Easy Duck à l’Orange

Luscious, sweet, and tangy orange sauce served over crispy, tender duck will please even the most discerning dinner guest. While it’s tempting to save this dish for only special occasions, it is such a snap to make that it could easily become a weeknight favorite.

Cuisine

French

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Difficulty

Medium

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Sauté

Keywords

30-60 min, 4 servings, chicken broth, contributed, cook 12 min, cornstarch, dinner, duck thigh quarters, french, grand marnier, Heather Schlueter, main course, medium, orange juice, pepper, prep 10 min, pressure cook, salt, sauté, sugar, vegetable oil, zest from one orange

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

12 min

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

4 duck thigh quarters
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
zest from one orange
1 tbsp Grand Marnier
2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Trim any excess skin from the duck quarters. Sprinkle the meat, on all sides, with salt and pepper.
Press the Sauté button to heat the Instant Pot inner pot. When the display reads “Hot,” add the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Place the duck pieces skin side down into the hot pot in a single layer. If the pieces are large, you may have to cook them in two batches. Sear each side of the meat until it is until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side.
Remove the duck from the pot in order to deglaze the pot. Add the chicken broth to the pot and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape up all the brown bits. Add the orange juice and sugar to the pot, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Add the orange zest and stir the pot. Press Cancel to turn off the sauté function.
Place the duck pieces back into pot, skin side up. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 12 minutes.
When cooking is complete, let the pot sit for another 10 minutes, and then turn the valve to the Venting position to release any remaining pressure. Turn on the broiler while the pressure is releasing.
Remove the lid when all the pressure has released. Using tongs, transfer the duck pieces from the pot to a broiler pan. Place the pan under the broiler until the duck skin becomes crispy, after 5–10 minutes.
While the duck is under the broiler, press the Sauté button and add in the Grand Marnier (if using) and the cornstarch and water slurry, whisking the sauce constantly until it has thickened. Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté function.
Remove the duck from the oven, place it on a serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish the duck with thin slices of orange.

Notes