Orange & Cranberry Glazed Duck

Prep time: 2.2 hrs | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

•⁠ ⁠1 whole duck, 2.0–2.3kg

•⁠ ⁠12g sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

•⁠ ⁠5g thyme

•⁠ ⁠1 orange, cut into wedges

•⁠ ⁠1 small onion, quartered

•⁠ ⁠2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

For the glaze

•⁠ ⁠150g cranberry sauce

•⁠ ⁠3 oranges zest and juice

•⁠ ⁠20g orange marmalade

•⁠ ⁠20g honey

•⁠ ⁠10ml vinegar - red or white

•⁠ ⁠2g ground cinnamon

•⁠ ⁠1g ground allspice

•⁠ ⁠2g fine sea salt

•⁠ ⁠10g cold unsalted butter

Instructions:

1.⁠ ⁠Heat oven to 200°C fan.Pat the duck very dry with kitchen paper. Prick the skin all over with a skewer, especially around the breasts and thighs (avoid piercing the meat). Mix 12g salt, pepper and thyme; rub this all over the duck, inside and out. Stuff the cavity with orange wedges, onion and garlic. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tin, breast side up.

2.⁠ ⁠Roast for 20 minutes, then carefully drain off most of the rendered fat from the tin into a heatproof jug (save for roast potatoes).

3.⁠ ⁠Meanwhile, whisk cranberry sauce, orange juice, marmalade, honey, vinegar, cinnamon, allspice and 2g salt in a small pan. Simmer over low–medium heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Set aside; it will thicken a little more as it cools.

4.⁠ ⁠After the first 20 minutes of roasting, brush the duck all over with a generous layer of the glaze. Roast a further 10 minutes, glazing once more halfway, until deep golden, lacquered and the juices run clear (or the thickest part of the thigh reads 55C on a thermometer). If the skin darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil.

5.⁠ ⁠Transfer the duck to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 20 minutes. Pour the remaining glaze into the roasting tin, place over low heat and stir, scraping up the sticky bits. If you like, whisk in 10g cold butter for a silky finish. Carve the duck and serve with the warm orange–cranberry sauce.

Storage:

Cool leftovers completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, at 160°C for 15–20 minutes until hot, or enjoy the meat cold in salads or sandwiches. The glaze/sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days and gently rewarmed.