Delia Smith Roast Duck Recipe

This spectacular Delia Smith Roast Duck Recipe is a rich and crispy-skinned centerpiece, which features a tender whole duck paired with a glossy, tart Morello cherry sauce. It’s a luxurious dinner party main, ready to serve in about 2 hours.

Delia Smith Roast Duck Ingredients

The Roast:

• 1 x 4 lb 8 oz (2 kg) Gressingham Duck: Or a standard mallard. Gressingham ducks have more breast meat.
• Salt and Freshly Milled Black Pepper: Essential for drawing out moisture from the skin to ensure crispness.

The Morello Cherry Sauce:

• 350g Jar Morello Cherries in Syrup: The tartness of these specific cherries cuts through the rich fat of the duck perfectly.
• 150ml Port: Adds a deep, fortified wine richness to the sauce.
• 1 level tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar: Provides the necessary acidity.
• 1 rounded teaspoon Arrowroot: Preferred over cornstarch for a crystal-clear, glossy finish.

How To Make Delia Smith Roast Duck

1. Prep the Duck: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the giblets from the duck. Crucial Step: Using a fork or a skewer, prick the skin of the duck all over, especially around the fatty areas like the legs and breast. Do not pierce the meat, just the skin. This allows the fat to render and escape.
2. Season: Season the duck generously with salt and freshly milled black pepper. Place the duck on a wire rack inside a roasting tin. (Using a rack prevents the duck from boiling in its own fat).
3. Roast: Place the tin in the center of the oven and roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.
   • Mid-roast tip: Halfway through, carefully remove the tin and pour off the accumulated fat (save this liquid gold for roast potatoes!). Return the duck to the oven.
4. Crisp the Skin: For the last 10-15 minutes, you can turn the oven temperature up slightly if the skin isn’t crispy enough, though the long roast usually suffices.
5. Rest: Once cooked (juices should run clear when the thigh is pierced), remove the duck to a warmed serving platter and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
6. Make the Sauce: While the duck rests, drain the syrup from the jar of cherries into a saucepan. Add the port and red wine vinegar. Whisk the arrowroot with a tiny bit of cold water to make a paste.
7. Thicken: Bring the liquid to a simmer, then whisk in the arrowroot paste. Cook gently until the sauce clears and thickens. Finally, stir in the whole cherries and heat them through (do not boil them vigorously or they will break apart).
8. Serve: Carve the duck and spoon the hot cherry sauce over the meat.

Recipe Tips

• The Pricking Technique: Do not skip pricking the skin. Duck has a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. If you don’t prick it, the fat stays trapped, making the meat greasy and the skin soggy.
• Saving the Fat: Duck fat has a high smoke point and incredible flavor. Pour the rendered fat into a jar, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. It makes the world’s best roast potatoes.
• Why Arrowroot? Delia specifies arrowroot for fruit sauces because cornflour (cornstarch) makes liquids cloudy/opaque. Arrowroot keeps the cherry sauce jewel-bright and transparent.
• Carving Duck: Unlike chicken, duck doesn’t yield huge slices. It is often easier to simply cut the bird into quarters (two leg portions, two breast portions) using poultry shears.

What To Serve With Delia Smith Roast Duck

• Braised Red Cabbage: The traditional accompaniment; the vinegar in the cabbage balances the richness.
• Duck Fat Roast Potatoes: Use the fat rendered from step 3!
• Peas with Lettuce: A lighter French-style side dish.
• Creamed Mashed Potatoes: Excellent for soaking up the cherry sauce.

How To Store Delia Smith Roast Duck

• Refrigerate: Leftover duck meat should be stripped from the bone and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: You can freeze the cooked meat for up to 2 months. The cherry sauce can also be frozen, though the texture of the cherries may soften slightly upon thawing.

Delia Smith Roast Duck Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fat: 45g
• Protein: 38g
• Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving with sauce. Duck is naturally high-fat, though much renders out.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Roast Beef Recipe
• Delia Smith Traditional Roast Turkey Recipe
• Delia Smith Rice Salad Recipe