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Dec 26, 2023

Braised Duck Legs

Gluten Free Dairy Free Dinner
While being relatively simple in steps, these red wine-braised duck legs are a delicious and elevated dish that is sure to make your dinner guests sing praises.

Full video HERE!

Duck.jpeg 1.3 MB


Yield - 4 servings
Time - 4 hours

Ingredients:
  • 4 duck legs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves but also who cares if you don't use them 
  • Salt & black pepper

Brine Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 whole star anise, crushed
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed (or ground black pepper)


Instructions:

1 - Brine:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all brine ingredients and whisk together.
- Coat your duck legs thoroughly with the brine.
- Seal container or bowl and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

2 - Prep Duck:
- Thoroughly rinse your duck legs in water until all brine is removed. They will come out way too salty if you skip this step. 
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Very lightly season the duck legs with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in pan. 
- Brown the duck legs on all sides until they are golden brown. This step helps to enhance the flavor.
- Place duck legs on bottom of a Dutch Oven or tall-sided pan.

3 - Saute Vegetables:
- Leave duck fat in the pan.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots & celery. Saute until the vegetables are softened.
- Add garlic, & cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

4 - Deglaze with Red Wine:
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

5 - Add Remaining Ingredients & pour over duck legs
- Stir in the broth, tomato paste, soy sauce & honey. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Pour mixture over duck legs. Place thyme & rosemary on top. Add a little more wine for good measure.

6 - Braise in the Oven:
- Cook in oven for 3.5-4 hours or until the duck is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

 7 - Serve & Enjoy!!
- In video, I serve w/ a grilled vegetable salad & sweet potatoes w/ a yogurt sauce. Also good over polenta, lentils, garlicy farro, etc.


This dish is rich and flavorful, with the red wine adding depth to the sauce. Adjust the herbs and seasoning to suit your taste preferences. Enjoy your absolutely incredible red wine-braised duck legs!