Roast Duck with Apples and Marjoram (for Easter) - photo 1
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Roast Duck with Apples and Marjoram (for Easter)

Pikantne Main Dishes Easter Regional Cuisine of Poland 210 min Medium 25 wyświetleń ~20.62 PLN * - (0)
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Description

Traditional roasted duck with apples and marjoram is a classic Easter dish in Polish homes, here enhanced with a delicate glaze of honey and apple cider vinegar and the aroma of fresh thyme. Juicy meat, crispy golden skin, and sweet-sour apple stuffing create a harmonious whole. Perfect for a family dinner — serve with young potatoes, sauerkraut, or buckwheat. The dish combines elements of rustic and festive cuisine: simple, seasonal apples and classic spices make the duck visually impressive and rich in flavor.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • Duck 2200 g
  • Apple 2.5 szt. (~450 g)
  • Onion 1 szt. (~150 g)
  • Garlic 3 ząbki (~15 g)
  • Butter 50 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Honey 50 ml
  • Apple cider vinegar 30 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Marjoram 2 g
  • Salt 12 g
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty (~2 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Fresh thyme 0.3 pęczków (~30 g)
  • Lemon zest 5 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~20.62 PLN (5.16 PLN/porcję)
* Brak cen dla niektórych składników

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation

1

Take the duck out of the fridge 60 minutes before preparation to reach room temperature (this helps with even roasting). In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Check for any bags of giblets inside — if there are any, remove them and keep them for flavoring the sauce.

Ingredients: duck
Use a large cutting board and a sharp knife. Do not put a cold duck straight into the oven — cold meat cooks unevenly.
4

Dry the duck with paper towels inside and out. Rub the inside of the duck cavity with 3 g of salt and 1 g of pepper. Place the prepared stuffing (apples with onion) inside. Seal the opening with toothpicks or sew it with kitchen thread to prevent the stuffing from falling out during roasting.

Ingredients: duck, Apple, Onion, Salt, Black pepper
Use kitchen gloves for drying to avoid handling the greasy skin. If you can't sew, secure with toothpicks every 2-3 cm, making sure no protruding pieces are left.
5

Prepare the herb butter: in a bowl, combine 35 g of softened butter with 5 g of chopped fresh thyme (optional), 2 g of marjoram, 2 g of salt, and 1 clove of garlic (5 g) minced. Rub the mixture thoroughly under the skin of the duck breast and thighs — to get under the skin, gently slide your finger between the skin and the meat and spread the butter with your fingers.

Ingredients: Butter, Fresh thyme, Marjoram, Garlic, Salt
Use a small knife or a teaspoon to lift the skin. Spread the butter gently so the skin doesn't tear. If you don't have fresh thyme, just use marjoram.

Filling

2

Prepare the filling: peel and cut the apples into quarters, removing the cores. Peel and slice the onion into thick rings (about 1 cm). In a pan, heat 15 g of butter and 15 g of rapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until it softens and lightly caramelizes. Add the apples, 2 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press (10 g), 1 teaspoon of marjoram (2 g), and sauté for another 4-5 minutes — the apples should be soft but not falling apart.

Ingredients: Apple, Onion, Butter, Rapeseed oil, Garlic, Marjoram
Use a wide pan with a diameter of 24-28 cm. Stir with a wooden spatula every 1-2 minutes to prevent anything from burning. If the apples start to break down, remove the pan from the heat earlier.
3

Add 5 g of lemon zest (optional) to the filling, season with 1 g of salt and 1 g of black pepper, mix and set aside to cool. The filling should be warm, aromatic, and slightly moist — it should not be a paste.

Ingredients: Lemon zest, Salt, Black pepper
Lemon zest is optional — it adds freshness. If you use it, carefully grate the yellow part, avoiding the bitter white layer.

Baking

6

Rub the skin on the outside with 7 g of salt and 1 g of pepper, place the duck breast side down on a rack over a roasting pan, pour 15 g of rapeseed oil and about 100 ml of water (optional) into the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent the fat from burning. Place in an oven preheated to 180°C and roast for 30 minutes breast side down — this will allow the fat to render evenly.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper, Rapeseed oil
Use a baking dish measuring at least 30×20 cm with a rack. To avoid the fat smoking quickly, check the baking dish every 20 minutes and if necessary, pour excess fat into a separate container (be careful – hot fat).
7

After 30 minutes, turn the duck breast side up. Continue baking at 160°C for another 60-80 minutes (depending on size). Every 20 minutes, baste the duck with the rendered fat — use a spoon or a kitchen brush. The skin should gradually become golden and crispy.

Ingredients: duck
Use a meat thermometer — the safe internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh is 75°C. If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part and check if the juices that come out are clear (not pink).

Glaze and finishing

8

Prepare the glaze: in a small saucepan, heat 50 g of honey with 30 ml of apple cider vinegar over low heat for 2-3 minutes until the ingredients combine. Do not boil vigorously — it should be slightly runny. If you used lemon zest, add the rest (optional).

Ingredients: Honey, Apple cider vinegar, Lemon zest
Use a small saucepan and a wooden spoon. Honey burns quickly, so monitor the temperature and stir.
9

In the last 10-15 minutes of baking, increase the temperature to 200°C. Every 5 minutes, brush the duck with the honey and vinegar glaze to achieve a shiny, caramelized skin. Watch the color — when the glaze starts to darken too much, reduce the temperature and loosely cover the duck with aluminum foil.

Ingredients: Honey, Apple cider vinegar
Use a silicone brush or spoon. Do not pour all the glaze at once — it's better to apply a few thin layers for even caramelization.

Resting and Serving

10

Once the temperature reaches 75°C, remove the duck from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, making the meat juicy. Before serving, remove the string/toothpicks and gently separate the stuffing.

Ingredients: duck
Use a large cutting board and a sharp meat knife. Do not cut immediately after taking it out of the oven — you will lose juiciness.
11

Serving: cut the duck into portions — first separate the thighs, then slice the breast into thin pieces at a 45-degree angle. Arrange on a platter, surround with the roasted apples from the stuffing. Drizzle with a bit of sauce from the roasting pan strained through a sieve (drain the fat) or the remaining glaze. Sprinkle with fresh thyme sprigs (optional).

Ingredients: Apple, Fresh thyme, Honey
When serving, use a slotted spoon to drizzle the meat with sauce without excess fat. Serve immediately after slicing.

Fun Fact

💡

In Poland, duck accompanied by apples is a rural tradition — the sour fruits balance the richness of the meat, and marjoram and thyme are classic herbs used for generations.

Best for

Wielkanoc Świąteczny obiad Rodzinne spotkanie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve with young potatoes sprinkled with dill, pickled cucumbers, or sauerkraut. Add a little broth to the pan sauce and reduce over medium heat, skimming the surface for a lighter sauce.

🥡 Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat — warm in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes covered, so the meat doesn't dry out. The skin will not regain its full crispiness after cooling; for crispiness, briefly broil the skin slices skin-side up at 200°C.

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