DUCK ROASTED IN SALT

Duck Roasted in Salt image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 13

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1 cup orange marmalade
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 piece ginger (1 inch), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons whole pink peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 duck (5 pounds)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 dried bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 whole cinnamon sticks
5 pounds coarse salt

Steps:

In a small saucepan, warm marmalade over medium heat until liquified. Remove the pan from heat, and pass the liquid through a fine sieve set over a small bowl. Stir in 4 sprigs of thyme, grated ginger, and pink peppercorns; set the glaze aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse duck inside and out under cold running water; pat dry. Season cavity with pepper, and stuff with onion, carrot, celery, ginger rounds, remaining 2 sprigs thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, and 1 cinnamon stick. Using kitchen twine and a trussing needle, sew cavity closed, and tie the legs together.
Pour 1/3 of the salt into a Dutch oven slightly larger than the duck. Place duck on salt, and brush duck generously with the glaze. Place the remaining 2 cinnamon sticks on top of the salt. Cover duck completely with remaining salt.
Roast duck until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, about 2 hours 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven; let it stand 30 minutes to cool. Carefully invert the pot onto a large cutting board. Break salt away from duck; brush off any excess salt. Remove skin. Transfer duck to a cutting board, carve, and serve.