Description
This Festive Christmas Roast Duck with Apple Cider Drizzle is a show-stopping centerpiece perfect for holiday gatherings. The duck is seasoned with a warm blend of spices, roasted to crispy perfection, and served with a tangy apple cider sauce, complemented by fresh arugula and pomegranate seeds for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole duck (around 2 – 2.5 kg, thawed if frozen)
- 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), unpeeled and quartered
- 1 cup water
- 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup chicken broth or duck broth
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Few handfuls of rocket / arugula leaves
- 1 pomegranate, halved (for seeds)
Spice Rub
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp allspice powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 10 grinds black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 210°C (410°F) to start the roasting process at a high temperature, which helps crisp the duck skin.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Place the quartered onion, halved garlic head, and water into a baking dish. Set a rack on top of this mixture to hold the duck above the liquid for even heat circulation.
- Clean and Dry Duck: Rinse the duck thoroughly inside and out under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. For best results, rinse the night before and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry the skin.
- Mix Spice Rub: In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and black pepper to create the spice rub.
- Apply Spice Rub: Generously slather the spice rub all over the duck’s skin, focusing on the top and sides, avoiding the inside cavity.
- Roast Initial Phase: Place the duck on the rack and put in the oven. Roast at 210°C for 20 minutes to start crisping the skin.
- Continue Roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue roasting. Calculate total roasting time as 40 minutes per kg (20 minutes per lb) including the initial 20 minutes. For a 2-2.5 kg duck, this will be approximately 80-100 minutes.
- Check Doneness: Insert a skewer where the leg meets the breast. If the juices run clear, the duck is cooked through.
- Rest the Duck: Remove the duck from the oven and baking tray. Loosely cover with foil and let rest for 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Prepare to Serve: Arrange rocket/arugula leaves on a serving platter. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the greens. Place the rested duck on top and serve with the Apple Cider Drizzle (prepared by combining chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, butter, salt, and pepper and simmering until slightly reduced and flavorful).
Notes
- If possible, dry the duck overnight in the fridge uncovered to achieve crispier skin.
- Unsalted butter is used to avoid extra salt in the seasoning; make sure to soften it for easy application.
- Apple cider vinegar adds a gentle tang to the drizzle and balances the richness of the duck.
- Use fresh pomegranate seeds for a pop of color and tartness, enhancing the festive presentation.
- Adjust seasoning to taste when preparing the apple cider drizzle to complement the rich duck flavor.
