Spicy Honey, Garlic and Orange Roasted Duck

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Begin with a completely thawed duck (1); thaw it in the refrigerator if frozen. Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity and pat the bird dry with paper towels.

   Uses 1 whole raw duck, 5–6 lb, fully thawed

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring enough salted water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the duck. Lower in the duck and keep the heat on for 3 minutes. Lift out, drain and pat dry; discard the boiling water.

   Lift duck after the brief boil · 3 minUses The whole prepared raw duck from step 1 · Water, as needed for boiling the duck and washing citrus · Sea salt, as needed to salt the duck-boiling water

3. 3

   Step 3: Prick the skin all over the front and back at an angle, without cutting the meat. Score skin and fat in a diamond pattern about 1 inch apart, again avoiding the meat.

   Uses The whole drained duck lifted from step 2, without its boiling water

4. 4

   Step 4: Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C with the rack in its lowest position.

5. 5

   Step 5: Wash the orange (1) and lime (1) for the rub and glaze. Zest both, then squeeze their juices. Keep all zest together for the rub and all juices separately for the glaze.

   Uses 1 orange, using its zest for rub and juice for glaze · 1 lime, using its zest for rub and juice for glaze · Water, as needed for boiling the duck and washing citrus

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix the tablespoon of rub salt (1 tbsp), black pepper (1 tsp), chopped dried piquín chiles (2 tsp), chopped fresh rosemary leaves (2 tbsp) and all the reserved orange and lime zest in a small bowl.

   Uses 1 tbsp coarse sea salt, for duck rub · 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper · 2 tsp finely chopped dried piquín chiles, for rub · 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves, for rub · All orange and lime zest from step 5; keep the juices reserved

7. 7

   Step 7: Rub all the spice mixture over the duck, into the scored skin and fat, and inside the cavity. Reserve one whole rosemary sprig for the glaze before it touches the duck. Stuff the cavity with all the pieces of the separate whole orange (1), the remaining whole rosemary sprigs and the whole head of garlic (1).

   Uses All the scored duck from step 3 · All the spice and citrus-zest rub from step 6 · 1 whole orange, halved and each half cut into quarters · 1 whole head of garlic · 3–4 whole rosemary sprigs: reserve 1 clean sprig for glaze, use the remainder in the cavity

8. 8

   Step 8: Put the seasoned duck breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Fold the neck skin under, cross and tie the legs with kitchen twine, and tuck the wings under. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 30 minutes.

   Turn duck and lower oven · 30 minUses The seasoned stuffed duck from step 7; keep its reserved clean rosemary sprig separate

9. 9

   Step 9: Remove the roasting pan, turn the duck back-side up and lower the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Roast for a further 1½ hours. Make the glaze during this roasting phase.

   Finish the lower-temperature roast · 90 minUses The same duck and roasting pan after step 8

10. 10

    Step 10: While the duck roasts, melt all the butter (3 tbsp) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it bubbles, add the separate teaspoon of whole dried piquín chiles (1 tsp) and stir for 1 minute to brown them gently.

    Add citrus juices to glaze · 1 minUses 3 tbsp unsalted butter · 1 tsp whole dried piquín chiles, for glaze

11. 11

    Step 11: Stir all the reserved citrus juices and honey (2 tbsp) into the butter-chile base. Add the reserved clean rosemary sprig and cook over medium-low heat for about 7–8 minutes, checking from 7 minutes, until syrupy. Remove the whole sprig and chiles with a spoon, or strain the glaze into a bowl.

    Check citrus-honey glaze · 7 minUses All butter and whole-chile base from step 10 · All orange and lime juices reserved in step 5; the zest is already in the rub · 2 tbsp honey · The 1 clean whole rosemary sprig reserved before duck contact in step 7

12. 12

    Step 12: When the lower-temperature roast is complete, remove the pan. Tilt the duck to drain its fat into the roasting pan, then scrape the collected fat into a separate heatproof bowl. Cut and remove the leg twine and lift the roasted garlic head out of the cavity. Keep the duck on its rack; the collected fat is separate from the glaze.

    Uses The duck and pan from step 9, with garlic and rendered fat to be lifted separately

13. 13

    Step 13: Brush the duck generously with the strained glaze and turn it breast-side up on the rack. Return to the 350°F / 175°C oven for 15–30 minutes, checking from 15 minutes. Continue until the skin is golden and the thickest breast and inner thigh reach 165–170°F, avoiding bone; every part must reach at least 165°F / 74°C.

    Check glazed duck doneness · 15 minUses The roasted duck from step 12; leave the collected fat and removed garlic separate · Glaze from step 11 for generously brushing the duck; whole chiles and rosemary have been removed

14. 14

    Step 14: Lift the fully cooked duck out, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10–15 minutes, starting with 10 minutes, before carving and sharing as two portions. If saving the separately collected fat, cool it briefly and refrigerate it promptly within 2 hours in a suitable container.

    Rest duck before carving · 10 minUses The fully cooked duck lifted from step 13, leaving pan fat and juices behind · Collected duck fat from step 12, only if saving it separately