A stunning recipe for Balsamic Glazed Roast Duck! The secret is the shiny, deep red glaze and the timing. Perfect to win the heart of your guest(s)…Serve with roasted veggies baked in the same pan, and orange sauce. It’s easier than you think. This Roast Duck is juicy and tender. Its skin is crispy when glazed with the balsamic glaze.  It's no more difficult than roast chicken, perfect for that special occasion or as a holiday dish.

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Easy Balsamic-Glazed Roast Duck

A stunning recipe for Balsamic Glazed Roast Duck! The secret is the shiny, deep red glaze and the timing. Perfect to win the heart of your guest(s)…Serve with roasted veggies baked in the same pan, and orange sauce.
Course Mains
Cuisine American
Diet Diabetic (low glycemic), Gluten-free, Dairy Free, DASH (low-salt)
Keyword baked, Easy-to-prepare, one-pan, Oven, party food
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 585kcal
Author Chief Desirist Dr Hanna

Equipment

  • Wooden Board
  • Cooking twine
  • Roast Rack
  • 13x10x3-inch Roasting Pan

Ingredients

Duck:

  • 6 lb natural duck whole (fresh or frozen)*
  • Salt to taste
  • 5 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • Optional: veggies sliced and seasoned*

Glaze:

  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar Italian
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup honey

Instructions

  • Defrost the frozen duck in the refrigerator for 2 days. Then take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking, so it reaches near to room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, with fan. The roasting time will be about 3 hours total. (you will attend the duck 4 times to turn and brush the duck with the glaze.)

Prepare the duck:

  • Remove the giblets and heart from inside the duck. Rinse the duck with cold water, inside and outside. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • Set the duck on a wooden board. Score the duck's skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts (if any) with of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, except the legs.
  • Season the duck generously with salt both the cavity and all over outside.
  • Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity. Fold the skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with cooking twine.

Roast the duck for 3 hours in 4 distinctive steps:

  • Insert a roasting rack in a 13x10x3-inch roasting pan. Place the seasoned, tied up duck, breast side up on the rack. (Arrange the optional veggies around and under the rack, so the fat can fall on them.) Roast the duck, breast side up, for 30 minutes at 375 F.
  • After 30 minutes, flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down for another 30 minutes, at 375 F.
  • Meanwhile start preparing the glazing: in a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon. (No honey yet!) Set aside.
  • After the second 30 minutes roasting remove the pan from the oven. Carefully move the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out - keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), as well as remove the veggies temporarily into another platter. Carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a heatproof bowl.
  • Return the duck, breast side up on the rack in the roasting pan without juice. Arrange the veggies again under and around the duck.
  • Brush all the duck with the balsamic-lemon mixture (especially the breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 30 minutes at 375 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.
  • Now, in a separate small bowl, continue with the glazing: combine the honey and 3 TBSP of the prepared balsamic-lemon mixture that you made previously (in step 3). Brush the breast side of the duck with this honey-balsamic mixture, and roast for another 20 minutes. Continue brushing the duck breast side every 10 minutes with honey balsamic mixture.
  • After 20 minutes roasting carefully broil the duck for the last 10-15 minutes on HI. Check the duck regularly to make sure it doesn't char too much.
  • After the duck is done, remove it from the oven, and let it stand for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve!
Chief Desirist Dr Hanna

Former PhD chemist turned to chocolatier. Now in New Hampshire USA starting a food business in my 3rd country, after NZ and AU. I’m very committed to sustainability, defined as buying locally, shunning preservatives & artificial ingredients, and using only natural fruits and herbs and highest cocoa content possible for chocolates

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