Spices for duck: what seasoning goes with duck in the oven

Duck is usually baked for the holiday. It is in this form that it is especially good: juicy, rosy, tasty. This also applies to wild birds. However, sometimes the duck is fried, stewed, or used for barbecue. Such dishes look less festive, but also have excellent organoleptic qualities. This conclusion is correct, given that the spices and herbs for the dish are chosen correctly. Any housewife needs to know which seasonings are more suitable for duck than others, and which are undesirable to use.

Seasoning for duck: use in cooking

Duck dishes are not prepared every day; they are usually intended to decorate the holiday table. This is why many people do not know what spices are suitable for duck. Below is just a small part of the dishes that can be prepared from this bird.

What dishes are they added to?

First meal:

red cabbage soup and poached eggs;
solyanka;
noodle soup;
hunter's soup;
borsch.

Second courses:

with apples in his sleeve;
in Beijing;
in orange sauce;
Christmas duck with rosemary and thyme;
paella;
with pumpkin and Stark family apples.

Other dishes:

terrine;
salad with radishes and yogurt sauce;
pancakes with duck and hoisin sauce;
Olivier salad;
tacos.

Expert commentary

Daria Sakharovskaya

Founder and owner of the House of Spices and Herbs "World of Spices".

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“Many people find duck meat tough and has a specific smell. However, experienced chefs say that if you choose the right seasonings for duck, it will make the meat flavorful and tender.”

How many grams

Below is the protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio and calorie content of the duck seasoning.

Volume	Calorie content	Squirrels	Fats	Carbohydrates
100 g	300 kcal	5 g	2 g	6 g

Spices for roasting duck with apples

Duck with apples is the simplest and most famous dish from this bird. When preparing, take into account the taste and aroma of apples. Dessert seasonings that work well for this dish include:

Cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, anise. This is a standard set of spices that is often used in dishes combining meat and fruit.
Lemon zest or lemon juice. It will add a citrus aroma and help tenderize the meat.

Honey. Gives apples sweetness and a pleasant aroma. You can rub the skin of the duck with honey mixed with cardamom to get a golden brown crust.
Lingonberries or cranberries will add a light, pleasant sourness to the dish. They are good to add if sweet apples are used for the filling.

Duck with such spices can also be stuffed with tangerines, oranges or pears, rice with dried fruits. A vanilla bean is sometimes added to poultry stuffed with fruit. Its flavor will make the dish spicy and unusual.

Chef's Tips

Daria Sakharovskaya

Founder and owner of the House of Spices and Herbs "World of Spices".

Ask a Question

Question to the expert

How to choose good duck meat?

The meat should be slightly moist, the skin should be an even light color without any signs of bruising, stains or damage. There should also be no unpleasant foreign odor.

What age is best to take a bird for cooking?

Old duck meat is too tough and dry. No spice can change this. Therefore, you need to choose a young bird. She has cartilage at the tip of the breast, the meat is reddish, and the fat is transparent.

How to make duck less fatty?

When cooking, make cuts in the skin without damaging the meat. Excess fat will be removed through them.

What seasonings are not suitable for duck?

Zira. The spice is absolutely incompatible with poultry.

Summary

Coriander, basil and pepper are great for cooking poultry. However, you need to carefully dose the spices. A certain part of gourmets are sure that lemon balm is the best seasoning for roasting duck in the oven. How much you should listen to such an opinion is a matter of taste.

Traditionally, the most common and versatile spices are garlic and pepper. They give a classic pungent bitter taste and intense aroma. If desired, you can use ginger root or anise.

If you are unable to achieve a golden brown and crispy crust, it makes sense to use honey. The technology is simple - coat the carcass with a layer of honey and bake. The result will pleasantly surprise you.

Results

You can buy ready-made spice mixtures in supermarkets and spice traders at the market, but it’s still better to get your own “author’s” mixture, which will become your signature secret. Believe me, not a single spice will be superfluous in your kitchen; sooner or later it will definitely come in handy.

Fried, smoked, grilled chicken - mmm... finger licking good! Everyone loves chicken meat - it is not only tasty and tender, but also dietary. Chicken is equally good as a holiday dish or as a daily lunch or dinner.

