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The crispy, salted skin in this amazing Roasted Duck recipe might be one of the best things ever. Perfectly crispy, with just the right amount of fat, and a little zing of heat from the zesty orange sauce caramelized on top….yes, yes you want this duck.
This recipe was originally published in December 2018. It has been updated with better content and photos
Don’t be intimidated by this Roasted Duck Recipe. It’s not hard. It’s the perfect Christmas dinner type of dish. But for real, once you make it you’ll be wanting it every regular old Sunday.
It’s that good. There aren’t too many things in the world that make me feel as good as duck fat. Is that crazy? Maybe. But is it true? Very possibly yes.
The boyfriend and I stood like ravenous hyenas over the duck carcass and tore off every last bit of that beautiful skin before the carcass went in the freezer for…..you guessed it, duck stock! Plus, while your duck is roasting, all the duck fat renders into the pan and can be save for future cooking. MUST be saved for future cooking. This stuff is gold guys.
So see, you’re not just getting a crispy roasted duck here, but beautifully tender, juicy, flavorful meat, to die for crispy skin, a wonderful broth and that oh-so-amazing to cook with duck fat. It’s a win, win, win win.
**You can use the duck fat to make these delicious Duck Fat Truffle Fries or these Duck Fat Smashed Potatoes**
The Ingredients for this Roasted Duck Recipe
You can get most of these ingredients for this roasted duck with orange sauce through the below Amazon links if you don’t feel like going to the store (affiliate links):
- Chinese five spice
- Duck
- Orange
- Coarse sea salt
- Garlic
- Szechuan peppercorns
- Orange juice
- Coconut sugar
- Ginger paste
- Soy sauce
- Crushed red pepper
- Shaoxing wine
Where Can I Find a Duck?
It’s unlikely that your local grocery store will have a duck (at least mine doesn’t). However, if you live close to an Asian market, many of them sell ducks, and your local butcher shop should have them as well. You may also be able to find one at specialty shops or Whole Foods.
What is Shaoxing Wine?
Shaoxing wine is a Chinese cooking wine used in many, many Chinese dishes. I cook a lot of Chinese food, so I keep it in my cabinet. It is a dry rice wine that has a slightly nutty taste. While I love the flavors it imparts, you can also substitute a dry sherry.
What are Szechuan Peppercorns?
Szechuan peppercorns are a spice commonly used in Chinese cooking. They are not necessarily spicy as the name may infer, but have a slightly numbing, mouth tingling quality to them. The flavor is actually light, and slightly citrusy. Szechuan peppercorns can be difficult to find sometimes. You should be able to get them at your local Asian market (if you have one), but I also included a link to buy above or in the recipe card if you can’t find them. We toast and grind the peppercorns to mellow the slight bitterness they have, as well bring out the flavor.
How to Make Roasted Duck
Remove the duck from the package and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the innards and set aside (save these for making duck broth). Place in a large roasting pan.
How to Roast Szechuan Peppercorns
Place them in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Shake the pan every minute or so to prevent burning. Once they become fragrant (3-5 minutes), remove from heat. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pastel or a spice grinder.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic, five spice, and ground Szechuan peppercorns and mix together.
Rub the mixture on all sides of the duck. Place the quartered orange pieces inside the cavity of the duck. Place in the fridge, uncovered, overnight. Leaving the duck uncovered allows some of the moisture in the skin to evaporate, which will help to crisp the skin.
How to Roast a Whole Duck
Remove the duck from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Letting it come to room temperature before cooking will allow the duck to roast more evenly. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the duck on on a roasting rack, breast side up, in the roasting pan. Using a roasting rack helps to keep the skin crispy on all sides.
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and place the roasting pan on the middle rack in the oven.
Roast for 40 minutes. Use a baster to baste with the rendered duck fat in the bottom of the pan. Place back in the oven and roast another 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of roasting.
Remove the duck from the oven and spoon out all the duck fat. After duck fat has been saved, brush the duck with the orange sauce. Place back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush with sauce again. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees.
Remove from oven and let the duck rest for 10-15 minutes. Carve and serve the crispy roasted duck with honey orange glaze on the side or drizzled on top.
How to Make Orange Glaze for Roasted Duck
Combine all the orange glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring periodically. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has been reduced by half.
**Save the duck fat in a container and store in the fridge for 2-3 months. It can also be frozen in ice cubes and stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Expert Tips
- It’s important to let the duck sit in the fridge overnight so the moisture can evaporate from the skin – this is how we get the crispy skin.
- To roast the peppercorns, place them in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Shake the pan every minute or so to prevent burning. Once they become fragrant (3-5 minutes), remove from heat. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pastel or a spice grinder.
