Crispy Braised Duck Legs in Spiced Orange Sauce
This crispy braised duck with spiced orange sauce is a contemporary take on the classic Duck a l'Orange.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs
- 1/4 cup Vermouth or Cointreau
- 1 tbsp marmalade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cups chicken or duck stock
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 large carrots peeled and halved lengthways
- 4 tbsp butter cut into 6 small cubes
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C
- Season duck legs: Season the duck legs with salt and pepper then leave to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Pan fry duck legs: In a cold pan, add the duck legs skin side down. Turn the heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until the fat has rendered. Make sure you do not touch or disturb the duck in this step! Turn the heat to medium and cook for an additional 1 - 2 minute to slightly crispy the skin. We do not need the skin fully crispy at this point as it will continue to cook when we braise the duck. Flip the duck over and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.
- Duck fat: Remove the duck from the pan and pour off the excess duck fat, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pan. Store the duck fat in a sterilised jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Duck fat is liquid gold!
- Sauce: Deglaze the pan with the vermouth and use a wooden spoon to scrape off any brown bits left over from the duck. Cook for 1 minute. Add the marmalade and soy sauce and stir through until smooth. Add the stock, orange juice, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then return the duck legs to the sauce. The sauce should only come halfway up the duck legs. They should not be submerged. Scatter the carrots around the duck and bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer.
- Bake: Cover with a lid and bake for 60 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp and the carrots are tender and brown. Remove from the oven.
- Emulsify: Remove the duck legs, carrots and spices from the sauce. You may want to strain it to remove any additional impurities. On a high heat, bring the sauce to a boil and aggressively reduce to half. Reduce the heat to low - medium, and slowly add one butter cube at a time, stirring through until you have a thick and glossy sauce. Taste and adjust for seasoning if needed. This step is optional but does create the most delicious gravy!
- Serve: Drizzle the sauce all over the duck and finish off with a sprinkling of thyme. Serve with a side of mash potatoes.
Notes
Tips & Tricks for Cooking Duck Legs
- Start with cold a cold pan: Place the duck legs skin-side down in a cold pan, then bring the heat to low. This helps render the fat gradually and gives you crispier skin.
- Be patient with the skin: Don’t rush this step. Let the duck cook undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and most of the fat has rendered out.
- Turn up the heat: When all the fat is rendered, turn up the heat and continue to cook skin side down for 1 - 2 minutes. This will get that skin extra crispy. Flip the duck over and cook for an additional few minutes.
- Keep the skin above the liquid: Make sure the braising liquid doesn’t fully cover the skin so it stays crisp rather than soft.
- Rest before serving: Allow the duck to rest after cooking (rest the duck while you finish the sauce) so the juices redistribute and the meat stays succulent.
- Finish the sauce with butter: Strain the sauce and stir in butter at the end. This will emulsify the sauce, making it glossy, silky and rich.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 565mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8140IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4mg