Chicken dishes can be varied not only due to the cooking method, but also by adding a variety of spices and seasonings. Spices will help emphasize the taste of the product, give it a completely new shade and even muffle unwanted odors. It was not for nothing that in ancient times whole wars were fought over spices; they could be used to pay tribute and quitrents, and the price per gram of some spices was equal to the price of gold.

In the modern world, wars over spices are no longer fought, but they have not lost any of their meaning and value.

Oven Recipes

Seasoning for duck in the oven helps highlight the best qualities of the dish, emphasize piquancy or sourness - familiar food will sparkle in a completely new way.

Let's make a short list that includes the best seasonings for oven-baked duck, tested by more than one generation of chefs:

Red and black pepper will add spiciness. White pepper adds an incredible subtle flavor;
Bay leaf is characterized by a tart odor and pleasant bitterness;
Melissa brings refreshing notes, a spicy, pleasant aftertaste;
Juniper is an unsurpassed option for game. Not only does it have a pine scent, but it also helps extinguish the specific taste of wild meat;
Coriander has a sharp taste and smell, which soften during cooking and highlight the characteristics of the meat;
Thyme (thyme) is a combination of spice and pungency, but do you think thyme and thyme are the same thing or not?;
Dill. The usual greens help refresh the meat;
Garlic is a unique universal spice that you yourself know all about;
Anise is not only a spice, but also a medicine. The specific aroma and slight bitterness interrupt the taste of game;
Ginger is used for pungency and piquancy;
Cloves have an unsurpassed scent and subtle sweetness.

Sharp in the sleeve

We use the listed spices for duck in the oven to prepare an incredibly tasty dish and give the original recipe:

Mix 2 tbsp. honey, salt, a pinch of chili and half a teaspoon of cinnamon;
Add a pinch of cardamom and 2 star anise;
Rub the mixture onto the cleaned and washed carcass inside and out;
Place the bird in a baking sleeve, pour in 100 ml of cream;
Place in the oven for an hour and a half (180 degrees).

Duck with apples

One of the most popular cooking options is a carcass stuffed with fruits, vegetables or dried fruits. But the bird with apples has entered our lives most firmly - what seasonings are best for duck in the oven with apples?

You can use any of the spices listed above for duck, but we will add two more options to the list:

Cinnamon will add warm and sweet notes;
Basil will highlight the taste of apples, and the strong aroma will infuse the meat.

Of course, we cannot do without a recipe:

Wash a small bird and remove the entrails;
Make the marinade - you will need the following spices for the duck: half a lemon (squeeze the juice), half a teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and paprika, a few sprigs of thyme, salt and black pepper;
Rub the carcass inside and out, then leave for 2-3 hours;
Cut 2 peeled apples and 2 oranges into large pieces, mix and put inside;
Bake for an hour at 180 degrees. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, brush the back with a mixture of honey and garlic.

Now you know exactly which duck seasoning is best for preparing a real delicacy! And if you prefer another bird, then you will be interested in reading what seasonings are suitable for chicken.

Beijing style

This dish is on the menu of many restaurants; many of you have at least once tried spicy meat with an interesting aroma and taste. Are we trying to cook Peking poultry at home?

First you need to figure out what spices you need for duck. An integral attribute of this exotic dish is Hoisin sauce.

Hoisin Duck Seasoning is a popular Chinese sauce that is the perfect accompaniment for poultry dishes. You can order a jar in an online store or look in a supermarket - the sauce is available in most large chains (or in special Asian cuisine stores).

Hoisin Sauce Recipe

If you like to experiment, we suggest making hoisin yourself:

Mix 10 cloves, 2 star anise, one tablespoon each of fennel and anise and add a cinnamon stick;
Fry in a dry frying pan and grind to a powder;
Remove seeds from small chili peppers and chop finely;
Chop two cloves of garlic and place all ingredients in a blender;
Add 3 tbsp. soy sauce and 2 tbsp. spoons of rice vinegar;
Pour in one tablespoon each of sesame oil and honey and add three tablespoons. red beans;
Grind thoroughly. Ready!

Now here’s a classic recipe – write it down and start cooking this amazing dish:

Prepare the carcass;
Coat it with sauce outside and inside and refrigerate for 12 hours;
We recommend putting the bird on a jar and placing it in a deep container;
After removing, transfer to the oven bowl and bake for 2 hours (at 90 degrees).

Hoisin will be an excellent addition to poultry in any form - the sauce definitely occupies one of the leading positions in the list of “Best Seasonings for Duck”. We hope you were able to prepare a delicacy and please your family or guests. Let's discuss what spices are needed for stewed duck?

