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Duck in the Oven Soft and Juicy with Oranges in Foil
Cooking properly tender and juicy duck wrapped in foil in the oven is not only beautifully simple but also genuinely affordable for any home cook. The meat of the duck wrapped in foil turns out wonderfully juicy and soft thanks to the gentle moist cooking environment that the foil creates throughout the long roasting time. The dish suits any properly festive table from birthdays and anniversaries to holiday celebrations, and the impressive whole-bird presentation always earns enthusiastic compliments from guests around the dinner table.
The recipe takes about 120 minutes total in the oven, plus a generous 8 hours for the all-important marinating step that lets the spices fully penetrate the duck meat. Plan to start the marinating the night before serving for the best possible flavour development. The orange stuffing perfumes the duck from the inside throughout the cooking time and contributes a beautifully bright citrus note that balances the rich duck meat perfectly. Serve sliced into generous portions alongside roasted potatoes and braised red cabbage.
Ingredients
Show ingredients
- whole duck - 2 kg.
For the marinade:
- curry - 1 tsp;
- lemon juice - 1.5 tbsp;
- mustard - 2 tsp;
- honey - 2 tbsp;
- sugar - 1 tsp;
- pepper mix - 1/2 tsp;
- salt - to taste;
- dried garlic - 1 tsp;
- olive oil - 2 tbsp.
For the filling:
- orange - 2 pcs.
Preparation
- Gather all the necessary ingredients on a clean work surface. Having everything measured and ready before you start the actual cooking process makes the multi-step recipe much easier to manage.
- To prepare the marinade, combine the mustard, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, curry, dried garlic, pepper mix and salt to taste in a separate small mixing bowl. Stir everything together thoroughly with a small whisk until completely uniform throughout.
- Rub the duck thoroughly with the prepared marinade inside and out using clean hands or a silicone brush. Cover the marinated bird with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 6 to 8 hours, ideally overnight for the deepest flavour penetration.
- Once the duck has fully marinated, cut the oranges into wedges and start preheating the oven to the cooking temperature. The orange wedges will perfume the duck from the inside during the long roasting time and contribute a beautifully bright note.
- Stuff the duck cavity with the prepared orange wedges and transfer the bird to a deep baking tray. Secure the cavity opening with toothpicks if needed to keep the stuffing inside during cooking.
- Cover the entire baking tray completely with a layer of foil. The foil traps the moisture and produces the beautifully tender juicy result that defines this version of the recipe.
- When the oven is properly preheated, place the foil-covered duck inside and cook for 80 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. The moderate temperature gently cooks the duck through to the centre without drying out the delicate meat.
- After 80 minutes of covered baking, take the dish out of the oven and remove the foil cover. To make the duck beautifully roasted, brush it with the rendered fat that has formed during cooking and wrap the wing tips in small pieces of foil to prevent burning. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes to develop the crispy golden skin.
- Check the duck for doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a long toothpick. If the juice runs clear without any traces of blood, the dish is properly cooked. Remove the duck from the oven and carefully take off the protective foil pieces from the wing tips.
- Transfer the cooked duck carefully to a large serving platter and bring straight to the table while still hot. Carve into generous portions and serve alongside simple roasted potatoes, braised red cabbage and a glass of dry white wine. Cook the duck in the oven with oranges in foil according to our recipe. Bon appetit!
Cooking video
Tips and Tricks
Tip 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.
Tip 2. Use proper sour cooking apples in addition to oranges for the stuffing for an even more complex finished flavour. To pair this beautiful festive duck with another celebration-worthy meat dish for variety in your holiday menu, try our beautifully tender step-by-step duck with apples and oranges in the oven as an even more elaborate alternative.
Tip 3. Save all the rendered duck fat from the baking tray 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.
Tip 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-based main course recipe, try our crowd-pleasing duck in a multicooker as an easier hands-off alternative.
FAQ
Can I cook duck without foil?
Yes, but the result will be considerably drier than the foil-wrapped version. The foil traps moisture and creates a gentle steaming effect that keeps the duck meat tender throughout the long cooking time. Without foil, baste the duck with rendered fat every twenty minutes to compensate, and consider reducing the cooking time slightly to prevent drying. The crispier-skinned uncovered version suits some palates better, while others prefer the moister foil-wrapped traditional approach for the most tender result.
What can I substitute for oranges in the stuffing?
Sour apples, mandarins, fresh quinces, halved lemons or even sliced fennel bulbs all work as substitutes for the orange stuffing in this recipe with broadly similar results. Each fruit brings its own slightly different aromatic note to the finished duck. Apples give a more traditional rustic flavour, mandarins add a sweeter citrus note, lemons contribute a sharper brighter character, and fennel produces an unusual but delicious anise-flavoured variation that pairs beautifully with the rich duck meat.
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.
