orange juice. Brush the duck all over with the mixture. Place duck back in the oven for 20 minutes.

9. Remove the duck and, in a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp. of honey,  1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp. orange juice. Brush the duck all over with the mixture. Place duck back in the oven for 20 minutes.

10. Remove your duck. Make sure it’s completely done by using a meat thermometer in the breast and thigh. It should read at least 165 F. (73 C.) degrees. Allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it.

How to Cut Roasted Duck – Step by Step

Again, make sure to wait at least 15 minutes after your duck is roasted before cutting or it will simply be too hot. The skin will also become more firm as it cools and adhere to the meat better.

1. With a sharp knife, remove the wings. There won’t be a lot of meat on the wings, so I usually just snack on these while I work on the rest of the duck 😉

2. Remove the drum-stick legs by slicing them away, and cutting into the leg socket and twisting until it comes loose. You can remove the meat from the drum sticks or simply serve them whole.

3. Slice the breast meat. There is a breast bone and you want to slice down the center, then slip your knife down the side of the breast bone, slicing as close to the bone as possible on each side.

4. You’ll have 2 nice pieces just like this that can be sliced into about 6-7 pieces each.

There are a few other nooks and crannies where you’ll find meat, so simply turn it over and inspect around where the wings were. You’ll find some pockets there, as well as around where the legs were.

How to Make the Reduction Sauce  – Step by Step

1. In a sauce pan, add 6 oz. blackberries, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tbsp. of sugar and 2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar. Use a potato masher to break apart the berries, and give it a little stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely reduced.

2. You don’t have to remove the seeds, but if you want a perfectly smooth, seedless sauce, simply push it through a small mesh strainer. Place it in a container and refrigerate until your duck is ready to serve.

Common Questions

A Few Tips

1. Make sure your duck is thawed and cooked within 3-4 days of thawing

If you buy your duck frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator for 3 days before roasting. Duck often comes in a vacuum-sealed package and I’ve read that it will be fine to cook for up to 14 days if kept in that package. This was not the case for me.

I ordered a duck that was completely frozen, then thawed, and I waited about 6 days to make it. It was already beginning to spoil when I opened it, so I’d err on the safe side and not thaw until 3-4 days before you intend to roast and serve it.

2. Do not wash the duck

Don’t listen to your grandma! Never wash poultry. It doesn’t clean it, it doesn’t remove any bacteria, but what it WILL do is spread that bacteria all over your sink and countertops. Roasting it will kill off any salmonella bacteria as long as it’s thoroughly cooked (a meat thermometer reading 165 F. (73 C.) or higher).

3. Save the fat for other recipes or throw it away

Never pour fat down your drain. Not only will it clog your drains, it’s terrible for your city’s waste management systems and in some places, it’s actually illegal. Pour the fat into a container and place it in the refrigerator.

If you want to properly discard it, wait about 5 hours for it to harden and then scoop it into the garbage. You can also save duck fat to use instead of butter in so many recipes! It has a low smoke point and adds an incredible, rich flavor to roasted vegetables!

4. Check your duck’s internal temperature after 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Although this recipe calls for allowing the duck to cook for 2 hours and 20 minutes, some ducks may have less fat than the one I used in this recipe, which may effect how quickly your duck cooks. If your duck is starting to reach (or has already reached) 165 F.  (73 C.) after 1 hour and 40 minutes,  speed up the brushing process, and only do 1 brush of balsamic, orange juice and honey and bake for 10-20 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t over-cook.

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