Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Resting Time15 minutes mins
Total Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Blackberry Balsamic Reduction Sauce
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.
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.
Roasted Duck
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. Either discard or use in another recipe.
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.
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 the every inch, including the underside and inside the cavity.
Inside the cavity, stuff half an orange (sliced in 2 wedges), a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, 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.
Tuck the flapping skin in a bit to hold everything in, and tie the legs together with bakers string.
Place the duck breast-side up on your baking pan. Place duck on the lowest rack and set a timer for 1 hour.
After an hour, remove the pan and carefully flip the duck over. Place back in the oven for 40 minutes.
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 the next. 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.
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
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.