Stuffed Duck Recipe

Dry and season

Remove duck from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat the skin and cavity dry with paper towels. Prick the skin all over the breast and thighs with a small sharp knife or skewer, taking care not to pierce the meat — this helps fat render. Rub the outside and inside cavity with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Drizzle 2 tbs olive oil over the duck and rub evenly.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position.

Sauté aromatics

Melt 3 tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and sauté until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Combine stuffing

In a large bowl, combine the cubed bread, sautéed aromatics, chopped apricots, toasted walnuts, diced apple, chopped sage and thyme. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Pour 1 cup chicken or duck stock over the mixture and toss gently to moisten. Stir in the lightly beaten egg to bind. The stuffing should be moist but not soupy; add up to 2 tbs more stock if too dry.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Let stuffing cool 5–10 minutes before stuffing the duck so it doesn’t lower the bird’s internal temperature dramatically.

Spoon the stuffing loosely into the duck cavity — do not pack tightly (about 3 cups). Reserve any leftover stuffing for baking separately. Close the cavity and secure with kitchen twine; tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent burning.

Brush a thin layer of the glaze mixture (see Glaze step) over the duck, leaving most for later basting.

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbs honey, 1 tbs soy sauce and the orange zest. Set aside.

Place the quartered orange, quartered onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan and add 1 cup water or stock. Set a rack over the vegetables and place the stuffed duck on the rack breast-side up. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.

Roast at 375°F (190°C) for 1 hour. After the first hour, begin basting the duck every 15 minutes with pan juices and the reserved glaze mixture. If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the stuffing and 165–170°F (74–77°C) in the thickest part of the thigh (typically 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes total depending on duck size). Check stuffing temperature by inserting thermometer into center of cavity. Total cook time for a 4–5 lb duck is usually about 1 hour 30 minutes.

For a crisper skin, increase oven to 425°F (220°C) for the last 10–15 minutes while watching closely and basting once.

Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 15–20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and for the stuffing to finish cooking.

While the duck rests, strain pan juices into a saucepan, skim fat if desired, and simmer with any reserved glaze for 3–5 minutes to reduce slightly into a sauce. Season to taste.

Carve the duck: remove the twine, cut off legs and thighs, slice the breast across the grain. Serve with stuffing spooned alongside or served from the cavity and drizzle with the reduced pan sauce.