1
Prepare the duck: remove the neck and giblets, pat the entire duck dry with paper towels to ensure the skin is very dry for a crispy finish.
2
Make the stock: cut the duck neck into pieces and place in a pot. Add chopped carrots, celery, leek, fresh thyme, star anise, garlic cloves and peppercorns. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 3-4 hours and strain.
3
Dry-brine the duck: coat the duck generously inside and out with salt, which helps draw out moisture and create a crispy skin. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.
4
Rinse and dry: remove the duck from the refrigerator, rinse briefly with cold water to remove excess salt, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
5
Truss the legs: use kitchen twine to tie the duck's legs together, ensuring a neat presentation.
6
Score the skin: using a sharp knife tip or dedicated scoring tool, make light diagonal cuts across the duck skin without cutting into the flesh. This allows fat to render and helps crisp the skin.
7
Prepare for roasting: place the duck on a roasting pan with sliced onion underneath, which will be bathed in duck fat during cooking.
8
Roast the duck: preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) and roast until the internal temperature reaches 155-160°F (68-71°C), approximately 2 hours depending on size.
9
Make the glaze: heat acacia honey in a small pan, add star anise and a touch of soy sauce. Allow to caramelize slightly without burning.
10
Glaze the duck: brush the hot glaze over the roasted duck with a pastry brush, then return to a 500°F (260°C) oven for a few minutes until the glaze becomes a beautiful brown color.
11
Make the orange sauce: combine equal parts sugar and red wine vinegar in a pan and heat until caramelized and fragrant. Carefully add 8 oz of duck stock, stirring to combine.
12
Finish the sauce: add 2 oz orange juice, 3 tbsp orange juice concentrate, and fresh orange zest. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly. Adjust thickness with cornstarch slurry as needed.
13
Enrich the sauce: turn off the heat, add fresh butter and whisk quickly to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
14
Rest and carve: let the roasted duck rest for 10-15 minutes. Remove the trussing twine. Separate the legs and breasts from the carcass, then slice the breast meat thinly with a sharp knife.
15
Plate and serve: place sweet potato mash in the center of the plate, arrange duck pieces (legs and sliced breast) on top, drizzle with orange sauce, and garnish with orange segments.
PrimedTableBETA
