Apricot Glazed Duck Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse the ducks with cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a large shallow dish or plastic container and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Place the duck, breast side up, on racks in several shallow roasting pans. Prick the skin all over, especially along the side of the breast, so that the fat can run off while roasting.
• Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue roasting for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Begin to baste with the glaze once the ducks have been roasting for 50 minutes. Baste every 5 to 10 minutes. The ducks are done when a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees. If you prefer your meat well done, continue to roast about another 15 minutes, but be aware the meat may become a bit dry. Discard all but 1/4 cup of the residual fat in the roasting pan, reserving for Apricot-Orange Duck Sauce recipe.
• Cooks Note: Unless you have 2 ovens, roast 3 ducks at a time. Reheat the first set of ducks for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
• Place one of the roasting pans, which have been drained of fat, on stovetop. Set heat of burners to medium, add the 1/4-cup fat and stir to loosen pieces from bottom of pan. Whisk in stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add apricot-orange glaze; simmer 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a medium bowl and whisk in 1 1/2 cups liquid scooped up from the pan; blend well. Add flour mixture to pan, whisking until well blended. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.;

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the duck breasts skin side down for about 2 minutes without shaking the pan. Turn over and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board and set aside to rest.
• Using the same pan you cooked the duck in, saute the onions, over medium heat, until golden brown. Add in the chopped apricots, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock and white wine. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water to create a slurry. Slowly add it to the apricot mixture, stirring constantly until the desired consistency is reached.
• Allow to cook until the paste taste disappears, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tarragon and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
• Slice the duck breast on a bias. Lay a little sauce on the base of each white serving plate and top with the duck. Spoon a little more sauce over the duck and serve.

Steps:

• Boil duck for 30-45 minutes in enough water so that it is completely submerged.
• Remove and blot dry inside and out with paper towels. Place in fridge for a couple of days to allow the skin to become very dry.
• Refrigerate the lovely greasy duck broth. Once the fat has all risen to the top, skim it off and save to use in other recipes--like potatoes roasted with duck fat----YUM.
• Reduce your duck broth, concentrating it down to 2--3 cups. Combine with veal stock and reduce down to another 2--3 cups. This will take several hours. If you wish to thicken it, make a little roux with some duck fat and some flour, slowly whisking some of the reduction, whisking continuously, allowing to boil gently. Then add the remainder of the reduction. Adjust your seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Remove duck from fridge for an hour or so before roasting.
• Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
• Salt generously and dust with the quatre epices--see note below.
• Roast breast side up for 90 minutes, spreading apricot jam on it for the last half hour.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes if you can wait that long.
• Carve up and serve with the reduction/sauce.
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• Quater epices (meaning four spices) is a French spice blend, but it is also found in Middle Eastern kitchens. It is often used in terrines, fresh sausages, and pates. Add a heaping teaspoon to a pot of hearty stew for a surprising new depth. Here's an example of this versatile blend:.
• Combine 2 tablespoons white peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg,1/2 teaspoon (about 12) whole cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
• Grind up peppercorns and cloves, and combine with the rest. Store in cool, dark, dry place.

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan cook shallot in 1 teaspoon butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Carefully add Port and brandy and boil until reduced by half. Add demiglace and simmer 5 minutes, or until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a small bowl and return to pan. Stir in apricot, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer sauce until apricot is just heated through and stir in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Preheat oven to 450° F.
• Put duck breasts, skin sides down, on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife and following shape of breast, trim all sinews, excess skin, and fat. With a fork carefully prick skin all over without piercing meat.
• Heat an ovenproof cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat until hot and add oil, swirling skillet until coated evenly. Pat duck dry and season with salt and pepper. Put duck, skin sides down, in skillet. Reduce heat to moderate and cook duck until skin is deep golden, about 3 minutes. Turn duck over and cook 2 minutes more. Remove duck from skillet and pour off fat. Return duck, skin sides down, to skillet and roast in middle of oven 5 minutes for medium-rare. Keep duck warm and reheat sauce over low heat.
• Slice duck on the diagonal and serve with sauce.

Steps:

• Pierce the skin of the ducks and rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Let marinate for a few hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Stuff each duck with pieces of apple, orange, onion and celery. Rub the ducks with soy sauce and oil and place in roasting pan. Baste with red wine. Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven. Every 15 minutes baste the ducks with more wine and juices from the pan. Let bake for about 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 1/2 hours.
• Combine apricot preserves with honey and thin it out with a little water. Uncover the ducks and baste with the glaze. Turn the oven to broil and cook ducks for about 10-15 more minutes. Just keep an eye on them so they do not burn.
• Serve with garlic bread to soak up the juices.