chef john's orange duck

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 duck breast halves
• salt to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (such as grand marnier®)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon seville orange marmalade, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon reserved duck fat
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 50 mins


• score duck skin almost all the way through the skin and fat each way on the diagonal in a crosshatch pattern. generously season with salt and rub salt into each breast. let rest, skin-side up, at room temperature, for 15 minutes.
• whisk chicken broth, orange liqueur, vinegar, orange marmalade, orange zest, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
• pat duck breasts dry with paper towels. re-season skin-side of duck breasts with salt.
• heat duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. place duck in skillet, skin-side down, and cook for 6 minutes. flip duck breasts and cook until they start to firm and are reddish-pink and juicy in the center, about 4 minutes more. an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees f (60 degrees c). transfer breasts to a plate to rest. pour any rendered duck fat into a glass jar.
• return skillet to medium heat and whisk flour into pan; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 1 minute. pour orange mixture into skillet; bring to a boil. cook until sauce thickens and is reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. reduce heat to low. when orange mixture stops bubbling, add butter; stir until butter is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce, about 1 minute. season with salt to taste.
• slice duck breasts across the grain, arrange on a plate, and spoon orange sauce over the top.