Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (2024)

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Magret de Canard is the breast of duck cooked in its fat and flavored with Cognac Orange slices and juice. It may seem like a complicated dinner; however, it is very easy to make with only a few ingredients. The magret de canard is seared medium rare like a steak, it is served cut in slices with a deep pink center, and its reduction sauce is poured on top. This breast of duck is a l'orange, a perfect dish for a special dinner with friends or an intimate evening with your special one.

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (1)
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • How to serve it
  • Sauce variations
  • Top Tips
  • Other parts of a duck
  • More recipes with oranges
  • 📋Magret de Canard à l'Orange Recipe

Duck breast is a common meat here in France. Redish pink and with a gamey taste, it is very different from chicken breast.

It has a thick layer of fat on the side, making the meat tender when cooked.

This week is La Semaine du Goûthere in France, and according to the travel website Expedia, the French have voted the Magret de Canard as their favorite dish.

The technique to cook the magret is very simple, and only a few ingredients are needed.

Duck breast should be cooked medium rare with the center still slightly pink. If correctly cooked, the meat is very tender.

If it is cooked too much, the meat can get tough and dry.

It is a delicate dish, perfect for a special dinner party, and you can serve foie gras terrine as a starter.

For more meat mains cooked in a sweet sauce, you can try wild bore in a chocolate sauce, pork stuffed with chestnuts and cranberry, crown roast of lamb rosemary and wine or Daube Provencal.

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (2)

Ingredients

To prepare the duck Magret, you will need the following ingredients:

  • 2 duck magret
  • Juice from 2 oranges
  • 1 orange sliced and peeled
  • 3 tablespoon of sugar
  • ¼ cup of Cointreau
  • Salt and pepper

Note: If the oranges are too sweet, add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar.

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (3)

Instructions

How to clean it

  1. Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
  2. Trim the fat from the side
  3. Carve the top of the skin in diamond shapes.
Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (4)

How to cook it

  1. Place the duck magret to cook on medium heat, skin side down. No fat is needed as the skin's fat will melt immediately.
  2. Let it cook for 10 minutes, then turn. Cook for 10 more minutes.
  3. If too much fat has melted, remove it from the pan.Make sure the meat is well-seared everywhere.
  4. Remove the duck magret and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil.
Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (5)

Making the sauce reduction

  1. Remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it.
  2. Deglaze the pan with the orange juice.
  3. Add the sugar, orange slices, and Cointreau.
  4. Cook until the juices are caramelized, about 10 minutes at medium heat.
  5. Add the Magrets back to the pan and let it cook for another 10 minutes, basting them with the juices.
  6. Let the duck magret rest for 5 minutes, then slice them and pour the juices on top.
  7. The Magret de Canard is ready
Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (6)

How to serve it

Serve the Magret de Canard cut in slices with the juices poured over.

If you are making it for a dinner party, you can prepare it in advance and stop cooking it 5 minutes earlier. Do not slice it yet.

When it is time to serve it, finish cooking it for 5 minutes.

Remove from the pan and cut it into slices, while the sauce is still simmering.

Pour the warm sauce over so the meat is warm but not overcooked.

Magret de Canard à l'Orange should be served with a side dish that will absorb the juices without overpowering the flavors.

Here I serve it with a Gratin Dauphinoise (cooked in the microwave for simplicity) and an Italian orange salad with fennel.

Other side dishes you can serve it with are Yorkshire pudding (not French but perfect combination), Parisian gnocchi, or Gnocchi alla Romana.

Sauce variations

I use an orange-based sauce which is classic and also my favorite.

You can use any other sweet sauce, like cream, teriyaki, white wine, or balsamic vinegar.

To cook it you proceed the same way: sear the duck first and make the sauce by deglazing the pan once you have removed the excessive fat.

