Oven-Baked Duck with Prunes
A truly regal treat for a festive table! This oven-baked duck with prunes uses perfectly balanced stuffing proportions. The bird turns out juicy and aromatic, topped with a golden, appetizing crust.
Updated : 09 March, 2026
Easy
About 1 hour.
Ingredients
1.8 kilograms
Duck
1 tablespoon
Salt
2 teaspoon
Dry spices
3
Apple
150 grams
Prunes
2 tablespoon
Soy sauce
2 tablespoon
Honey
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you bake duck with prunes in the oven? Prepare all the necessary ingredients. Choose a duck weighing no more than 1.8 kg (about 4 lb). It’s best to buy chilled duck, since it’s hard to judge freshness and meat quality from a frozen carcass. The duck should be light pink with a neutral smell. If you’re using farm-raised duck, it should be young (under 1 year), otherwise it won’t be suitable for roasting. Use naturally brewed soy sauce.
Step 2
If the duck is frozen, thaw it in advance. Remove the packaging and place it in a container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator 12 hours before cooking. Rinse the duck under running water, remove giblets and any remaining pinfeathers. Pour boiling water over the carcass all over (better twice). This helps close the pores so the skin won’t crack during baking and will turn crispy.
Step 3
Rub the duck inside and out with salt and spices. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to absorb.
Step 4
Wash the apples and pat dry. Remove stems and cores and cut into medium cubes. To remove the oil used to treat dried fruit before sale, pour warm water (about 70°C / 158°F) over the prunes. Do not use boiling water, or the prunes will cook. Stir so the water reaches all the prunes. Drain through a sieve so there isn’t too much liquid left.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F. Stuff the duck tightly with the prepared apples and prunes and sew up the belly with thread.
Step 6
Place the duck on a baking sheet back-side up and put it in the preheated oven. Bake on the top/bottom heat setting, on a rack below the middle, at 180°C / 356°F for 40 minutes.
Step 7
After 40 minutes, turn the duck over onto its back. Cover the parts that have browned too much - wings and legs - with foil. Bake for another 40 minutes.
Step 8
After 40 minutes, take the duck out. For a beautiful crust, brush the surface with a mixture of honey and soy sauce using a silicone brush. Return to the oven for 20-30 minutes more. Judge doneness by appearance: it should roast to an even golden-brown crust.
Author note
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