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.

Jump to:
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 Goût here 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
- Remove the two white membranes with a sharp knife so the magret will not curl when cooking.
- Trim the fat from the side
- Carve the top of the skin in diamond shapes.
How to cook it
- Place the duck magret to cook on medium heat, skin side down. No fat is needed as the skin's fat will melt immediately.
- Let it cook for 10 minutes, then turn. Cook for 10 more minutes.
- If too much fat has melted, remove it from the pan. Make sure the meat is well-seared everywhere.
- Remove the duck magret and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil.
Making the sauce reduction
- Remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it.
- Deglaze the pan with the orange juice.
- Add the sugar, orange slices, and Cointreau.
- Cook until the juices are caramelized, about 10 minutes at medium heat.
- Add the Magrets back to the pan and let it cook for another 10 minutes, basting them with the juices.
- Let the duck magret rest for 5 minutes, then slice them and pour the juices on top.
- 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, crispy polenta 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.
📋Magret de Canard à l'Orange Recipe
Ingredients (Commissions Earned)
- 2 magrets de canard duck breasts
- 2 juice from oranges
- 1 orange sliced and peeled
- 3 tablespoon caster sugar
- ¼ cup Cointreau
- salt & pepper
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar OPTIONAL: If the oranges are too sweet
Equipment (Commissions Earned)
Instructions
Cleaning the duck breast
- To clean the Magrets de canard, remove with a sharp knife the two white membranes so the Magret will not curl when cooking.2 magrets de canard
- Trim the fat from the side
- And carve the top of the skin in diamond shapes
Cooking it
- Place the Magrets de canard to cook on medium heat, skin side down. No fat is needed as the fat from the skin will melt straight away.
- Let it cook for 10 minutes then turn. Cook for 10 more minutes. If too much fat has melted remove it from the pan. Make sure the meat is well seared everywhere.
- Remove the Magrets and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil. Remove all the fat from the pan, but do not clean it.
Making the sauce
- Deglaze the pan with the orange juice.2 juice from oranges
- Add the sugar, orange slices and Cointreau. Cook until the juices are caramelized, about 10 minutes at medium heat.1 orange sliced and peeled, 3 tablespoon caster sugar, ¼ cup Cointreau, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Putting it all together
- Add the Magrets back to the pan and let it cook for another 10 minutes basting them with the juices. Season with salt and peppersalt & pepper
- When they are ready, let them rest for 5 minutes then slice them and pour the juices on top
- Serve with the potato dauphinoise and the vegetables of your choice.
Video
Notes
- 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.
Jane Saunders
I love all your step by step images and the recipe sounds lovely.
Laura
thank you
Tina
I'm always really intimidated by French cooking like this! Your photos make it really helpful though.
Laura
I am glad you think so, because it is not difficult at all
Katie
This technique is much more simple than I thought! Glad to know the sugar goes in after the juice. I can see why it is the favorite dish. It seems so flavorful! And love that crispy skin!
Laura
Thank you. It is really easy but the name tends to scare people from trying
Edyta at Innocent Delight
I love duck and next time I come across duck breast I will give your recipe a try. It is so difficult to find a duck breast in US. So much easier with the whole bird 🙂
Laura
what a shame, I hate when you cannot find the right cut of meat
Valerie Rebesque
French cook approved! Simple recipe, indeed, and not that hard to pull together during a formal dinner if you prepare the side dishes and oranges/orange juice ahead of time, which I did. Served the duck with oven roasted potatoes and French green beans, it was delightful. The duck was tender and juicy, and the proportions for the orange sauce were right on. Thank you!
Laura
Thank you so much for your comment, it filled my heart with joy when I read it. Entertaining can be simple and delicious.
Laura
Thank you so much Alyssa
Martyn
Hi,
Two things, firstly in your illustrated recipe you appear to have missed out the part which tells you to put the duck into the orange sauce to cook for a further ten minutes making thirty in total ( the correct instructions appear in the text-only appendix )
Secondly most cooks / chefs advise that the duck is initially placed skin down into a COLD frying pan / skillet and that the heat is gradually increased to medium. This renders the fat ( lots of it! ) out of the skin without searing / charring.
Bon appetite!
Laura
Martyn, thank you for the correction, I have now updated the post and added the missing step on the article text. Thank you also for the Cold frying pan suggestion, I never tried it but I will next time to see the difference.
lisette
very good recepies i did the classic magret a l'orange was super my kid love it to i was happy ty:)
Laura
So glad to hear! Thank you
Gilda
I prepared it yesterday for my sister and my nephew. A Success! they also took pictures...Thanks for the idea you gave me!
Laura
delighted to hear
Roberta
Ciao Laura,
Sono Roberta su una panchina con il mio amico Christopher e stiamo leggendo la tua ricetta dell’anatra all’arancia.
Un bacio,
Roberta
Laura
Ciao Roberta, mi fa molto piacere sentirti. Di a Christopher di aprire il video su il cibo deglia antichi romani. Lo trova sul menu Italian Food Tradition. Alla fine si vedono i nostri cani che si rincorrono. Un grosso bacio, Laura