{"id":6134,"date":"2025-01-02T05:49:50","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=6134"},"modified":"2025-01-02T05:55:50","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:55:50","slug":"duck-a-lorange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/dinner\/poultry-dinner\/duck-a-lorange\/","title":{"rendered":"Duck a L’Orange"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you think about classic, old-school recipes, Duck a L\u2019Orange is always one that springs to mind. This ridiculously famous dish cut its teeth in the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s in French restaurants all around the world. While it may have fallen a little bit out of fashion in modern times, it\u2019s still one of the best, classic dishes you can eat in our opinion. Beautifully cooked Duck that sits on a bed of silky, buttery, Orange Sauce that tastes simply divine. The classics are called that for a reason, and in our opinion this recipe is just as good now as it was back in its heyday!

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Jump to Recipe<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The key to a great Duck a L\u2019Orange lies in that beautiful Sauce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is no mistaking a Duck a L\u2019Orange sauce. It is truly one of the most unique and delicious sauces in the culinary world. The sauce is quite simple to make, however, and its core is one of the classic French \u2018mother sauces\u2019 known as Espagnole Sauce (or Brown Sauce)

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There is no mistaking a Duck a L\u2019Orange sauce. It is truly one of the most unique and delicious sauces in the culinary world. The sauce is quite simple to make, however, and its core is one of the classic French \u2018mother sauces\u2019 known as Espagnole Sauce (or Brown Sauce)

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\"Duck
The key to a perfect Duck a L’Orange lies in this delicious, Orange Sauce<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The sauce is made by first frying off some beautiful chunky pieces of Bacon. Once all of that delicious Bacon fat has rendered out and into the pan, time to add the Onions. Cook the Onion down for about 5 minutes over medium heat until it\u2019s tender and begins to slightly caramelize

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Then, into the pan goes the Carrots and Celery. This combination of Onion, Celery, and Carrot is known as \u2018Mirepoix\u2019. It\u2019s a fancy cooking term but is compiled of very simple and humble ingredients. A Mirepoix is used as the base for so many sauces and recipes because of the wonderful flavors it produces. The natural sugars of the vegetables are cooked out in the pan, infusing it with the most delicious flavors

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Once you\u2019ve cooked out the Mirepoix it\u2019s time to get serious!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After about 5 more minutes in the pan the vegetables will begin to caramelize, and their wonderful flavors are coming out. At this point a classic roux is added to the sauce. A roux is basically formed by combining equal parts Butter and Flour. A roux is most popularly known as the core component of a classic B\u00e9chamel Sauce. However, it\u2019s also used when making Espagnole

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Mix all that in for about 3 \u2013 4 minutes so that the Flour cooks off, then add your Beef Broth. For our recipe we use 2 cups of Beef Broth, but we recommend using as much (or as little) to form a smooth, slightly thick sauce

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You don\u2019t want the sauce to be too thick. Just enough that it will subtly coat the back of a spoon. If it\u2019s too thick, just add a little bit more Broth. Too thin, you can always make a little bit more Roux in a separate pan and then add it back into the sauce

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Cook this down for about 15 minutes and then strain the sauce through a sieve. It always seems like a shame to say goodbye to such delicious ingredients that have helped to build flavor in a sauce, but that\u2019s how it goes! Return the now strained sauce back into the pan over a low heat and squeeze in the juice of 2 Oranges

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Making this delicious dish is easy, and follow some very classic French techniques<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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How \u2018Orangy\u2019 should my sauce be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The funny thing about Duck a L\u2019Orange is that many times I\u2019ve eaten this dish at nice restaurants and the Orange flavor is very subtle. Surprisingly so for that matter. I\u2019d expect the Orange flavor to be at the forefront of the sauce, but a classic Duck a L\u2019Orange is much more subtle. You want to be able to taste the Orange, but not so much that it overpowers all the other delicious ingredients in the sauce

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All I can suggest is, like all home cooking, it comes down to personal preference. Start by squeezing the juice of 1 Orange into the sauce and see what it tastes like. Oh, also be sure to season the sauce well with Salt. Adding Salt will help to make all the flavors more pronounced. So, you may find that adding Salt will be the key to getting more Orange flavor in the sauce instead of simply pouring in more Orange Juice!