- Dry sherry can be used as a substitute for the Shaoxing wine.
- I HIGHLY recommend using a roasting rack to roast the duck. This keeps the skin crispy and makes it easier to spoon the duck fat out of the pan.
- The internal temperature of the duck should reach 165 degrees. It’s ok if the meat is slightly pink, as long as it is cooked to temperature.
- Save the duck fat in a container and store in the fridge for 2-3 months. It can also be frozen in ice cubes and stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
- To reheat: place leftover duck in a roasting pan and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, until warmed through. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should you wash a duck before cooking? You do not need to wash the duck before cooking it. Be sure to wash your hands and any surfaces after handling it, but the duck itself does not need to be washed.
- What’s the difference between a roast duck and peking duck? A roast duck is typically marinated and then roasted and sliced to serve, while Peking duck is usually sewn up and inflated with air to make the skin very crispy. Peking duck tends to be much more labor intensive. If you’re feeling motivated, you may want to try this Homemade Peking Duck from China Sichuan Food.
- How long does a whole duck take to cook? A whole duck (about 5-6 lbs.) should take about 90 minutes to cook fully. The size of the duck and temperature of the oven will impact the cooking time. When done, the internal temperature of the duck should be 165 degrees.
- Can cooked duck be pink? Because duck is considered red meat as opposed to poultry, it can be cooked so it’s still pink inside. Many people prefer their duck cooked medium or medium rare, with a touch of pink inside. Typically, crispy roasted duck is cooked all the way through during the roasting process. But if your duck is slightly pink, no need to worry.
- Can cooked duck be reheated? Yes – place leftover duck in a roasting pan and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, until warmed through. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
What to Serve with this Roasted Duck Recipe
Duck can make a great holiday dinner or just a regular old Sunday dinner. Make it a meal with some of these awesome dishes:
- Serve it with a side of Kimchi Fried Rice for an Asian style meal, or with these Garlic Mashed Potatoes for a more traditional holiday meal;
- Sichuan Green Beans OR Roasted Parmesan Asparagus would both be great veggies to serve with this roasted duck;
- Spicy Mac and Cheese and/or Bread Stuffing make great holiday side dishes;
- Don’t forget dessert with these Pecan Pie Bars, Apple Crisp or Chocolate Mousse Pie.
Other Related Recipes
- Moroccan Roasted Chicken;
- Indian Roasted Chicken;
- Roast Goose Recipe;
- Veal Chops;
- Chicken Liver Mousse;
- Braised Chicken Feet.
Did you make this Roasted Duck recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Roasted Duck Recipe (with Orange Glaze)
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck, 5-6 lbs
- 1 whole orange, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp. coarse salt
- 1 tbsp. Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (see notes)
Orange Glaze:
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 tbsp. coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp. ginger paste
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tbsp. shaoxing wine (see notes)
Instructions
- Remove the duck from the package and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the innards and set aside (save these for making duck broth). Place in a large roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic, five spice, and Szechuan peppercorn and mix together. Rub the mixture on all sides of the duck.
- Place the quartered orange pieces inside the cavity of the duck. Place in the fridge, uncovered, overnight.
- Remove the duck from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the duck on on a roasting rack, breast side up, in the roasting pan, This helps to keep the skin crispy on all sides. Place the roasting pan on the middle rack in the oven.
- Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes. Remove and baste with the rendered fat in the bottom of the pan. Be careful as it will be hot.
- Place back in the oven and roast another 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 20 minutes.
- Remove the duck from the oven and spoon out all the duck fat (see note 6). Brush the duck with the glaze.
- Place back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush with glaze again. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let the duck rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Carve and serve plain or drizzled with remaining orange sauce.
Orange Sauce:
- Combine all the glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring periodically. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has been reduced by half.
Expert Tips:
- It's important to let the duck sit in the fridge overnight so the moisture can evaporate from the skin - this is how we get the crispy skin.
- To roast the peppercorns, place them in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Shake the pan every minute or so to prevent burning. Once they become fragrant (3-5 minutes), remove from heat. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pastel or a spice grinder.
- Dry sherry can be used as a substitute for the Shaoxing wine.
- I HIGHLY recommend using a roasting rack to roast the duck. This keeps the skin crispy and makes it easier to spoon the duck fate out of the pan.
- The internal temperature of the duck should reach 165 degrees. It's ok if the meat is slightly pink, as long as it is cooked to temperature.
- Save the duck fat in a container and store in the fridge for 2-3 months. It can also be frozen in ice cubes and stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
- To reheat: place leftover duck in a roasting pan and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, until warmed through. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Remove oranges before cooking?
Do you remove oranges from ducks cavity before cooking?
Nope, I cook it with the oranges in the cavity to give it more orange flavor.