Serves 4-6
1 whole pekin duck about 5 lbs, all excess fat removed, neck and 1st joint of the wings set aside for duck
34/c soy sauce
6 tbsp fish sauce
Juice and zest of 4 oranges
4 cinnamon sticks
6 pc star anise
5 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed red chili
6 tbsp honey
1/4 c brown sugar
2 tbsp crushed fennel seed
2 tbsp crushed coriander seed
Jus (recipe below)
Pre heat the oven to 425 F.
Combine everything except the whole duck, fennel and coriander seed in a pot and reduce to a glaze.(back of spoon coated…check!) Strain. Adjust seasoning with sugar or soy as needed and add fennel and coriander. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (large enough to submerge the whole duck). Put the duck in the pot and simmer for 10 minutes to render some of the fat. Remove the duck and allow it to cool. Season the duck with salt and pepper and pull the neck skin under the duck, securing it with a pick. Put the duck on a roasting rack with the breast side up and roast at 425 for 15 minutes. Then lower the temp to 325 and roast an additional 30 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven, carefully drain off excess fat from the pan and return the duck to the pan breast side down. Roast the duck another 30 minutes. Again remove the duck from the oven and drain any excess fat from the pan. Flip the duck breast side up again and brush the spice glaze over the breast and legs. Return the duck to the oven and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes (watching the glaze…if it is starting to get too dark remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 250…if the glaze isn’t staying on the duck well brush on a little more).
The internal temperature of the duck should reach 165 F. Remove the duck from the oven and let it rest at least 10 minutes before carving. Carve the leg and thigh off each side and separate them, carve the breasts off and divide each breast in half. Serve.
Duck Jus
Reserved neck and wings from the duck
8 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1 small onion, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
Chop the wings into about three pieces. Do the same with the neck. Coat the bottom of a medium sauce pan with a bit of oil or duck fat. Add the duck neck and wing pieces to the pan and brown them very well. Drain off excess fat and add one cup of the chicken stock. Allow the stock to cook down until it reglazes the bottom of the pan and then browns. Then add another cup of stock and repeat the procedure. Then add one more cup of stock and repeat again. Then add the onion, thyme and the remaining stock. Simmer the stock until it reduces by at least half. Strain the stock and return it to the pan and reduce by about half again and the butter a bit at a time whisking it in. Season with the salt and pepper. Keep warm until serving.