Whole Roast Duck with Cherry Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

duck
1 (5 1/2- to 6-pound) duck, neck and giblets reserved if making stock
2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal® Kosher Salt, divided
1 tablespoon Potter Family Maple® Pure Vermont Maple Syrup, Grade A Amber
1 1/2 teaspoons Bourbon Barrel Foods® Soy Sauce
cherry sauce
3 tablespoons Potter Family Maple® Pure Vermont Maple Syrup, Grade A Amber
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Bourbon Barrel Foods® Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill® Cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Foods® Smoked Pepper
1 sprig fresh thyme
9 ounces frozen sweet cherries, quartered

Directions

for the duck
Use your hands to remove large fat deposits from the bottom of the cavity. Using kitchen shears, trim excess neck skin from top of breast; remove tail and first 2 segments from each wing, leaving only drumette. Arrange duck breast side up. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut slits spaced ¾ inch apart in crosshatch pattern in skin and fat of breast, being careful not to cut into meat. Flip duck breast side down. Cut parallel slits spaced 3/4 inch apart in skin and fat of each thigh (do not crosshatch).

Rub 2 teaspoons of salt into the cavity. Rub 1 teaspoon of salt into the breast, taking care to rub salt into slits. Rub remaining 1 tablespoon salt into the skin of the rest of the duck. Align skin at bottom of cavity so 1 side overlaps other by at least 1/2 inch. Use a sturdy toothpick to pin skin layers to each other to close the cavity. Place duck on a large plate and refrigerate uncovered for 6 to 12 hours.

Place duck breast side up in a Dutch oven. Add water until at least half of the thighs are submerged but most of the breast remains above water, about 6 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain vigorous simmer. Cook, uncovered, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of drumstick, all the way to bone, registers 145 to 160 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. After 20 minutes of cooking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Stir maple syrup and soy sauce together in a small bowl.

Remove pot from heat. Crumple 20-inch length of aluminum foil into a loose ball. Uncrumple foil and place in a roasting pan. Set V-rack on foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Using tongs and spatula, lift duck from pot, allow liquid to drain, and transfer to V-rack, breast side up. Brush breast and top of drumsticks with approximately one-third of maple syrup mixture. Flip duck and brush remaining mixture over back and sides. (Our note: actually do 1/3 breast, 1/3 back, and save 1/3 for basting the breast when you flip it back half way through).

Transfer braising liquid to a large bowl to cool. (Once cool, defat liquid and reserve liquid and/or fat for another use, if desired.) Roast until the back is golden brown and the breast registers 140 to 150 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs and spatula, flip duck breast side up. Continue to roast until the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees, 15 to 25 minutes longer. Transfer the duck to the carving board and let it rest for 20 minutes.

for the sauce
Whisk maple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pepper together in a small saucepan. Add thyme sprig and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with rubber spatula. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in cherries and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has the consistency of maple syrup, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard thyme sprig and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl. Carve duck and serve, passing sauce separately.

Notes

• Sometimes we do not make the cherry sauce, but just the duck.
• Make sure to make some Fancy Mac and Cheese as a side to really make a solid meal.

I DO NOT get any compensation, free stuff or acknowledgment for mentioning, using or linking to any specific products mentioned. They are for my reference only. Any product or ingredient in the recipe can be substituted with what you have available, a regional favorite or what you find delicious.

Credits
- Original URL: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/12009-whole-roast-duck-with-cherry-sauce
- Potter Family Maple® Pure Vermont Maple Syrup, Grade A Amber: found on ebay