Duck with Apples in Cream
I found this indulgent recipe and it has become a holiday favorite. Even the kids like it.
I found this indulgent recipe and it has become a holiday favorite. Even the kids like it.
- Carbohydrate 38.55534 g
- Cholesterol 102.16 mg
- Fat 34.59934 g
- Fiber 6.55200026035309 g
- Protein 1.5662 g
- Saturated Fat 21.574552 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (728g)
- Sodium 216.472 mg
- Sugar 32.0033397396469 g
- Trans Fat 2.414272 g
- Calories 449 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, gas 6. Sprinkle duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Prick all over with a fork and place on wire rack over a foil covered roasting tin. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, gas 4.
- Peel (optional) and core apples. Cut two of them into quarters and leave the rest whole. Arrange around the duck, dot with butter and continue roasting for 1 hour or until tender. You can choose to occasionally baste with pan drippings, or not. Duck is done at an internal temperature of 165.
- Remove duck and apples from the tin. Place duck on serving plate. Keep hot. Spoon off 1-2 T fat from pan juices, then stir in the cream in a medium saucepan. Place apples in saucepan and mix thoroughly with the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes. Mixture will reduce and slightly thicken.
- Arrange apples around duck. Spoon some sauce over. Serve the rest separately.
Crisp golden skin gives way to succulent meat while tart apples soften completely in a rich reduction of pan drippings and heavy cream. Cooking poultry with fruit bridges the gap between savory proteins and natural sweetness, creating a balanced plate when paired with simple starches like buttered egg noodles or plain steamed rice to absorb the rich sauce. Working through this preparation requires attention to fat rendering and heat management.
- Pricking the skin allows the heavy layer of subcutaneous fat to escape during the initial twenty minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the skin actually crisps instead of boiling in its own drippings.
- Granny Smith apples hold their structural integrity well under prolonged heat because of their high pectin and acid content, but Honeycrisp or Braeburn varieties work as viable substitutes if Granny Smiths are unavailable.
- Reducing the heavy cream with rendered duck fat over medium heat for five minutes thickens the sauce naturally without requiring flour or cornstarch.
- Checking the internal temperature with a digital probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh guarantees safety at 165 degrees Fahrenheit without overcooking the breast meat.
Substituting regular cream with light cream or half-and-half will result in a significantly thinner sauce that fails to coat the back of a spoon properly. Leftovers keep safely in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
