Mohamed Shili This delicious Duck à l’Orange, inspired by Julia Child, is a perfect balance of crispy, golden duck and a tangy orange sauce. It’s an easy yet impressive dish that combines simple ingredients for a flavorful and hearty meal. Perfect for any special occasion or a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients Needed
Duck:
- 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp Morton kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 whole Pekin duck (5–6 lbs, neck and giblets removed)
- 1 orange
- 1 small onion (cut into 8 wedges)
- 4 sprigs marjoram
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs parsley
- ½ cup dry white wine (4 oz)
- ½ cup duck or chicken stock (or low-sodium chicken broth) (4 oz)
- ½ medium carrot (halved lengthwise)
- ½ celery stalk
Sauce:
- ⅓ cup sugar (2.7 oz)
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice (2.7 oz)
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Duck or chicken stock (or low-sodium chicken broth), if needed
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ orange (zest removed in wide strips, thinly sliced)
How To Make Duck A L’Orange
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Duck: Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 475°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp coriander, and ½ tsp cumin. Pat the duck dry and rub the spice mixture all over the inside and outside of the duck. Cut 1 orange in half and then cut one half into quarters. Stuff the duck cavity with orange quarters, 4 onion wedges, marjoram, thyme, and parsley.
- Prepare Orange Juice Mixture: Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the orange into a small bowl. Add ½ cup dry white wine and ½ cup stock or broth. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Roast the Duck: Spread ½ carrot, ½ celery stalk, and the remaining 4 onion wedges in a roasting pan. Place the duck on top of the vegetables and roast for 30 minutes.
- Lower Oven Temperature & Roast Further: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and pour in the reserved orange juice mixture. Roast the duck for an additional 1–1¼ hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 170°F. Remove from the oven.
- Broil the Duck: Preheat the broiler. Broil the duck for about 3 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
- Rest the Duck: Using tongs, carefully tilt the duck so the juices run from the cavity into the pan. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Set the roasting pan aside to save the juices and vegetables.
- Make the Sauce: While the duck is roasting, cook ⅓ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it starts to melt. Stir occasionally until the caramel turns deep golden. Reduce heat and carefully add ⅓ cup orange juice and 2 tbsp white wine vinegar. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Simmer, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Remove the sauce from heat.
- Prepare Pan Juices: Discard the vegetables from the roasting pan. Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Skim off the fat and reserve it for another use. You should have 1 cup of pan juices; if you don’t, add additional stock or broth to make up the difference.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp all-purpose flour with 1 tbsp unsalted butter to form a paste. Add the pan juices to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the flour-butter paste, followed by the orange syrup and zest. Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Carve the duck and serve with the orange sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Dry the duck thoroughly: Make sure to pat the duck dry before seasoning to get a crispy skin during roasting.
- Use a thermometer: Check the internal temperature of the duck to ensure it’s fully cooked (170°F in the thigh).
- Rest the duck: Let the duck rest for 15 minutes before carving to keep the meat juicy.
- Skim the fat: When making the sauce, be sure to skim off the duck fat from the pan juices for a cleaner sauce.
- Adjust the sauce thickness: If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes to thicken.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover Duck à l’Orange in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Place leftover Duck à l’Orange in a freezer-safe container or bag. It will last for up to 2 months. To thaw, place the duck in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover Duck à l’Orange in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until heated through. For best results, cover it with foil to keep it moist. You can also use a microwave for 2-3 minutes, but the skin won’t stay as crispy.
Nutrition Fact
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 970 kcal
- Total Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 480 mg
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
- Dietary Fiber: 4 g
- Sugars: 13 g
- Protein: 116 g
More Julia Child Recipes:
Julia Child Duck A L’Orange
Description
This delicious Duck à l’Orange, inspired by Julia Child, is a perfect balance of crispy, golden duck and a tangy orange sauce. It’s an easy yet impressive dish that combines simple ingredients for a flavorful and hearty meal. Perfect for any special occasion or a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Duck:
Sauce:
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Duck: Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 475°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp coriander, and ½ tsp cumin. Pat the duck dry and rub the spice mixture all over the inside and outside of the duck. Cut 1 orange in half and then cut one half into quarters. Stuff the duck cavity with orange quarters, 4 onion wedges, marjoram, thyme, and parsley.
- Prepare Orange Juice Mixture: Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the orange into a small bowl. Add ½ cup dry white wine and ½ cup stock or broth. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Roast the Duck: Spread ½ carrot, ½ celery stalk, and the remaining 4 onion wedges in a roasting pan. Place the duck on top of the vegetables and roast for 30 minutes.
- Lower Oven Temperature & Roast Further: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and pour in the reserved orange juice mixture. Roast the duck for an additional 1–1¼ hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 170°F. Remove from the oven.
- Broil the Duck: Preheat the broiler. Broil the duck for about 3 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
- Rest the Duck: Using tongs, carefully tilt the duck so the juices run from the cavity into the pan. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Set the roasting pan aside to save the juices and vegetables.
- Make the Sauce: While the duck is roasting, cook ⅓ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it starts to melt. Stir occasionally until the caramel turns deep golden. Reduce heat and carefully add ⅓ cup orange juice and 2 tbsp white wine vinegar. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Simmer, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Remove the sauce from heat.
- Prepare Pan Juices: Discard the vegetables from the roasting pan. Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Skim off the fat and reserve it for another use. You should have 1 cup of pan juices; if you don’t, add additional stock or broth to make up the difference.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp all-purpose flour with 1 tbsp unsalted butter to form a paste. Add the pan juices to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the flour-butter paste, followed by the orange syrup and zest. Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Carve the duck and serve with the orange sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dry the duck thoroughly: Make sure to pat the duck dry before seasoning to get a crispy skin during roasting.
- Use a thermometer: Check the internal temperature of the duck to ensure it’s fully cooked (170°F in the thigh).
- Rest the duck: Let the duck rest for 15 minutes before carving to keep the meat juicy.
- Skim the fat: When making the sauce, be sure to skim off the duck fat from the pan juices for a cleaner sauce.
Adjust the sauce thickness: If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes to thicken.
Julia Child Duck A L’Orange
