Good Cooking since 1995
Roasted Duck Legs
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Works in most Browsers
Recipe by: Chef John V.
Serving size: 4 people
Preparation time: marinated overnight, roasting and serving about 2 hours
About: Roasting duck legs gives you moister and plumper results than the confit method of roasting duck!
Amount/Measure/Ingredient:
4 duck legs, with the skin
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (about one good sized sprig)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup mirepoix---onion, celery and carrots, chopped fine
Combine the above ingredients in a plastic food bag and marinate overnight in your refrigerator.
To roast you will need---
2 tbsp. salted butter
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
---
1 cup chardonnay
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375.
Drain the duck legs and vegetables, discarding the liquid.
Pat dry the legs with paper towels and reserve the vegetable mixture including the bay leaf and thyme.
Heat the 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, large enough to hold the 4 legs with out crowding, over medium high heat.
Sprinkle the duck skin with thyme and pepper. When the butter begins to brown add the legs, skin side down, cook until skin has browned, about 6 minutes.
Turn the duck legs over; adding the mirepoix and other ingredients that were in the marinade, and brown about 6 minutes more minutes.
Then turn the legs skin side-up and then place the skillet in the oven for 1 to 2 hours or until the duck reaches 160F degrees.
Baste occasionally with the pan drippings.
(FYI) If you don't have a skillet large enough to hold all of the legs at once, then just brown the duck legs and then transfer them, skin side up, to a baking pan with the vegetable mixture.
When roasted remove the legs and place them on a wire rack to cool, they should be very tender!
Strain the vegetable and fat/juices that remains in the pan, and then to the pan, add 1 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup chicken broth, cook and stir it in the pan, scraping up and of the brown bits of caramelized juices.
To crisp the skin back up preheat the broiler and place the duck under the broiler for a few minutes, keeping a very close eye to make sure the duck doesn't burn.
Add the strained vegetables---minus the fat, back to the pan and cook slowly for 10 minutes, then strain everything into a small sauce pot and keep warm until ready to use.
To serve---reheat the duck legs in a 400 degree oven for 5-6 minutes and then pass them under a broiler, for thirty seconds or so, to crisp the skin---be very careful here so you down char the skin---you only need to crisp it.
I like to keep it simple from this point on; serving the duck, as is, with the pan juices, to which I blend in 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam.
Buttered noodles mixed with toasted poppy seeds and braised red cabbage make for a great accompaniment!