Easy Magret de Canard Sauce a l'Orange Recipe (2024)

Published: Nov 4, 2018 · Modified: Jul 14, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Magret de Canard is the breast of duck cooked in its fat and flavored with Cognac Orange slices and juice. It may seem like a complicated dinner; however, it is very easy to make with only a few ingredients. The magret de canard is seared medium rare like a steak, it is served cut in slices with a deep pink center, and its reduction sauce is poured on top. This breast of duck is a l'orange, a perfect dish for a special dinner with friends or an intimate evening with your special one.

Duck breast is a common meat here in France. Redish pink and with a gamey taste, it is very different from chicken breast.

It has a thick layer of fat on the side, making the meat tender when cooked.

This week is La Semaine du Goûthere in France, and according to the travel website Expedia, the French have voted the Magret de Canard as their favorite dish.

The technique to cook the magret is very simple, and only a few ingredients are needed.

Duck breast should be cooked medium rare with the center still slightly pink. If correctly cooked, the meat is very tender.

If it is cooked too much, the meat can get tough and dry.

It is a delicate dish, perfect for a special dinner party, and you can serve foie gras terrine as a starter.

For more meat mains cooked in a sweet sauce, you can try wild bore in a chocolate sauce, pork stuffed with chestnuts and cranberry, crown roast of lamb rosemary and wine or Daube Provencal.

Ingredients

To prepare the duck Magret, you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 duck magret
• Juice from 2 oranges
• 1 orange sliced and peeled
• 3 tablespoon of sugar
• ¼ cup of Cointreau
• Salt and pepper

Note: If the oranges are too sweet, add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar.

Instructions

How to clean it

1. Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
2. Trim the fat from the side
3. Carve the top of the skin in diamond shapes.

How to cook it

3. Place the duck magret to cook on medium heat, skin side down. No fat is needed as the skin's fat will melt immediately.
4. Let it cook for 10 minutes, then turn. Cook for 10 more minutes.
5. If too much fat has melted, remove it from the pan.Make sure the meat is well-seared everywhere.
6. Remove the duck magret and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil.

Making the sauce reduction

7. Remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it.
8. Deglaze the pan with the orange juice.
9. Add the sugar, orange slices, and Cointreau.
10. Cook until the juices are caramelized, about 10 minutes at medium heat.
11. Add the Magrets back to the pan and let it cook for another 10 minutes, basting them with the juices.
12. Let the duck magret rest for 5 minutes, then slice them and pour the juices on top.
13. The Magret de Canard is ready

How to serve it

Serve the Magret de Canard cut in slices with the juices poured over.

If you are making it for a dinner party, you can prepare it in advance and stop cooking it 5 minutes earlier. Do not slice it yet.

When it is time to serve it, finish cooking it for 5 minutes.

Remove from the pan and cut it into slices, while the sauce is still simmering.

Pour the warm sauce over so the meat is warm but not overcooked.

Magret de Canard à l'Orange should be served with a side dish that will absorb the juices without overpowering the flavors.

Here I serve it with a Gratin Dauphinoise (cooked in the microwave for simplicity) and an Italian orange salad with fennel.

Other side dishes you can serve it with are Yorkshire pudding (not French but perfect combination), Parisian gnocchi, or Gnocchi alla Romana.

Sauce variations

I use an orange-based sauce which is classic and also my favorite.

You can use any other sweet sauce, like cream, teriyaki, white wine, or balsamic vinegar.

To cook it you proceed the same way: sear the duck first and make the sauce by deglazing the pan once you have removed the excessive fat.

Top Tips

• Duck breast should be cooked medium rare with the center still slightly pink. If correctly cooked, the meat is very tender.
• If it is cooked too much, the meat can get tough and dry.
• If the oranges are too sweet, you can add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
• No fat is needed for cooking as the fat from the skin will melt straight away.
• Once you have cooked the Magret, remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it. You will deglaze the pan for the sauce.
• I use an orange-based sauce which is classic and also my favorite. You can use any other sauce, like cream, teriyaki, or white wine.

Other parts of a duck

The other parts of a duck that are very popular here in France are the leg confit.

They are the leg of the duck stored in its fat and canned. I use them in the cassoulet, but you can also serve them alone and cook some potatoes in the same fat.

They are deliciously crunchy and fat.

More recipes with oranges

If you are making the Magret de Canard à l'Orange, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.