A whole duck is roasted to golden perfection over a bed of flavorful onions and apples, then served with a rich, silky gravy made from the pan juices and caramelized fruit and vegetables. You can even add all those nourishing duck giblets that are too often tossed away. This truly nose-to-tail recipe is comforting, wholesome, and makes a wonderful alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
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To me, the holiday season is a perfect occasion to prepare delicious and beautiful meals and dishes that are still nourishing and good for you! Every occasion is good to nourishing your body and soul with wholesome homemade foods.
If you’re looking for a special dish to serve this holiday season, this roasted duck with onions, apples, and rich gravy makes a beautiful centerpiece. It’s comforting, flavorful, and a wonderful alternative to turkey for smaller gatherings.
If you want more healthy holidays recipes, try my showstopper Stuffed Beef Heart with Bacon and Spinach, my Easy Instant Pot Beef Tongue with Italian Salsa Verde, or my Braised Whole Chicken and Veggies. And if you’re roasting a turkey and have leftovers, try my Leftover Turkey Soup the next day. And if you love a touch of sweetness on your holiday table, try my Spiced Cranberry and Strawberry Jello for a simple, healthy dessert that everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This roasted duck is the perfect dish to serve for special occasions and gatherings, especially during the fall and winter holidays. The duck roasts to golden perfection while the apples and onions caramelize underneath, adding sweetness, depth, and warmth that pair beautifully with the season. It’s a wonderful alternative to turkey: richer in flavor, easier to prepare, and ideal for smaller gatherings when a big bird feels like too much. Served with oven-roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes, it makes a truly beautiful and nourishing centerpiece for your table.
Roasting duck is actually much easier than you might think! The thick layer of fat naturally keeps the meat tender and juicy while it cooks. As it renders, it creates a perfectly crisp skin and leaves behind golden duck fat that you can save for future cooking. I’ll guide you step-by-step through preparing and roasting the duck, and making a rich, flavorful gravy using all those wonderful drippings.
Compared to other poultry, duck meat is also higher in iron and key nutrients like vitamin E, niacin, and selenium, all of which support immune function and overall health. It’s also a great source of healthy fats, especially monounsaturated fats and omega-3s, particularly if the duck was pasture-raised or free-range.
In this recipe, you’ll also learn how to use the giblets that often come with the duck and how to save the rendered fat for cooking so that nothing goes to waste in this true nose-to-tail recipe. But don’t worry, if you’d rather skip the organs (or your duck doesn’t include them), you can simply leave them out!
How to Use a Duck From Nose to Tail
Roasting a whole duck is a wonderful opportunity to embrace a nose-to-tail approach, making the most of every part of the bird. Here’s how to use it all, from the giblets and rendered fat to the bones, for a delicious, nourishing, and zero-waste meal.
When you buy a whole duck, you’ll often find a small bag inside the cavity containing the giblets, including the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck. Don’t toss them! These parts are packed with nutrients and flavor.
The neck is full of collagen and rich in taste. You can roast it alongside the duck or save it for soups.
The liver, heart, and gizzard are perfect for enriching the gravy. Simply chop them finely, fry them in a bit of butter or the duck fat you rendered earlier, and stir them into your gravy for a nutrient-dense, flavorful finish. You can also cook them separately or add them to stews or homemade organ meat sausages.
Duck fat is another treasure. It keeps the meat juicy while roasting, and the fat that collects in the pan is worth saving! Simply pour the pan juices into a jar and refrigerate. Once chilled, the golden fat will rise to the top and solidify while a layer of rich, gelatinous broth settles below. Use the broth for the gravy or soups, and scoop out the fat to use for cooking. Duck fat has a delicious flavor and a high smoke point, perfect for roasting potatoes, frying eggs, or sautéing vegetables.
And finally, don’t forget the carcass! Once you’ve enjoyed the meat, use the bones and any leftover bits to make a nourishing batch of duck bone broth. It’s full of collagen, minerals, and flavor. After you’ve made your broth, you can even go a step further and turn the used bones into a homemade bone meal fertilizer to feed your garden on a budget, closing the loop in the most traditional and sustainable way.
Ingredients For This Roasted Duck with Onion, Apple, and Giblet Gravy
For roasting the duck
Duck. A whole duck around 5 lbs is perfect for a family meal. Choose a fresh or frozen duck (thawed completely in the refrigerator for at least 24-36 hours) with the giblets included if you’d like to make gravy. Roast the neck in the pan with the duck to make the gravy extra flavorful, and serve the roasted neck with the meat.
Onions. As they roast, onions caramelize and soak up the duck’s juices, adding natural sweetness to the gravy. Yellow or red onions both work well.
Apples. Choose firm, slightly tart apples such as Honeycrisp, Cortland, or Granny Smith. They balance the richness of the duck and melt beautifully into the pan juices.
Butter. A small amount of butter rubbed over the skin helps the duck brown evenly and adds a touch of flavor to the pan vegetables.
Salt and Pepper. Season generously the duck with a good quality salt like Redmond Real Salt and some black pepper if you wish.
Thyme: Adds a subtle herbal note that pairs beautifully with poultry and apples. Sprinkle some fresh or dry thyme over the duck before roasting.
Sage, Rosemary, Garlic: These aromatic herbs infuse the duck with deep, savory flavor. Tuck them inside the cavity.
For the gravy
Duck Giblets (optional): If you wish, use the liver, heart, and gizzard to enrich the gravy with flavor and nutrients.
Water or Broth: Helps deglaze the pan and stretch the flavorful drippings into a delicious gravy.
