Roasted Duck Stuffed with Apples: A Classic Polish Holiday Dish Recipe
A traditional Polish holiday dish featuring a whole duck stuffed with fresh apples and herbs. This recipe delivers succulent, juicy meat with crispy skin, infused with aromatic rosemary and marjoram, making it an elegant centerpiece for festive meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes (including 2 hour brine time)
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients
Brine for the Duck
- 5 tbsp salt
- 10 cups water
The Duck
- 1 whole duck (4.5 lbs)
- 3 apples (Granny Smith or Honey Crisp)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 3 tsp salt
Instructions
- Brining the Duck: Bring 10 cups of water to a boil, add 5 tablespoons of salt, and stir until dissolved. Pour into a deep dish and cool completely. Submerge the duck in the brine for at least 2 hours or overnight, rotating halfway if needed to ensure even brining.
- Preparing the Duck: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and core the apples. Remove rosemary leaves from sprigs and finely chop. Mix chopped fresh rosemary with the apples. Stuff half the apples into the duck cavity and tie the legs with kitchen twine to secure.
- Scoring and Seasoning: Use a sharp knife to make small incisions on the duck breasts to help render fat and crisp the skin. Season the entire duck with 3 teaspoons salt and dried rosemary.
- Initial Roasting: Place the duck breast side down in an oval Dutch oven or a deep oven-safe pan. Roast uncovered for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- Reduce and Roast Covered: Lower oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), cover the pot, and roast for 1 hour.
- Flip and Continue Roasting: Using two large forks carefully flip the duck breast side up, cover, and roast for another 45 minutes.
- Crisp the Skin: Transfer the duck to a baking sheet with a rack, brush with duck fat, increase oven temperature back to 400°F (200°C), and roast for 15–20 minutes until skin is crispy.
- Roasting Apples: Brush duck fat on the sheet pan. Add the remaining apples and roast them alongside the duck at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until browned and tender.
- Resting and Serving: Remove duck from oven, let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted apples and your choice of potato dish.
Notes
- Brining is optional but recommended for juicier, more tender meat.
- Use kitchen twine to keep apple stuffing secure inside the duck cavity.
- Make incisions on the duck skin carefully to help fat render and crisp skin.
- Roast apples alongside the duck during final crispy skin stage for enhanced flavor.
- Let the duck rest after roasting to allow juices to redistribute for moist meat.
