Roasted Duck with Orange Sauce

This recipe uses the slow-roasting method to yield moist, tender duck meat with crisp, golden skin. It’s served with a simple orange and rosemary sauce that’s not only delicious with duck but also works with other main dishes like chicken, pork, or even salmon.

Notes from the MGC Kitchen: Why Slow Roasting Is the Best Way to Cook Duck

Roasting a whole duck does take a few hours in the oven, but the hands-on time is minimal so there’s plenty of time to prepare side dishes and relax with guests while the duck cooks. We’ve spent some time researching a variety of sources for reliable instructions on roasting duck. If you do the same, you’ll find a big variance when it comes to time, technique, and temperature. After testing a number of roast duck recipes over the years, we’ve settled on this recipe for four reasons:

1. It’s the easiest way to make a roast duck that we’ve found.
2. It doesn’t produce the smoke you can get with higher roasting temperatures.
3. The skin consistently turns out crispy and golden.
4. The meat doesn’t dry out – even near the ends of the drumsticks!

Basic Steps for Making Roasted Duck

This is an overview of how this dish is made. Detailed measurements, ingredients, instructions, and times are available in the printable version of the recipe below.

Prep the Duck for Roasting

Coat a roasting pan and rack with nonstick spray. Cut four slices from the center of a fresh navel orange for garnish and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut the remainder of the orange into wedges and set aside.

Remove the neck, giblets, liver, and heart from the cavity of the duck and reserve for another use or discard. Trim away any flaps of excess skin from around the cavity and tail area. Rinse the duck in cool water and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the duck’s cavity with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stuff it with orange wedges and rosemary sprigs.

Bend the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with cotton twine. Place the duck, breast side up on the prepared roasting rack. If you’re able, prepare the duck to this point and refrigerate uncovered overnight. This will help to dry the skin, making for a crispier end result. Before roasting, set the duck aside for 1 hour to allow it to come to room temperature (do not cover).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using the tip of a sharp knife, prick the skin of the duck all over (1/4-inch spacing). Be careful not to pierce all the way through to the meat. Rub kosher salt and pepper all over the duck, top and bottom.

Roast the Duck

Place the duck in the oven and roast breast side up for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven, turn it breast side down on the rack, and continue roasting. It’s a good idea to rotate the pan in the oven as well to ensure even browning.

Repeat this process every 30 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the duck’s thigh registers 165°F. Total cooking time should be about 2-1/2 hours. Once cooked, tilt the duck to drain the fat and juices that have accumulated in the cavity into the roasting pan. Tent loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Prepare the Sauce

While the duck rests, prepare the sauce. Combine the orange juice, rosemary and mustard in a small saucepan and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, uncovered, until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar, butter and orange zest and stir until the butter has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, transfer the carved duck to a serving platter and garnish with fresh orange slices and sprigs of rosemary. Drizzle with sauce and serve immediately.

Tips for Success

• Everyone’s oven is different, so if you find that you’re getting too much browning on some areas of the skin, shield them with foil.
• Rotate the pan every time you turn the duck. This helps for even browning.
• Coat your racks very thoroughly with nonstick spray to make turning the duck over as easy as possible. If you can, re-coat the rack every time you turn the duck. You don’t want to have any of that lovely, crispy skin stick to the rack!

Make it A Meal: Our Roast Duck Menu

Wondering what to serve with a whole roasted duck? Our dinner menu includes a perfectly paired appetizer, salad course, vegetables, savory stuffing, and a light dessert.

• Apple Cranberry Chutney – This easy, make-ahead accompaniment for cheese and crackers pairs well with sharp cheddar or a soft ripe cheese like Brie.
• Roasted Beet and Baby Spinach Salad – This is a pretty, composed salad topped with toasted walnuts and a creamy orange dressing.
• Savory Corn Bread Stuffing – Flavored with bits of bacon, sautéed onion, and thyme, this cornbread stuffing makes a nice contrast to the sweet and savory flavor of the duck.
• Garlic Braised Green Beans – This side dish is flavorful but simple enough that it won’t distract from the star of your meal, the duck.
• Orange Spiced Poached Pears – Wrap up the meal with a light dessert of pears poached in orange juice and flavored with ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla.

More Roasted Poultry Recipes

All types of poultry taste great when roasted. When you’re not up to tackling a whole roast duck, consider making a roast chicken or Cornish hens. Or, for a bigger group, try a roast capon, or the king of all roasted poultry, a turkey.