Tools You May Need
Cutting board and knife(s).
9 x 13 pan, or roaster for roasting the duck.
Potato masher or immersion blender and strainer.
Cast iron skillet or other pan for the gravy.
How to Make This Roasted Duck with Onion, Apple, and Giblet Gravy
Roast the duck
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Rinse the duck inside and out under cool water, then pat it completely dry. Rub butter over the entire bird, then season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle some thyme on top. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, sage, and garlic.
Step 2: Place the duck neck (if you have it) and the quartered onions on the bottom of your roasting pan to create a natural trivet.
Step 3: Lay the duck breast-side down on top of the onions.
Step 4: Roast in the preheated oven for 1½ hours.
Step 5: Remove the pan from the oven and carefully transfer the duck to a plate. Pour most of the rendered fat into a jar and reserve it for later use (it’s excellent for roasting vegetables!).
Step 6: Add the sliced apples to the pan, stirring them gently with the onions to coat them in the remaining drippings.
Step 7: Return the duck to the pan, this time breast-side up, and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the duck is fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), or the juices run clear. For extra crispy skin, you can finish the duck under the broiler for 2–3 minutes, keeping a close eye so it doesn’t burn.
Step 8: Once the duck is done, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 10–15 minutes before carving. Remove some of the caramelized onions and apples from the pan to serve alongside the duck.
Make the Gravy
Step 1: Add ½ cup of water or broth to the remaining onions, apples, and duck drippings in the pan. Mash everything together with a fork or potato masher, or use an immersion blender to release all the flavor.
Step 2: Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and collect the juices.
Step 3 (optional): Finely chop the duck giblets (liver, heart, and gizzard) and sauté them in butter or a bit of the reserved duck fat until lightly browned.
Step 4: Pour the strained juices into the same pan with the giblets. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the gravy has thickened to your liking.
Step 5: Serve the rich gravy over the carved duck, with the roasted onions and apples on the side. Make sure to reserve the duck carcass for your next batch of bone broth!
Notes
Make-ahead tip: You can season the duck and prepare the onions bed a few hours in advance. Keep everything covered in the fridge until ready to roast.
Serving suggestions: This roasted duck pairs beautifully with simple sides like mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, or braised red cabbage.
Leftovers: Store leftover duck and gravy in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The meat makes delicious sandwiches, soups, or even a cozy duck risotto the next day.
If you try this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Drop me a comment down below and don’t forget to leave me a 5-star review if you loved this roasted duck.
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Printable Recipe Card
Perfectly Roasted Duck with Onions and Apples
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife(s).
- 9 x 13 pan, or roaster for roasting the duck.
- Potato masher or immersion blender and strainer.
- Cast iron skillet or other pan for the gravy.
Ingredients
For the roasted duck
- 1 whole duck about 5 lbs
- 1 duck neck optional
- 4 or 5 onions
- 2 or 3 apples
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Thyme to taste
- Few rosemary and sage sprigs
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves
For the gravy
- ½ cup water or broth
- Duck giblets optional
Instructions
Roast the duck
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Rinse the duck inside and out under cool water, then pat it completely dry. Rub butter over the entire bird, then season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle some thyme on top. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, sage, and garlic.
- Place the duck neck (if you have it) and the quartered onions on the bottom of your roasting pan to create a natural trivet.
- Lay the duck breast-side down on top of the onions.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 1½ hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully transfer the duck to a plate. Pour most of the rendered fat into a jar and reserve it for later use (it’s excellent for roasting vegetables!).
- Add the sliced apples to the pan, stirring them gently with the onions to coat them in the remaining drippings.
- Return the duck to the pan, this time breast-side up, and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the duck is fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), or the juices run clear. For extra crispy skin, you can finish the duck under the broiler for 2–3 minutes, keeping a close eye so it doesn’t burn.
- Once the duck is done, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 10–15 minutes before carving. Remove some of the caramelized onions and apples from the pan to serve alongside the duck.
Make the Gravy
- Add ½ cup of water or broth to the remaining onions, apples, and duck drippings in the pan. Mash everything together with a fork or potato masher, or use an immersion blender to release all the flavor.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and collect the juices.
- Optional: finely chop the duck giblets (liver, heart, and gizzard) and sauté them in butter or a bit of the reserved duck fat until lightly browned.
- Pour the strained juices into the same pan with the giblets. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the gravy has thickened to your liking.
- Serve the rich gravy over the carved duck, with the roasted onions and apples on the side. Make sure to reserve the duck carcass for your next batch of bone broth!
My husband always has a freezer full of ducks during hunting season. This would be a great recipe to empty out the freezer. Thanks!
That sounds amazing, Nikki, I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe 🙂
This sounds awesome! Duck is my favorite fowl, I love the dark meat with crispy skin. When I was growing up, we never had turkey, it was either duck or goose, if not chicken, for Christmas and other celebrations. My grandma never wasted anything. She saved the fat and added some salt or made cracklings in it with some of the skin. She’d pot it and we would have it on good German sourdough rye bread instead of butter. Soo delicious!
Thank you, Heidi! I love the idea of using the fat and the crunchy skin on sourdough bread, what a treat! It’s so awesome that you grew up with these amazing traditions, thanks for sharing with us 🙂
I’ll definitely be whipping this up during the holiday season. I love that you included tips on using every part of the bird. Nothing should go to waste and it’s so great for staying in a budget. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Emily, I totally agree nothing should ever be wasted 🙂
Wow! Perfect simple recipe for the holidays that’s both easy and impressive.
Thank you o much, Annabelle!