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For our recipe we\u2019re using the juice from 2 Oranges. You can also add even more Orange flavor into the dish by adding the squeezed Oranges into the pan and letting them steep in the sauce for about 5 minutes. Remember to take them out before serving, however!

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I like to reserve half an Orange for plating. You can have some fun with presentation by cutting up the Orange into nice shapes and placing it over the Duck once you\u2019ve finished plating. Just remember to remove the Orange peel, as you want to ensure everything that ends up on the plate is edible

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Now, moving onto the star of the dish \u2013 the Duck!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no secret that we\u2019re big fans of Duck here at Dinnertime Somewhere. We\u2019ve got loads of delicious Duck recipes<\/a> and are always finding new ways to enjoy this wonderful protein. It is, therefore, somewhat of a surprise it\u2019s taken us this long to publish our Duck a L\u2019Orange recipe

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There are loads of ways you can prepare your Duck for a Duck a L\u2019Orange. There\u2019s no real \u2018set\u2019 method. Nor is there a specific cut of Duck that you must use. Unlike the sauce, which is very specific with its technique, You can happily enjoy an amazing Duck a L\u2019Orange with all sorts of amazing preparation of Duck

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A few options that you can consider are to create an amazing Duck Confit<\/a> by slowly cooking the Duck in fat (either Duck fat or Oil) in the oven over several hours. You can also simply pan fry some beautiful Duck Breasts and slice it on the diagonal for a beautiful presentation

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Dry out your Duck in the refrigerator for a few days to make the skin turn extra crispy when cooked<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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For our recipe we\u2019re using Duck Thighs, and here\u2019s the trick to getting the skin super crispy every time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For our recipe we\u2019re using Duck Thighs with the drumstick attached. Of course we\u2019re cooking the Duck with the skin on, as that is the best part of the Duck! Getting the skin crispy is a critical component when cooking Duck

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Our technique involves two steps in the preparation phase. The first is to leave the Duck on a plate, uncovered, in the refrigerator. For the best result we recommend leaving it for a few days, but simply leaving it overnight will work

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The cold, dry air of the refrigerator will dry out the skin of the Duck. You\u2019ll notice a significant change in the appearance of the Duck during this time. It will turn significantly darker, which is totally fine

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The second technique is all about helping the fat to render out of the skin. To do so, prick loads of tiny holes in the skin. We simply use a threading needle to do so, but anything sharp will work. Just be careful not to prick the skin too deep, you don\u2019t want to pierce the flesh

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Cooking the Duck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once the Duck is ready to go, leave it out at room temperature for at least 1 hour before cooking. This will ensure an even cook throughout. Place the Duck Thighs on an oven safe container (best bet is a Cast Iron Skillet). Season with Salt and then place the pan in an oven pre-heated to 280F (140C). Cook it for about 20 \u2013 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the Duck is 120F

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Once cooked, finish the Duck off in the frying pan to get a beautiful dark golden-brown color<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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We cook the Duck over a low temperature as this allows the Duck fat to slowly render out of the duck. You\u2019ll notice two things occur during this process: First, the beautiful Duck Fat will begin to pool in the pan. Secondly, the Duck Skin will be super-crispy by the time the meat is completely cooked

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Remove the Duck from the pan and then set it over a medium high heat on the stovetop. This final step is all about getting the skin even more crispy and adding a bit of color to the Duck. The Duck Fat that is now sitting in the pan will act as a fat to color and flavor the meat. Just be a little careful as it does tend to spit a bit

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I like to use the Duck fat like a baste. Allow the Fat to pool at one end of the pan (by tilting it toward you) and then ladle the fat over the Duck skin using a large spoon. This is best to do off the heat. Don\u2019t worry, the residual heat of the Duck Fat is ridiculously hot!

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Once the skin is crispy and golden, remove the Duck from the pan and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before plating. To plate, pour a generous amount of that delicious Duck a L\u2019Orange sauce on a plate or bowl and sit the Duck on top

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This recipe will produce enough volume for 4 plates of delicious Duck a L\u2019Orange. It\u2019s not the most filling of dishes, so we recommend going all-out in your French cookery and serving it with a side of some amazing Buttery Mashed Potatoes<\/a> for the perfect meal

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