EASY CLASSIC FRENCH DUCK À L’ORANGE RECIPE
Duck à l’Orange stands as one of the most iconic dishes in French cuisine, yet it often falls victim to misinterpretation. When prepared correctly, this dish delivers a symphony of flavors: perfectly crisp skin, succulent duck meat, and a balanced semi-sweet orange sauce. When done poorly, it devolves into a disappointing experience of greasy, rubbery skin, tough meat, and an overpoweringly sugary sauce.
The origins of Duck à l’Orange date back centuries. In fact, Louis Eustache Ude’s early 1800s cookbook includes a recipe for roasting duck with the tangy "bigarade" orange, known today as marmalade oranges. This method ensured a delicate harmony of sweet and sour in the sauce. This culinary tradition continued through the 1940s and 50s in France, but by the 1970s and 80s, the dish’s reputation faltered. Duck à l’Orange was reimagined—often poorly—as duck cooked by any method, smothered in an overly sweet, syrupy glaze, ultimately fading from the spotlight of classic French cuisine.
Today, Duck à l’Orange is making a well-deserved comeback, celebrated for its heritage and its potential to showcase the artistry of French cooking when done right. Whether you’re a culinary enthusiast or a fan of timeless recipes, Duck à l’Orange deserves a place on your table.
Click here to watch my video recipe.
Easy Classic French Duck à l'Orange, My Method
Because of its richness, duck à l'orange always has a celebratory feel to it. My 9-year-old son Beau licks his lips in anticipation when he knows that I am making it for lunch. Many chefs recommend roasting 2 ducks for 4 people, but I find that too much. I usually serve 4 to 6 people on 1 duck. At the end of the recipe, I offer 3 easy variations on the basic theme. Be sure to give them all a try.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Ingredients
1 onion peeled and diced
2 carrots peeled and chopped
5 pound duck thawed, if necessary
to taste salt and black pepper
1/2 orange
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 cup fresh orange juice mixed with 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
zest from one orange cut into very thin strips
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Arrange the onion and carrots over the bottom of a deep roasting pan. Prick the duck skin all over with a fork (this will help release the fat stored beneath the skin while the bird roasts slowly). Season liberally with salt and pepper both inside and out, then stuff the cavity with the garlic, orange half, and thyme. Set the duck, breast-side down, in the pan and roast for 1-1/2 hours.
Transfer the duck to a baking sheet. Very carefully, pour off as much duck fat as possible from the pan into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, then stir in the stock and wine. Return the duck to the pan, breast-side up. Continue to roast until golden brown, about 1 hour. Transfer the duck back to the baking sheet. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a saucepan and scrape the dripping and vegetables from the roasting pan into the strainer. Discard the solids.
For the Orange Sauce, In a medium saucepan, heat the marmalade over medium heat. Allow the mixture to caramelize, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble (about 3–4 minutes). Stir in the juice mixture. The lemon juice helps balance the sweetness, adding brightness and depth to the sauce. Stir in the roasting juices and orange zest and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce reduces by half (about 10–15 minutes). Remove from heat and finish by whisking in the butter for a glossy, velvety texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the duck in half along the backbone using poultry shears. Cut along the breastbone to split it into two pieces. Trim any parts of the rib cage off. Separate the legs from the breast. You can also separate the legs and thighs and slice the duck breast if you are inclined to do so. Divide the duck meat between four warm dinner plates, spoon the sauce over, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Orange Sauce:
Traditionally, orange sauce is crafted by caramelizing sugar and blending it with the juice of bitter oranges. Since bitter oranges can be challenging for home cooks to source, a touch of lemon juice or vinegar can be used as a substitute. These additions help balance the sweetness and enhance the sauce's depth of flavor, creating a more complex and authentic taste.
DUCK IN CIDER (CANARD RÔTI AU CIDRE):
Replace the orange juice with fresh apple cider and serve with sautéed apple slices.
DUCK WITH GREEN PEAS (CANARD RÔTI AUX PETITS POIS):
Substitute an equal amount of stock for both the orange juice and marmalade. Add 12 ounces of cooked green peas, thawed if frozen, to the final sauce.
DUCK WITH TURNIPS (CANARD RÔTI AUX NAVETS):
Substitute stock for both the orange juice and marmalade and add it all in Step 3 along with 12 small peeled turnips (or 6 large turnips, halved) and the chopped turnip greens.
This recipe and 75 other classic recipes can be found in my new cookbook ‘French Cooking for Beginners’ available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers.
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Francois de Melogue is a photographer, reformed chef, cookbook author, and bon vivant. He lives in Saint Albans, Vermont, with his wife Lisa and 13-year-old son Beaumont. Francois’s photography is available for sale at his online gallery. Click here for Video recipes.
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