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Duck in a Multicooker
Instructions
First, prepare the marinade for the duck. Pour 3 tablespoons of soy sauce into a separate small mixing bowl. Soy sauce forms the savoury salty foundation of the marinade and helps the spices adhere properly to the duck skin during the long marinating time.
Add 1 teaspoon of ground garlic to the bowl with the soy sauce. Ground dried garlic distributes more evenly through the marinade than fresh chopped garlic and adheres better to the duck skin during marinating.
Add 1 teaspoon of paprika. Sweet paprika gives the gentlest result, smoked paprika adds a more pronounced barbecue character, and hot paprika brings a touch of warmth for those who enjoy a spicier finished dish.
Add 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Thyme pairs beautifully with poultry and contributes a gentle herbal note that complements the sweetness of the honey and the umami of the soy sauce in the finished marinade.
Add 2 tablespoons of liquid honey to the marinade. Liquid honey blends more easily into the rest of the ingredients than thick crystallized honey would. If your honey is solid, gently warm it briefly until liquid before adding.
Mix all the marinade ingredients together thoroughly with a small whisk or fork until completely homogeneous. The marinade should look like a thick glossy dark sauce with all the spices fully incorporated into the liquid.
Rub the duck carcass thoroughly inside and out with the prepared marinade. Use clean hands or a silicone brush to ensure even coverage across every surface of the bird, including the cavity and under the wings and legs where marinade often misses.
Cover the marinated duck with plastic wrap and let it rest for 4 hours in a cool place. Do not skip this resting step. Turn the duck occasionally during the marinating time so it absorbs the marinade more evenly across all surfaces of the bird.
When the duck has finished marinating, prepare the stuffing. Cut the apple and the orange into medium-sized pieces. The fruit will perfume the duck from the inside during cooking and contribute a beautifully aromatic note to the finished bird.
Stuff the duck cavity with the prepared apple and orange pieces. Stitch the opening closed with toothpicks or sew it shut with culinary thread to keep the stuffing inside during cooking.
Grease the multicooker bowl thoroughly with vegetable oil. The oil prevents sticking and helps the duck skin develop a beautifully golden crust during the long baking step that follows in the multicooker.
Place the prepared stuffed duck carcass breast-side up in the greased multicooker bowl. Close the multicooker lid securely and prepare to start the cooking program in the next step.
Set the multicooker to the baking mode for 40 minutes. The dry oven-style heat will brown the duck skin while gently cooking the meat through to the centre at a measured pace.
After the first baking cycle finishes, carefully turn the duck over in the multicooker bowl using two large forks or tongs. Restart the baking mode for another 40 minutes to brown the second side properly.
Check the duck for doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a long toothpick or skewer. If the liquid that runs out is clear without any traces of blood, the duck in the multicooker is properly cooked and ready to serve.
Lift the cooked duck carefully out of the multicooker bowl onto a serving platter. Serve the duck with simple roasted potatoes and a generous handful of fresh herbs scattered over the top. Cook the duck with oranges and apples in a multicooker according to our recipe. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Always prick the duck skin all over with the tip of a sharp knife before marinating, since the small holes allow the rendered fat to escape during cooking and produce a noticeably crispier finished skin. The pricks also help the marinade penetrate deeper into the meat for more pronounced flavour. Take care to prick only the skin and the layer of fat underneath, not the actual meat, since meat pricks would let the natural juices escape during cooking and produce drier results.
- 2
Choose a properly fresh duck from a trusted butcher or supermarket for the best flavour and texture in the finished dish. To pair this elegant duck with another celebration-worthy meat dish for a properly impressive holiday menu, try our beautifully tender oven-baked pork ribs as a contrasting alternative roast on the same buffet table.
- 3
Save all the rendered duck fat from the multicooker bowl after cooking, since this golden liquid is one of the most valuable cooking fats any home cook can have. Strain the warm fat through a fine sieve to remove any solids, transfer to a clean jar, and store in the refrigerator for up to two months. Use it for roasting potatoes, frying eggs or anywhere a rich savoury fat is called for in cooking.
- 4
Let the cooked duck rest for ten minutes loosely covered with foil before carving, since the resting time lets the juices redistribute through the meat for noticeably moister tender results. For another beautifully tender meat recipe in the multicooker, try our crowd-pleasing pork ribs in a multicooker with sweet sticky honey glaze.
FAQ
Can I cook duck in the oven instead of a multicooker? +
Absolutely. Use the same marinade and stuffing technique, then roast the prepared duck in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 80 to 90 minutes. Check the doneness with a thermometer or by piercing the thigh as described in the recipe. Baste the duck with rendered fat from the bottom of the roasting pan every twenty minutes for the crispiest most flavourful skin. The oven version often produces an even crispier skin than the multicooker version.
What can I substitute for honey in the marinade? +
Brown sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup or even agave nectar all work as substitutes for honey in this marinade with broadly similar results. Each substitute brings its own subtle flavour notes: brown sugar adds caramel depth, maple syrup contributes a gentle woodiness, and white sugar produces the cleanest neutral sweetness. Adjust the quantity slightly to taste, since some substitutes are noticeably sweeter than honey and may need slightly less to avoid an overly sweet final glaze.
How long does cooked duck keep? +
Store leftover cooked duck covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three full days for best results. The flavour actually improves overnight as the meat continues to absorb the marinade fully. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of broth, or in the oven covered with foil at 150 degrees Celsius for about twenty minutes. Avoid microwaving the duck, since the rapid heating tends to dry out the meat and toughen the skin.
Can I use frozen duck for this recipe? +
Yes, frozen duck works perfectly well in this recipe. Thaw the duck slowly overnight in the refrigerator rather than rushing the defrosting process in cold water or the microwave, since slow thawing produces a noticeably better texture in the finished cooked bird. Pat the thawed duck completely dry with paper towels before applying the marinade, since excess surface moisture would dilute the marinade and prevent it from clinging properly to the duck skin.
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