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (8)

Top Tips

  • Duck breast should be cooked medium rare with the center still slightly pink. If correctly cooked, the meat is very tender.
  • If it is cooked too much, the meat can get tough and dry.
  • If the oranges are too sweet, you can add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
  • Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
  • No fat is needed for cooking as the fat from the skin will melt straight away.
  • Once you have cooked the Magret, remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it. You will deglaze the pan for the sauce.
  • I use an orange-based sauce which is classic and also my favorite. You can use any other sauce, like cream, teriyaki, or white wine.

Other parts of a duck

The other parts of a duck that are very popular here in France are the leg confit.

They are the leg of the duck stored in its fat and canned. I use them in the cassoulet, but you can also serve them alone and cook some potatoes in the same fat.

They are deliciously crunchy and fat.

More recipes with oranges

  • Homemade Orange Liqueur Curacao Style
  • Coconut Orange Loaf Cake
  • Italian Fennel Salad With Blood Orange Recipe
  • Traditional Sicilian Bitter Orange Marmalade Recipe

If you are making the Magret de Canard à l'Orange, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (15)

📋Magret de Canard à l'Orange Recipe

Magret de Canard is the breast of duck cooked in its fat and flavored with Cognac Orange slices and juice. It may seem like a complicated dinner; however, it is very easy to make with only a few ingredients. The magret de canard is seared medium rare like a steak, it is served cut in slices with a deep pink center, and its reduction sauce is poured on top. This breast of duck is a l'orange, a perfect dish for a special dinner with friends or an intimate evening with your special one.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

⏲️Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Print Rate Save

Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients

  • 2 magrets de canard duck breasts
  • 2 juice from oranges
  • 1 orange sliced and peeled
  • 3 tablespoon caster sugar
  • ¼ cup Cointreau
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar OPTIONAL: If the oranges are too sweet

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Instructions

Cleaning the duck breast

  • To clean the Magrets de canard, remove with a sharp knife the two white membranes so the Magret will not curl when cooking.

    2 magrets de canard

  • Trim the fat from the side

  • And carve the top of the skin in diamond shapes

Cooking it

  • Place the Magrets de canard to cook on medium heat, skin side down. No fat is needed as the fat from the skin will melt straight away.

  • Let it cook for 10 minutes then turn. Cook for 10 more minutes. If too much fat has melted remove it from the pan. Make sure the meat is well seared everywhere.

  • Remove the Magrets and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil. Remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it.

Making the sauce

  • Deglaze the pan with the orange juice.

    2 juice from oranges

  • Add the sugar, orange slices and Cointreau. Cook until the juices are caramelized, about 10 minutes at medium heat.

    1 orange sliced and peeled, 3 tablespoon caster sugar, ¼ cup Cointreau, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Putting it all together

  • Add the Magrets back to the pan and let it cook for another 10 minutes basting them with the juices. Season with salt and pepper

    salt & pepper

  • When they are ready, let them rest for 5 minutes then slice them and pour the juices on top

  • Serve with the potato dauphinoise and the vegetables of your choice.

Video

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Notes

  • Duck breast should be cooked medium rare with the center still slightly pink. If correctly cooked, the meat is very tender.
  • If it is cooked too much, the meat can get tough and dry.
  • If the oranges are too sweet, you can add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
  • Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
  • No fat is needed for cooking as the fat from the skin will melt straight away.
  • Once you have cooked the Magret, remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it. You will deglaze the pan for the sauce.
  • I use an orange-based sauce which is classic and also my favorite. You can use any other sauce, like cream, teriyaki, or white wine.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 422mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 39.4mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 5.1mg

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Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (16)

Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make duck a L orange? ›

Prick the duck skin all over with a fork (this will help release the fat stored beneath the skin while the bird roasts slowly). Season liberally with salt and pepper both inside and out, then stuff the cavity with the garlic, orange half, and thyme. Set the duck, breast-side down, in the pan and roast for 1-1/2 hours.

Can you buy ready made orange sauce for duck? ›

A delicious ready made orange sauce to go with duck, game, chicken and pork.

