# Duck with peaches - need help



## biev (Jun 21, 2006)

Last time I cooked a whole duck, I tried a recipe that I randomly found on the internet. It was to die for. I've lost the recipe since, and it doesn't seem to want to resurface. I *think* I remember that the glaze called for brown sugar, the juice from canned peaches and white wine, and the actual peaches were added toward the end. If you know of something similar, I'd love to hear your suggestions. I don't mind improvising a bit, but I need advice first because it will be the first time my husband tries duck and I want to make sure he will like it!


----------



## biev (Jun 22, 2006)

I just remembered this was cooked on the stove in a big pot, not in the oven. At first I just threw the whole duck in the pot and let some of the fat melt, turning it a couple times. Then I added wine (possibly a bit of peach juice and brown sugar, I can't remember for sure), and then the peaches near the end. It cooked in its own juice after that. I think I'll do it in the oven this time because the skin didn't get a chance to get crispy... or maybe let it cook in liquid and finish it in the oven. I'm not sure.

I think this is probably just a french thing and not a very common way to prepare duck for the english speakers because when I google duck and peaches, I get virtually nothing but when I do a search in french, I get a lot of results - it's just that they're not recipes for a whole duck, since it's more common to just buy the breasts, so they mostly suggest poaching peaches in wine or adding them to the cooking juices and letting reduce for a sauce.


----------



## Michael in FtW (Jun 23, 2006)

biev said:
			
		

> I think I'll do it in the oven this time because the skin didn't get a chance to get crispy... or maybe let it cook in liquid and finish it in the oven. I'm not sure.


 
Cooked in liquid (in a closed pot either on the stove top or in the oven) or even an open pot on the stovetop - you will not get crispy skin. To get a crispy skin you will need to use a "dry" cooking method in the oven (roasting). 

A crispy skinned roasted duck with a peach glaze sounds really yummy!


----------



## ironchef (Jun 24, 2006)

Duck and peaches go well together. Most types of sweet sauces will go well with duck. I would probably not use canned peaches though, and go with fresh ones. For the liquid I would suggest a combination of white wine/peach liqueor or white wine/cognac.


----------



## BreezyCooking (Jun 24, 2006)

Unless I'm cooking duck on the rotisserie, I now ALWAYS use Julia Child's method for "steam-roasting" duck &/or goose.  The basic recipe can be found in her book The Way To Cook, which is one of my food bibles.

It essentially involves cooking the bird, tightly covered,  in a roasting pan on the stovetop, first with plain water to extract excess fat, & then with aromatic vegetables & wine.  You then transfer the bird to the oven for the last part of the cooking period in order to crisp the skin.  What you end up with is an unbelievably juicy, yet relatively grease-free, bird with a lovely crisp skin.  I won't make my Xmas goose any other way, & duck comes out beautifully as well.

Using this type of recipe, I'd add the peaches, apricots, or whatever fruit you want to use, to the roasting pan when it goes from the stovetop into the oven, along with it's canning juices/syrup, a little wine, & some honey, & baste the duck with the juices periodically during the browning period.


----------



## biev (Jun 24, 2006)

Thanks breezy, that's what I was thinking of doing, cooking it in the juices on the stove and finishing it in the oven to make it crispier... glad to find out it's a "real" method  I think I will do exactly as you say. 

I may use real peaches instead of canned, seeing as we're in season, and poach them in the wine. Generally I buy canned peaches because I like my peaches a little tough and sour, while my hubby likes them ripe and soft. But I think I'll make an exception and buy the ripe ones, it will be good once cooked. I do have a couple apricots, we'll see if I don't eat them all in the next couple days though ;o) Honey does sound better than brown sugar, I'll go with that. I love adding a little honey to white wine. 

How long do you think I should leave it on the stove and how long in the oven? It's 6 lbs.


----------



## Michael in FtW (Jun 25, 2006)

Well, Breezy - I don't have Julia's book.

Everything about up to the time the bird goes into the oven makes sense, as does the basting - if it is uncovered. The question I have is ... when you toss the bird into the oven is it covered or uncovered?


----------



## biev (Jun 25, 2006)

It would have to be uncovered, otherwise what's the point?


----------



## mudbug (Jun 25, 2006)

biev, I know you were asking about a peach-based glaze for your birdie, but also think about stuffing it with some peach halves when it goes into the oven.


----------



## BreezyCooking (Jun 25, 2006)

Okay - I have the book in front of me, & here's the abbreviated gist for a 5-pound duckling. 

You need a roasting pan with a rack & a tightly fitting cover, or use a double layer of aluminum foil. Place the bird, breast side up, on the rack in the pan & add an inch or 2 of water. Bring to a boil on top of the stove (I position the roasting pan over 2 burners) & cover the pan tightly. Reduce heat & steam for 30 minutes.

Removed the steamed bird from the roaster & pour the liquid out of the roaster. Place a double sheet of foil over the rack & lay in the bird, breast side down & strew chopped vegetables (onions, celery, carrots) around the bird. Pour in a 1-1/2 cups or so of wine (red or white as you choose). Cover tightly & continue braise-steaming in a 325-degree oven for another 1/2 hour or so, depending on the size of the bird. 

Remove the duck & place the rack, with foil removed, into a shallow roasting pan & roast the duck, uncovered, for a final 30-40 minutes at 375. Bird is done when the legs feel reasonably tender & the skin is brown & crisp. (Let me add that I just use the same roasting pan, uncovered & drained, & it works fine.  I also imagine that it would be this final roasting/browning time when you would add your glaze & fruit.  I've done it with canned apricots & it worked quite well - I just added a little honey to the apricot syrup to thicken it a little.)

If you have any questions, let me know & I'll recheck the recipe, as Julia elaborates quite a bit.

This basic recipe works beautifully, & the amended version for goose is the one I use every year for our Xmas bird & it cannot be beat. Almost grease-free, juicy meat (heck, even the leftovers remain juicy), & crispy skin. Perfect. If I hadn't found that my ducks come out just as perfectly when done on my rotisserie I'd still be doing them this way.

Julia Child's The Way To Cook should definitely be in every cook's library!!


----------



## biev (Jul 4, 2006)

Thank you so much, I followed this method and I had good results, though I ended up cooking it an extra 25 minutes and it was still a bit rare. Maybe my oven is lazy. I went with canned peaches because I remembered it's the only kind my husband will eat.  I was delicious.


----------

