Christmas Roast Duck
Crisp skinned roast duck with orange glaze, red cabbage, and pan gravy for an elegant Christmas dinner.
Updated: Nov 9, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 2 hr 30 min.
- Serves 6 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Christmas Roast Duck takes about 2 hours 30 minutes and serves 6. Roast duck brings restaurant elegance to the Christmas table with crackling skin and rich tender meat that feels special without turkey sized effort.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set a rack inside a large roasting pan. Pat the duck completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Prick the skin all over with a skewer, piercing only the fat layer and not the meat, then pour a kettle of hot water evenly over the bird.
Pat dry again; this tightens the skin for crisping.
Rub the duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the quartered orange and thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body.
Set breast side up on the rack so rendered fat drips into the pan below.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, spooning off accumulated fat from the pan every 30 minutes into a heatproof jar. Save every spoonful; duck fat keeps for months refrigerated and makes unmatched roast potatoes. The skin should look pale gold and start to tighten at this stage.
Stir the orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar into a glaze. Brush half over the duck and roast 20 minutes more. Brush the rest on and roast a final 15 to 20 minutes until the skin turns deep mahogany and the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a thermometer.
If the glaze darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Transfer to a board and rest 15 minutes. Carve the breast halves in slices, then separate the legs at the joints. Serve with red cabbage, roasted potatoes, and pan juices.
Do not wash raw duck; washing spreads bacteria. Strain and chill the pan fat for cooking.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the skin stays soft, raise the heat to 425 degrees for the last 10 minutes and watch closely so the glaze does not burn.
- If the breast finishes before the legs, tent the breast with foil and keep roasting until the thighs read 165 degrees inside.
- If fat smokes in the oven, drain the pan sooner; duck releases a lot of fat and a full pan can splatter and smoke.
Make it your way
- Spicier version: For a five spice version, rub the duck with 1 teaspoon of five spice powder plus the salt and pepper, and swap orange juice for hoisin thinned with water in the glaze.
- For an apple version, stuff the cavity with quartered apples and brush with apple jelly melted with vinegar.
- Serve either style with braised red cabbage and dumplings.
- Keep the same low roasting, fat draining, and 165 degree finish so the skin stays crisp.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Reheat in a 375 degree oven on a rack until the skin crisps and meat reaches 165 degrees.
Freeze carved meat up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
FAQ
What temperature is duck done?
Roast duck is safe and tender when the thickest thigh meat reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Breast meat stays juicy at 160 degrees with carryover cooking. Always measure away from bone with an instant read thermometer, since color alone cannot confirm doneness in rich dark meat.
What do I do with all the duck fat?
Strain warm fat through a fine sieve into a clean jar and refrigerate up to 6 months or freeze a year. Roast potatoes in it at 425 degrees for shattering crispness. Use it for frying eggs, searing greens, or making confit style chicken thighs later in the season.
Can I roast vegetables under the duck?
Potatoes and root vegetables roast beautifully in a shallow pan beneath the rack, basting in dripping fat. Keep them in a separate pan rather than the drip pan so they crisp instead of stewing. Toss halfway through and season with salt after roasting, since drippings already add richness.