What to serve with Canard a L orange? ›

I like to serve duck à l'orange with a simple green salad and steamed rice, to soak up all the sauce, though potatoes or crusty bread work well too.

What is magret de canard in english? ›

How do you say magret de canard in English? The translation would be “duck breast” although as I explained earlier, the French use a particular duck breast for this recipe. You can use the duck that is available to you though.

What is orange duck sauce made of? ›

Make sauce: In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, chicken broth, and orange marmalade. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. If the mixture is too thin, then mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons orange juice in a small bowl to make a slurry.

What is duck l orange in French? ›

Duck à l'orange, orange duck, or canard à l'orange is a French dish in cuisine bourgeoise consisting of a roast duck with a bigarade sauce. Another dish called canard à l'orange is braised rather than roasted. In that case, it is cooked until spoon-tender.

What is homemade duck sauce made of? ›

It is made of plums, apricots, pineapples or peaches added to sugar, vinegar, ginger and chili peppers. It is used in more traditional Chinese cuisine in the form of plum sauce.

What is the same as duck sauce? ›

Also called plum sauce, it got its name when restaurants in the United States started serving it with Peking Duck, which is actually traditionally served with a similar sauce, hoisin (which also has a confusing name since hoisin means “seafood,” although it's not traditionally served with that).

What's the difference between duck sauce and hoisin sauce? ›

They are two different kinds of sauces. Hoisin contains soya sauce, while duck sauce includes a mix of fruits. However, they both taste sweet, and you can use them to substitute for each other. Hoisin sauce is a bit saltier than duck sauce but equally delicious.

What wine goes with magret de canard? ›

Magret de Canard - A French dish featuring seared duck breast. Pair with: Cabernet Sauvignon, offering a rich texture and tannins. Duck Pancakes - Chinese-style pancakes served with duck and hoisin sauce. Pair with: A light Sauvignon Blanc, cutting through the richness and pairing with the hoisin sauce.

What wine goes with duck a l'orange? ›

Duck a l'Orange blends fresh orange and savory flavors for a delicious and timeless duck dish. Try this recipe with our Whole Duck or our Roast Half Duck. This recipe pairs wonderfully with a French Pinot Noir.

What is the origin of duck L orange? ›

According to history, Catherine de' Medici introduced some proto-duck à l'orange to France in 1533, when she moved there with her retinue of cooks to marry the Duke of Orléans.

What is magret de canard in French? ›

An exquisite product, this Duck Breast is from France. Tender and Juicy they vary between 300-450g each. Flexible, they can be used for a simple to supper to an extravagant dinner party in a wide variety of recipes.

What does the word canard mean in French? ›

Etymology. French, literally, duck; in sense 1, from Middle French vendre des canards à moitié to cheat, literally, to half-sell ducks. First Known Use. 1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1a.

What does magret mean in cooking? ›

The breast, sometimes also called the supreme, as well as the magret, come from the animal's chest, the breast. So far, no difference, right? But the magret comes from a duck's breast that has been fattened and force-fed. These ducks are fed this way to provide foie gras (liver).

What does duck a l orange taste like? ›

Julia's recipe for l'orange is very orange-y, tart, slightly sweet, but with a rich sauce that is a helluva lot more interesting than orange juice and cornstarch. Eat a taste of the Old School. You'll want a nice, fat duck for duck a l'orange. Or several nice, fat ducks if you are using wild ones.

Why do you soak duck in milk? ›

Soaking ducks in various liquids is a common “cure” for the taste that seems offensive to many. Some soak duck breast in milk, wine, bourbon, salt water and probably a bunch of other stuff.

What makes duck feet orange? ›

In reality, the brightly colored feet and bills of mallards and other ducks are caused by changes in hormone levels during late fall and winter while the birds are pairing. The feet of both male and female mallards turn bright orange-almost red-in December and January as they go through courtship and pairing.

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