Vietnamese Roast Duck with Grapefruit & Persimmon Sauce

For larger families, a second meat dish at Christmas can be the perfect addition to the dinner table. This Vietnamese-inspired Roast Duck is a personal favourite that never fails to impress guests. With rich aromatics and a vibrant grapefruit and persimmon sauce, it’s a recipe that takes time but is well worth the effort.

  • Roast duck
  • Roast duck
  • Roast duck
  • Roast duck

Equipment

  • Small sauce pan
  • Roasting tray
  • Chopping board
  • Knife

Ingredients

Duck

  • 1 whole duck (1.5 kg)
  • Smoked sea salt or regular salt
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, halved and crushed
  • 4 shallots, halved (skin on)
  • 2 red chillies, halved
  • 1 piece ginger, sliced and crushed (skin on)
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed (skin on)
  • 20g star anise
  • 20g cinnamon (or 1 large stick)

Grapefruit & Persimmon Sauce

  • 2 tbsp marmalade
  • 1 whole red chilli, quartered and deseeded
  • 120ml fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 persimmons, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
  • 1 pink grapefruit, segmented
  • 5g coriander, finely chopped

 

 

Preparing the Duck

  1. Pour boiling water over the duck to tighten the skin and help remove excess fat. Pat the duck dry, then rub a generous layer of smoked salt over the skin. Place the duck uncovered in the fridge to dry-brine for 24 hours (or up to 3 days).
  2. On the day, remove the duck from the fridge 30 minutes before roasting to allow it to reach room temperature.
  3. Stuff the duck cavity with the lemongrass, shallots, chillies, ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon, securing the opening with toothpicks to keep the ingredients inside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Roast the duck for 1 hour 45 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and use a toothpick to prick the skin all over. Rub the duck with a light layer of soy sauce and a very thin layer of honey.
  6. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C and roast for an additional 40 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Let the duck rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Grapefruit & Persimmon Sauce

  1. In a saucepan, bring the grapefruit juice, grapefruit segments, persimmon wedges, star anise, and chilli to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
  2. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, and marmalade. Reduce to a low heat and simmer for 25 minutes, then stir in the chopped coriander and remove from heat.

This fragrant and beautifully glazed duck is perfect for adding a festive Vietnamese twist to your holiday table. Serve with the tangy, slightly sweet sauce for a wonderful balance of flavours. Enjoy!

 

Recipes Tags
Thuy Pham
CHRISTMAS