This recipe may contain affiliate links. Please check our Disclosure policy.“Duck is festive, diligent, and comforting all at once,” wrote Olga Solomon in The Washington Post—a sentiment I’m certain most Egyptians would wholeheartedly echo. Duck has long been one of the primary poultry cherished in Egypt, known to the ancient Egyptians even before chicken made its way into their kitchens. Tomb paintings and temple offerings depict duck as a prized food, a symbol of nourishment and festivity. This heritage ingredient endured through the centuries, becoming a fixture on Egyptian family tables.
Why You Will like this Egyptian Duck Recipe
Duck has been notorious for being gamey, fatty, and a challenging maneuver even for seasoned home-cooks. In some ways, most of us are intimated by how duck is immaculately handled by top chefs in glamorous Netflix shows. The posh Michelin Star cuisine somehow has instilled the faulty idea that a perfect duck should be either confit, the French way, or perfectly roasted the Chinese way. The typical world standards of a perfect duck is golden crispy skin and pink rare flesh. Yet, it is time to rock the boat and introduce other renditions of the so-called Duck “a la perfection”. I am here to tell you today, that duck comes out equally delicious and remarkably glorious, if it is handled the EGYPTIAN WAY: brined, boiled, and finally broiled. This Egyptian method of cooking duck might be a bit lengthy, however, it is mostly passive cooking time, yet it delivers a stress-free, glorious, scrumptious duck that is mind-blowing. So let us dig in!How to Make Easy Duck a L’Orange with Egyptian Twist
Step 1: Spatchcock the Duck
Butterflying the duck serves multiple purposes: it shortens the cooking time, ensures even cooking, and reduces fat splatter during the browning stage. Watch this video to learn how to butterfly a duck.
Step 2: Dry Brine
This simple yet powerful dry brine—made of coarsely crushed black pepper, coarse salt, and lemon and/or orange zest—goes a long way in tenderizing the bird, seasoning the meat, and most importantly, stripping away any undesirable gamey flavor. leave the duck covered in the dry brine for 12–24 hours in the fridge. Don’t rinse the duck after the brining time is over. Just tap it dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
In my book, a dry brine is tenfold better than a wet brine: it’s easier to prepare, less messy, and doesn’t monopolize precious fridge space. A raw duck resting in liquid brine not only requires a large container but also risks splatter that could contaminate your fridge and its contents. Read more here about dry brine versus wet brine.
Step 3: Boil the Duck
Forget what you know about boiling—this is a next-level technique. Think of it as a pampering sauna, or an Egyptian hamam, for the duck before it wears its signature glaze and hits the red carpet. We’re talking about a true diva here, not just an ordinary bird! 😃
The duck rests for 60–90 minutes in a broth meticulously layered with flavor. Like many good things in Egyptian cuisine, it starts with a spoonful of ghee. Once hot, add whole warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, cardamom, mastic, and allspice.
Toast the spices in the hot fat for under a minute, then add chopped onions and whole garlic cloves. Stir until fragrant and lightly blistered. Place your duck on top of this sizzling flavor base and brown it on all sides. Be wary of dangerous hot fat splatters—protect your hands with heat-proof gloves.
When the skin develops golden patches, add hot water from the kettle. The water should cover only half the duck, not submerge it. Bring to a vigorous boil for five minutes, then reduce the heat and let the duck luxuriate in this warm “jacuzzi” for 60–90 minutes, or until the flesh nearly falls off the bone. Test for doneness by tugging on a wing—if it comes off easily, your duck is ready. The duck will emerge from the broth glistening, aromatic, and ready for its glamorous finale.
Step 4: Make the Glaze
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients in the recipe card below. Whisk well, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Brush the glaze generously over the duck pieces arranged on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven broiler. Place the duck pieces under it and let the skin caramelize and crisp for 5–7 minutes.
Step 5: Garnish & Serve
Garnish the duck with fresh herbs, orange slices, or pomegranate seeds, and serve immediately while still hot.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Health benefits: Duck meat is an excellent source of iron, providing 50% of the iron we need in a day. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy.
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Authentic yet approachable – captures the traditional flavors while offering clear, easy-to-follow steps.
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Comforting and versatile – perfect for family dinners, gatherings, or as a nostalgic dish to share with loved ones.
Check out More Poultry Recipes
You might also like- Ferakh Bel Batates (Egyptian Chicken Potato Bake)
- Lemon-Mustard Chicken Potato Bake
- Seman Mashwi (Egyptian Grilled Quail)
- Keto & Air Fryer Zaatar Chicken
- Negresko (Chicken-Pasta Bake)
- Keshk Almaz
- Roz Moamar Bel Ferakh (Baked Rice with Chicken)
- Chicken Shawarma
- Egyptian Grilled Quail
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Easy Duck à l’Orange Recipe– My Egyptian Twist
Ingredients
- 4.88 lb / 2.2 kg duck
- Dry Brine
- Zest of 1 lemon, unwaxed (unsprayed)
- Zest of 1 orange , unwaxed (unsprayed), optional
Dry Brine
- 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt or kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarsely crushed black pepper
For Boiling & Broth
- 2 tablespoons ghee, or 1 tablespoon ghee + 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, whole
- 1 piece (1- inch x 1- inch) ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 5 bay leaves
- 5 cardamom pods
- 3 mastic resin pieces
- 5 allspice berries, whole
- 2 celery stalks with leaves
For the Glaze
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground garlic
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ tablespoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Garnish
- Orange slices
- Pomegranate seeds
- Fresh aromatic herbs
Instructions
- Spatchcock the Duck: With a sharp knife, cut through the cartilage connecting the duck’s breasts, then press firmly on the backbone to flatten it. Watch this video to get a step-by step instructions.
- Dry brine the duck: Massage the duck all over with the dry brine rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. Pat the duck dry with paper towels- don not rinse.
- Boil the duck: In a wide, heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee (or 1 tablespoon ghee + 1 tablespoon canola oil) over medium heat. Once hot, add the whole spices and toast briefly until fragrant. Stir in the onion and garlic until lightly blistered. Lower the heat, add the butterflied duck, and brown on all sides. Be cautious, as the skin may splatter hot fat. Pour in enough hot water (from a kettle) to cover the duck halfway—do not submerge it completely (see notes). Bring to a vigorous boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and let the duck simmer gently for 1–1 1/2 hours, or until the wings pull off easily. Turn off the heat, transfer the duck to a cutting board, and let it cool completely while you prepare the glaze.
- Make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the mixture thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and let the glaze cool to room temperature.
- Roast the duck: Cut the duck into serving pieces and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush generously with the glaze. Place under the broiler for 5–10 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and deep golden brown. Remove from the oven. (See notes.)
- Garnish & Serve: Arrange the duck pieces over a mound of ruz bel khalta (Egyptian festive rice) or a bed of fluffy freekeh. Garnish with orange slices, pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Nermine's Notes
- Always use boiling water from a kettle for the broth—never cold.
- Do not fully cover the duck with water. The goal is a concentrated broth and perfectly cooked, tender meat. Fully immersing the duck may overcook the flesh and make it mushy.
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