Roast Duck

This roast duck recipe is stuffed with garlic and mandarin oranges, basted with a mixture of sweet honey, mandarin juice, butter, and minced garlic then slow roasted in the oven leaving you with incredibly crispy golden skin.

Why this recipe works

If you’re a fan of dark meat like chicken thighs and chicken legs, you’ll love this crispy roast duck recipe. To be clear, duck meat is closer in taste and texture to red meat but is still considered poultry, however, because duck has a higher fat content, it’s richer in flavor than ordinary chicken or pork. Its signature crispy golden skin is brushed with honey and mandarin juices which really amps up the flavor and complements the juicy meat.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

ORANGES – We are using mandarin oranges for this recipe. I recommend mandarins because it helps balance the sometimes gamey taste that duck can be known for. Mandarins are smaller and sweeter than larger oranges and make a refreshing accompaniment to this dish.

DUCK – The duck will render quite a bit of fat. You can drain off the fat halfway through cooking if you like. Scoring the duck will also help some of the fat dissipate while also giving it room to escape. Don’t let the fat content put you off, it adds heaps of flavor!

How to Make Roast Duck

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet.
2. Remove any giblets from the duck. We are not using the giblets in this recipe.
3. With breast side up, carefully score the skin in a diamond pattern. Try not to cut too deep, it’s best not to cut all the way through to the meat.
4. Season the skin with garlic salt and pepper. You may not use all the seasoning.
5. Stuff the cavity with quartered mandarin oranges and garlic cloves.
6. Use butcher’s twine to tie the legs together.
7. Place duck on wire rack (on baking sheet). The wire rack will allow the rendered fat to drip through to the pan, while not saturating the duck.
8. Bake, breast side up, for one hour. Remove from oven and turn duck over, breast side down, and bake another hour.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, honey, mandarin juice, minced garlic, and any remaining garlic salt and pepper (if any).
10. Remove duck from oven and flip over so that duck is breast side up. Brush the duck with some of the melted butter mixture and put back in the oven for 40 minutes.
11. Remove duck from oven and flip over so that duck is breast side down. Brush the duck with more of the melted butter mixture and put back in the oven for 40 minutes.
12. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Store leftover roast duck in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Serving Suggestions

Serve on a platter with additional mandarin oranges and fresh grapes for a pretty presentation. Roast duck pairs well with all kinds of potatoes, asparagus, glazed carrots, green beans, or your favorite roasted vegetable.

More Related Recipes

• Roasted Chicken
• Roasted Turkey
• Orange Bourbon Glazed Ham
• Slow Roasted Sticky Chicken

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