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St. Martin's Eve duck with red cabbage
Dinner

St. Martin's Eve duck with red cabbage

A traditional Danish St. Martin's Eve dinner with roasted duck, braised red cabbage and crisp potatoes. A festive autumn meal with deep, warming flavours.

TraditionalHolidayDinnerStandardDanskSt. Martin's Eve
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Rate:
1.0 (1)
195 min total
6 servings
Medium

Ingredients

servings
Units

  • Duck

    • 1 stk whole duck (approx. 3 kg)
    • 2 tsp coarse salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 2 stk apples (cooking apples)
    • 2 stk onion
    • 2⅛ cup water

  • Brown gravy

    • 0.9 oz butter
    • 2 tbsp flour
    • 1.7 fl oz cream (optional)
    • 1 tsp browning

  • Sides

    • 2.2 lb small potatoes
    • 14.1 oz red cabbage (ready-made or homemade)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the duck

    1. Clean the duck and pat it dry. Season inside and out with salt and pepper.
    2. Remove any excess fat at the openings.
    10 min
  2. 2

    Stuff the duck

    1. Cut the apples and onions into quarters and stuff them into the duck.
    2. Close the opening with skewers or kitchen twine.
    5 min
  3. 3

    Roasting

    1. Place the duck on a rack over a roasting pan with 5 dl water. Roast at 180°C for about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
    2. Turn the duck after 1 hour and pour off fat as needed.
    135 min
    180°C
  4. 4

    Crispy skin

    1. Turn the oven up to 225°C for the last 10–15 minutes so the skin becomes crispy.
    2. Keep an eye on it so the skin does not get too dark.
    15 min
    225°C
  5. 5

    Gravy

    1. Strain the juices from the roasting pan. Melt the butter, stir in the flour and add the juices a little at a time. Season with salt, pepper and optional cream and browning.
    2. The gravy should be smooth and creamy.
    10 min
    Medium heat
  6. 6

    Sides

    1. Boil the potatoes until tender in lightly salted water and warm the red cabbage in a pot.
    2. The red cabbage can be store-bought or homemade.
    20 min
    100°C
  7. 7

    Serving

    1. Carve the duck into serving pieces and serve with potatoes, red cabbage and brown gravy.
    2. Garnish with fresh thyme or orange slices.
    5 min
    High heat

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Details

Nutrition

Calories

680kcal

Protein

52g

Fat

35g

Carbs

28g

Serving Size

400g

Dietary

Allergens

DairyGluten

Restrictions

  • Contains Dairy
  • Contains Gluten

Serving

Suggestions

  • • Serve immediately.

Drink Pairings

  • • Oven: Sparkling water with lemon

Side Pairings

  • • Boiled potatoes or toasted rye for the sauce

Dessert Pairings

  • • Fruit

Storage

Fresh

  • • Duration: 3 days
  • • Temperature: 4°C
  • • Method: In an airtight container in the fridge

Frozen

  • • Duration: 3 months
  • • Temperature: -18°C
  • • Method: Freeze portioned pieces in bags

Reheating

  • • Oven: Reheat duck pieces for 10–15 minutes at 180°C, covered with foil (180°C)
  • • Pan: Warm sauce and duck together over low heat with a splash of liquid (Medium heat)

Tips

Preparation

  • • Feel free to cook the duck the day before – it makes carving and gravy easier.
  • • Save the fat from the roasting pan – it is fantastic for potatoes.

Cooking

  • • Use a meat thermometer – 75°C in the breast and 80°C in the thigh is perfect.
  • • Baste the duck with pan juices as it cooks for extra-crispy skin.

Serving

  • • Serve on warm plates to keep the crispiness.
  • • Garnish with orange slices and fresh herbs for a nice presentation.

Variations

Flavor

  • Add orange zest and thyme to the stuffing for a fresher flavour.
  • Make a duck sauce with a little redcurrant jelly for sweetness.

Presentation

  • Serve on a large platter with red cabbage in the centre and duck pieces around it.
  • Drizzle a little roasting juice over the potatoes when serving.

Health

  • Standard

Method

  • Oven-roasted

Toppings

  • None

Author

M

Michael

Madentusiast med fokus på klassisk dansk mad og moderne hverdagsfortolkninger.

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Author

M

Michael

Madentusiast med fokus på klassisk dansk mad og moderne hverdagsfortolkninger.