I'm making my first duck tomorrow sauce?

Question

I decided that I wanted to try duck instead. I dont know how to make the sauce for it and I will be using one of those oven bags. Do I still need the sauce or will it be moist enough without it? I'm a little nervous but excited to. Any suggestions? Thanks and Happy Thanks giving to all of you!

Answer 1

Do you want an orange sauce, or a Chinese plum sauce?

Here is an orange sauce:

ORANGE SAUCE FOR DUCK OR CHICKEN

2/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. grated orange peel
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 - 1/2 c. orange liqueur
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 orange skin, julienne stripped (peel of an orange with a vegetable peeler, slice peel thinly)

Combine sugars and cornstarch in a pot. Mix. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer over low heat 3-4 minutes. Pour over duck or chicken.
If using duck: Slice duck in half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce on top of duck. Bake with skin side up at 350 degrees approximately 1 1/2 -2 hours until skin is golden and crisp. Baste every 1/2 hour with drippings in pan. After 1 hour, drain most of the fat from pan leaving enough to cover bottom of pan.

Answer 2

You don't really need a sauce. Duck is a very fatty bird and will be moist without the sauce.

My recipe for duckling is simple: Rinse out the cavity, put a quartered onion in it, and bake for the time indicated on the wrapper. It doesn't need to be basted. The oven bag will help reduce spatters in your oven.

Enjoy your duck dinner, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Answer 3

You might want to try orange marmalade jam melted in a saucepan and then brushed over the the skin of the duck before bagging the bird in the roasting pan.

After the duck is cooked then brush some more heated jam over the skin and broil the duck out of the bag for a crispy skin.

The alternative is a plum sauce, soy sauce, finely grated ginger and honey heated in a pan and brushed over the duck skin.