Oven Recipes

Seasoning for duck in the oven helps highlight the best qualities of the dish, emphasize piquancy or sourness - familiar food will sparkle in a completely new way.

Let's make a short list that includes the best seasonings for oven-baked duck, tested by more than one generation of chefs:

Red and black pepper will add spiciness. White pepper adds an incredible subtle flavor;
Bay leaf is characterized by a tart odor and pleasant bitterness;
Melissa brings refreshing notes, a spicy, pleasant aftertaste;
Juniper is an unsurpassed option for game. Not only does it have a pine scent, but it also helps extinguish the specific taste of wild meat;
Coriander has a sharp taste and smell, which soften during cooking and highlight the characteristics of the meat;
Thyme (thyme) is a combination of spice and pungency, but do you think thyme and thyme are the same thing or not?;
Dill. The usual greens help refresh the meat;
Garlic is a unique universal spice that you yourself know all about;
Anise is not only a spice, but also a medicine. The specific aroma and slight bitterness interrupt the taste of game;
Ginger is used for pungency and piquancy;
Cloves have an unsurpassed scent and subtle sweetness.

Sharp in the sleeve

We use the listed spices for duck in the oven to prepare an incredibly tasty dish and give the original recipe:

Mix 2 tbsp. honey, salt, a pinch of chili and half a teaspoon of cinnamon;
Add a pinch of cardamom and 2 star anise;
Rub the mixture onto the cleaned and washed carcass inside and out;
Place the bird in a baking sleeve, pour in 100 ml of cream;
Place in the oven for an hour and a half (180 degrees).

Duck with apples

You can use any of the spices listed above for duck, but we will add two more options to the list:

Cinnamon will add warm and sweet notes;
Basil will highlight the taste of apples, and the strong aroma will infuse the meat.

Of course, we cannot do without a recipe:

Wash a small bird and remove the entrails;
Make the marinade - you will need the following spices for the duck: half a lemon (squeeze the juice), half a teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and paprika, a few sprigs of thyme, salt and black pepper;
Rub the carcass inside and out, then leave for 2-3 hours;
Cut 2 peeled apples and 2 oranges into large pieces, mix and put inside;
Bake for an hour at 180 degrees. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, brush the back with a mixture of honey and garlic.

Now you know exactly which duck seasoning is best for preparing a real delicacy! And if you prefer another bird, then you will be interested in reading what seasonings are suitable for chicken.

Beijing style

This dish is on the menu of many restaurants; many of you have at least once tried spicy meat with an interesting aroma and taste. Are we trying to cook Peking poultry at home?

First you need to figure out what spices you need for duck. An integral attribute of this exotic dish is Hoisin sauce.

Hoisin Sauce Recipe

If you like to experiment, we suggest making hoisin yourself:

Mix 10 cloves, 2 star anise, one tablespoon each of fennel and anise and add a cinnamon stick;
Fry in a dry frying pan and grind to a powder;
Remove seeds from small chili peppers and chop finely;
Chop two cloves of garlic and place all ingredients in a blender;
Add 3 tbsp. soy sauce and 2 tbsp. spoons of rice vinegar;
Pour in one tablespoon each of sesame oil and honey and add three tablespoons. red beans;
Grind thoroughly. Ready!

Now here’s a classic recipe – write it down and start cooking this amazing dish:

Prepare the carcass;
Coat it with sauce outside and inside and refrigerate for 12 hours;
We recommend putting the bird on a jar and placing it in a deep container;
After removing, transfer to the oven bowl and bake for 2 hours (at 90 degrees).

Video on how to cook a whole duck

If you still have questions about how to prepare a carcass for baking, I suggest watching this short but very informative video. In addition, the cooking method itself is very interesting. The only time I cooked using it myself was to replace the rum with cognac.

These are the cooking methods that I personally like the most. They are simple and understandable. There is no need to run around the store looking for lingonberries, quince and other ingredients that are not so easy to find here. I don’t like this pathos and consider it unnecessary.

And one more nice thing: all these options (I counted 5 of them in total) can be easily combined with each other. For example, duck in foil can be marinated not in mayonnaise, but in honey-soy sauce and then baked in foil. Or on the grill. Or just on a baking sheet. Do it the way it’s most convenient for you.

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