Oven-Baked Duck with Oranges
Juicy, tasty, aromatic, with a fruity filling! Oven-baked duck with oranges will be a clear favorite on any festive table. The marinade makes the bird juicy and tender, adding a pleasant citrus flavor and appetizing aroma. Your guests will love it!
Updated : 05 January, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
1
Duck
3
Oranges
1
Lemon
to taste
Salt
1 teaspoon
Ginger powder
1
Cinnamon stick
2 tablespoon
Honey
1 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
Additionally
1
Oranges
1
Apple
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How to bake duck with oranges? Prepare the necessary ingredients. My duck weighs about 2 kg (about 4.4 lb). Use medium-size fruit.
Step 2
Rinse the duck well inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Remove any small feather stubs with tweezers if needed. Cut off the oil glands on the tail; if the duck is home-raised, this is essential so the finished dish doesn’t have an unpleasant smell. I also cut off the wing tips.
Step 3
To make the duck meat tender and tasty, marinate the bird. Wash and dry the citrus fruits. Zest the orange.
Step 4
Squeeze the juice from 1 whole orange and 1 lemon.
Step 5
In a bowl, combine the lemon and orange juices, vegetable oil, orange zest, ginger, and salt. Mix well until the salt fully dissolves.
Step 6
Rub the duck with the marinade inside and out. Marinate for at least 1 hour. The best option is to leave it in the marinade overnight in the fridge. The longer it marinates, the tastier the baked duck will be. While marinating, turn the duck over and baste/rub with the marinade so it’s flavored evenly.
Step 7
Cut 2 oranges into quarters.
Step 8
Place the marinated duck in a baking dish. Pack the orange quarters tightly into the cavity. Place a cinnamon stick roughly in the middle of the cavity. If you don’t like cinnamon, skip it.
Step 9
Secure the skin at the opening with a wooden skewer or toothpicks.
Step 10
Cover the dish with foil.
Step 11
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (356°F) for 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min. Since ovens vary, time and temperature may differ - adjust to your oven. Remove the duck from the oven and carefully take off the foil.
Step 12
Pour a little of the pan juices into a small bowl. Combine it with honey and mix until smooth.
Step 13
Pour this mixture over the duck to help it brown into a nice crust. To keep the legs and wing tips from burning, wrap them with small pieces of foil. Return the duck to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes more, basting occasionally with the juices.
Step 14
If you like, slice an orange and an apple into rounds and add them next to the duck 15 minutes before the end of cooking.
Step 15
Bake until nicely browned. Check doneness by piercing the meat with a knife: if it goes in easily and the meat is tender, the duck is ready. Remove the foil and toothpicks.
Step 16
Enjoy your meal!
Author note
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