Glazed Roast Duckwith Orange Sauce

Season the whole duck with salt and refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry the skin.

Separate the duck into legs, wing tips, and crown (two breasts together). Lightly score the breast skin in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (300°F). Place the legs and wing tips on a roasting rack and roast for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and the skin begins to render.

While the legs are cooking, prepare the glaze: combine the cinnamon stick, star anise, sliced ginger, brown sugar, 2 tbsp honey, orange zest, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and 200 ml orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10‑12 minutes).

Remove the legs and wing tips from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (410°F). Arrange the legs, wing tips, and crown in a low‑casserole pan (e.g., a 316‑Series pan).

Brush the entire duck with the prepared glaze, roast for 10 minutes, brush again, roast another 10 minutes, brush a third time, and finish with a final 10‑minute roast, basting each time.

Check the breast meat with an instant‑read thermometer; remove the duck when the internal temperature reaches 122°F (122°F). The temperature will rise to about 131°F (131°F) while the bird rests. Let the duck rest uncovered in a warm place for 15 minutes.

To make the orange sauce, melt 30 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs and sauté briefly until fragrant.

Add 150 ml Grand Marnier to the pan and carefully flambé (ignite) to burn off the alcohol. Then stir in the chicken stock, 1 tbsp honey, Dijon mustard, and the remaining 150 ml orange juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to meld flavors.

Strain the sauce through a fine‑mesh sieve into a clean pan. Whisk in an additional knob of butter for shine, season with salt and pepper to taste, and thicken with a slurry made from 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water (add more slurry if a thicker consistency is desired).

Stir the segmented orange pieces (1–2 oranges) into the sauce just before serving to preserve their fresh texture.

Carve the rested duck into serving portions. Arrange on a platter, spoon the orange sauce over the meat, and garnish with extra orange segments for a bright finish.