Description
Duck à l'Orange is a classic French dish featuring succulent duck breast served with a tangy and sweet orange sauce. This recipe uses duck breasts for a quicker preparation while maintaining traditional flavors, combining crispy skin duck with a luscious, citrusy reduction.
Ingredients
Scale
Duck
- 2 duck breast halves
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat
Orange Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Seville orange marmalade, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all ingredients required for the recipe to have them ready and organized before starting.
- Score and Season Duck: Score the duck skin diagonally in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Generously season the breasts with salt and rub it into the skin. Let rest skin-side up at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, orange liqueur, sherry vinegar, orange marmalade, orange zest, and a pinch of cayenne pepper until well combined.
- Dry and Re-Season Duck: Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels to ensure crisp skin. Re-season the skin side with salt for additional flavor.
- Cook Duck Skin-Side Down: Heat reserved duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Place the duck breasts skin-side down and cook until the fat renders and the skin is crisp, approximately 6 minutes.
- Cook Duck on Other Side: Flip the duck breasts and cook for about 4 more minutes until the meat firms up and reaches medium doneness with a reddish-pink center. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium. Transfer the duck to a plate to rest, and pour any rendered fat into a glass jar.
- Make the Orange Sauce: Return the skillet to medium heat and whisk in the flour to the pan drippings. Cook and stir for about 1 minute to form a roux. Pour the prepared orange mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces.
- Finish Sauce with Butter: Reduce heat to low. When bubbling stops, add butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
- Serve: Slice the rested duck breasts across the grain, arrange on a serving plate, and spoon the orange sauce generously over the meat. Garnish with thin strips of orange zest for an elegant finish.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately and enjoy this classic French dish with a perfect balance of crispy duck skin and fruity, tangy sauce.
Notes
- Using duck breasts rather than a whole duck shortens cooking time without sacrificing flavor.
- Scoring the skin helps render the fat and crisp the skin effectively.
- Be careful not to overcook the duck; medium rare to medium (140°F) is ideal for juicy meat.
- The orange sauce can be adjusted in sweetness by adding more marmalade to suit your taste.
- Reserve rendered duck fat for future use or cooking other dishes for rich flavor.
- Serve with simple sides like sautéed greens or roasted vegetables to complement the rich duck.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 354 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 593 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
