Crispy Roast Duck with Baked Apples
With the winning combination of crispy skin, tender meat, and sweet baked apples, this duck promises to be a delicious addition to your festive menu.
How long will it take?
2 hours
What’s the serving size?
Serves 6
What do I need?
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2+ kg whole duck
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3 - 4 small apples
- 85 g honey
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
How do I make it?
- Preheat oven to 220C.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme and paprika to a bowl and mix well.
- Pat duck inside and out with paper towel and then prick the skin with a fork ensuring you don’t go too deep and pierce the meat.
- Rub the salt mixture all over the duck, inside and out.
- Insert lemon halves into the cavity of the duck. Score apples around the middle to prevent the skin from rupturing when cooking. Stuff apples into the cavity and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place duck, breast side down in a baking dish.
- Combine honey, orange juice and lemon juice in a small bowl and brush one-third over the duck. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 180C and cover the baking dish with foil. Cook for 1 hour, then turn duck to be breast side up, baste with one-third honey mixture and bake uncovered for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and brush with remaining honey mixture. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve duck with baked apples.
