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 delivering rich flavors of crispy skin and a luscious citrus glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Duck
- 2 duck breast halves
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
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
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all ingredients needed for the recipe and set them aside for easy access during cooking.
- Score and Season Duck: Score the duck skin diagonally in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. Generously season with salt and rub it into the skin. Let the duck breasts rest skin-side up at room temperature for 15 minutes to enhance flavor and texture.
- Make Orange Sauce Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, orange liqueur, sherry vinegar, orange marmalade, grated orange zest, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Set aside.
- Dry and Re-season Duck: Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels to ensure crisp skin. Re-season the skin side with salt to enhance seasoning.
- Cook Duck Skin Side Down: Heat reserved duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Place duck breasts skin side down and cook for about 6 minutes until the fat renders and the skin crisps to golden brown.
- Cook Duck on Other Side: Flip the duck breasts and cook for an additional 4 minutes, until the meat firms up but is still reddish-pink and juicy inside. Confirm doneness with an instant-read thermometer registering 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Remove the duck breasts and let rest on a plate.
- Prepare Sauce in Skillet: Return the skillet to medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until fully incorporated to form a roux. Pour the orange sauce mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces.
- Finish Sauce: Reduce heat to low. Once the sauce stops bubbling, stir in the butter until fully melted and incorporated. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
- Serve: Slice the rested duck breasts across the grain. Arrange the slices on a plate and spoon the orange sauce over the top. Garnish with thin strips of orange zest. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Using duck breasts instead of a whole duck makes the recipe quicker and easier while still delivering great flavor.
- Scoring the duck skin helps render fat and crisp the skin evenly.
- If duck fat is unavailable, you can substitute with a high smoke point oil like vegetable or canola oil, though duck fat is preferred for flavor.
- Adjust orange marmalade quantity according to your desired sweetness.
- Resting the duck after cooking allows juices to redistribute for a juicier result.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking the duck breast.
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
