Stuffed Duckling

The thought of roasted and stuffed duck always conjures up images of Victorian-era holidays or rural Provincial dinners. Classic and elegant, but also foreign and somewhat exotic. The idea of bringing home a whole duck to roast seemed intimidating, so I’d often shy away from it, despite having cooked whole chickens and turkeys over the years. However, since roast duck is something I enjoy at restaurants, I decided to put my fears in check and try making this stuffed duck recipe.

Duck is a much darker and richer meat than chicken. It also has a thick layer of fat beneath its skin, which is responsible for giving duck its deep, rich flavor profile. This stuffed duckling recipe takes full advantage of that layer by roasting the duck to perfection. The fat renders to create melt-in-your-mouth tender meat, crispy skin and a wonderfully delicious stuffing. The only frustrating part of my experience was thinking about all the years I missed out on enjoying this gorgeous roasted and stuffed duck.

Ingredients for Stuffed Duck

• Butter: Choose real butter for the creamy flavor and lower moisture.
• Garlic: Sautéing crushed or minced garlic opens up the flavors and complexity, bringing a spicy aromatic layer to the savory stuffing in this recipe.
• Day-old bread: Dried, almost stale bread will become soft when stuffed and baked in the duck while maintaining its structure. Fresh bread would become mush due to the rendered fat and juices from the roasting bird. Slice the day-old bread into one-inch cubes before adding to the stuffing.
• Rice: Cooked rice is a stuffing ingredient in this recipe. The rice will absorb some of the roasted duck’s fat and flavor, resulting in a rich and buttery stuffing.
• Herbs: A combination of dried basil, rosemary, sage and parsley in the stuffing to provide savory, herbal flavors to both the finished stuffing and the duck meat.
• Raisins: Using raisins in the stuffing brings a sweetness that balances out the savory and salty flavors of the herbs and duck fat.
• Pecans: Adding pecans to the stuffing creates a sophisticated, sweet, rich and nutty flavor, and adds a firmer bite to counterbalance the soft bread and rice.
• Broth: A small amount of broth or stock in the dry stuffing gives it some moisture.
• Whole Duckling: One domestically raised, 4- to 6-pound whole duckling.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the stuffing

In a large skillet, sauté the onion in butter over medium-low heat until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute, stirring to keep the garlic from caramelizing. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, rice, dried herbs, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine. Add in the raisins and pecans and ladle the broth into the bowl in small increments, tossing gently until moist.

Step 2: Stuff the duck

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Season the duck cavity with salt and pepper. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the duck cavity until it’s completely filled. Place the stuffed duck on a rack in a shallow baking pan, breast side up. Using a fork, pierce the duck skin thoroughly to allow the rendered fat to coat and crisp the skin.

Step 3: Roast the stuffed duck

Place the duck into the hot oven and bake for 1-3/4 to 2 hours, or until the skin is crispy and a thermometer reads 165º for both duck and stuffing. Remove the pan from the oven and drain the fat into a container to use for another application. Cover the duck with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving.

Stuffed Duckling Variations

• Give it maple bourbon glaze: Place 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of bourbon and a tablespoon of butter into a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced. Half an hour before the duck is done, coat it thoroughly with half of the maple glaze. With five minutes left, open the oven and brush the remaining glaze over the bird.
• Make an apple stuffing: Mixing apples into the rice stuffing mixture adds additional moisture to the duck as it cooks. Plus, it creates another layer of sweet fruitiness to balance the duck meat’s richness.
• Make it L’orange: One of the most popular flavor pairings with roast duck is orange. The famous French dish, duck a l’orange brings a blast of citrus to the slightly gamey and complex meat. You can make a similar domestic version, roast duck with orange glaze, by following this stuffed duckling recipe but adding the orange glaze.

How to Store Stuffed Duck

Leftover stuffed duck can be stored in an airtight container and in the refrigerator for up to two days. The duck can be reheated in the microwave or 300º oven until heated through.

Can I freeze this duck?

You can. Wrap the leftover duck in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and place it into a freezer bag. Remove any excess air and freeze the duck for up to three months. When you’re ready to use it, remove them from the freezer and allow the duck to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Roasted Stuffed Duck Tips

Can stuffed duck be made gluten-free?

It certainly can. To remove the gluten from the recipe, you can simply omit the day-old bread cubes from the stuffing or use a gluten-free alternative. Follow the recipe for a fantastic dinner that can be served to anyone with gluten sensitivity.

What if there are pieces of feathers on my duck?

When you buy a fresh, whole duck from the market, they have been cleaned and de-feathered. However, you may encounter a few small remaining pieces of the feathers when you brush your hand over the skin. If this is the case, take tweezers or needle-nose pliers and pull out the small pieces of leftover feathers.

Can I use the convection feature on my oven for this recipe?

Absolutely. In fact, using the convection option, or convection roast option, if your oven has that feature, will allow the duck to cook thoroughly, evenly and more quickly while creating even crispier skin. If your oven doesn’t automatically convert the recipe’s cooking time, consult your owner’s manual or look up the manufacturer online.