Spiced slow-roast duck & apple sauce
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Spiced slow-roast duck & apple sauce

Follow Gordon's steps for a sensational roast duck dinner, perfect for entertaining

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 40 mins

Method

  1. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Remove any giblets and pull the excess fat from the duck's cavity. Use a roasting fork or skewer to prick the skin of the duck all over - do this lightly as you don't want to pierce the meat.
  2. Season generously inside, rub the skin with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, cinnamon, star anise and garlic. Sit the duck in a roomy roasting tin (you will be adding potatoes to the tin later). Roast the duck for 2 hrs, pricking again every now and then. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10 mins until just cooked.
  3. Remove the duck from the oven and increase the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the duck on a board and pour off half the fat from the tin. Toss the potatoes in the tin so they are completely coated in the juices, then push them to the side of the tin. Sit the duck back in and give it a final 20-30 mins in the oven to crisp up.
  4. Meanwhile, make the apple sauce. Peel and finely slice the apples, discarding the core. Melt the butter in a pan until sizzling, add the apples and spices, then stir to coat.
  5. Pour in 100ml apple juice, cover and simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add a splash more juice if the apples are becoming a bit dry. Cook until the apples have collapsed into a fluffy sauce.
  6. Remove the duck from the oven to a board to rest, then place the potatoes back into the oven for 20 mins to crisp up. When the duck has rested and the potatoes are brown, you are ready to carve and plate up.
Try

Want gravy with it?

Scoop the potatoes into a serving dish and pour all the fat out of the roasting tin (you can strain this then keep in a jar in the fridge and use to roast vegetables). Place the tin on the heat and simmer down 3 tbsp red wine vinegar. Add 200ml chicken stock, simmer, season to taste and strain into a sauce dish.

1159 kcalories, protein 50g, carbohydrate 76g, fat 75 g, saturated fat 24g, fibre 8g, sugar 36g, salt 2.08 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • 04 December 2009

    Jackie Couch rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is such a good recipe and so easy!!! I made it last night for my husband for our anniversary and it was absolutely lovely, you just need time to cook it and a little patience to check that you have got everything right. My husband said it was the best duck he had ever tasted - he may have been biased though! Thanks Gordon - I also love your chocolate fondants!!

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  • 29 January 2010

    philfood rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • 26 September 2010

    cancookwontcook rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very tasty even my 4yr old thoroughly enjoyed it!

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  • 07 December 2010

    michelle's rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My husband is in Scotland at the moment visiting with family so I thought it was a good opportunity to make duck for my mum and I since my husband doesn't like it, this recipe was gorgeous and it had a nice Christmassy hint to it, the duck was so tender and the potatoes were gorgeous. I wasn't sure about the apple sauce but it went really well, also served it with some sauteed spinach.

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

FOR THE APPLE SAUCE

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1159 kcalories, protein 50g, carbohydrate 76g, fat 75 g, saturated fat 24g, fibre 8g, sugar 36g, salt 2.08 g

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