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| Beer in the Butt Duck w. Apricot Orange Sauce |
Ingredients
1 5 pound duck [thawed in the refrigerator if frozen]
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 strips orange zest [use a vegetable peeler to get strips about 1" x 4"]
1 orange, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can [16 ounces] of beer
1 can [12 ounces] orange soda
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or to taste
Orange Sauce [see recipe below]
Method
Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the duck and set aside for another
use. Remove and discard the fat inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the duck, inside
and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper
towels. Prick the duck skin all over with a carving fork, taking care not to pierce the meat.
Place the duck on a wire rack on a tray in the refrigerator and let dry out overnight.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a
large drip pan in center.
Very generously season the front and main cavity of the duck with salt and pepper. Place a
strip of orange zest in the front cavity and one in the main cavity. Rub the outside of the
duck all over with cut orange. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over the duck and rub it all over
the skin. Very generously season the outside of the duck with salt and pepper.
Open the beer. Drink 3/4 the beer or save it for another recipe. Using a church key style
can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can. Using a funnel, add 1/2 cup
orange soda and the Grand Marnier. [Save the remainder for the sauce].
Holding the duck upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto
the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. If using a chicken roasting device, fill it with beer
and orange soda and position the duck on top.
Pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the duck stands upright. [The rear leg of
the tripod is the beer can. You don't need to do this if using a roasting device]. Tuck the
wing tips behind the duck's back.
When ready to cook, carefully stand the duck up in the center of the hot grate, over the
drip pan, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the duck until the skin is a dark
golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through [about 180° on an instant-
read meat thermometer inserted in the thigh], 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After 1 hour, prick the duck
skin with a sharp fork again [take care not to pierce the meat]. This helps release the fat.
Baste the duck with the remaining oil, taking care not to knock the bird over. If using a
charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the duck skin starts
to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with foil.
Use tongs to carefully transfer the duck in its upright position on the beer can to a platter
and present it to your guests. [Grab the bird by the beer can just under the butt]. Let rest
for 5 minutes.
Carefully lift the duck off the beer can. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise
burn yourself. Carve the duck or cut it in halves or quarters and serve with apricot orange
sauce.
Apricot Orange Sauce
Try to use a homemade chicken broth or at the very least a low sodium canned or boxed
broth.
Ingredients
6 ounces [3/4 cup] orange soda
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 strips orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup dried pitted apricots
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Method
Place the orange soda, chicken stock, orange zest and juice, and cinnamon in a heavy
saucepan and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apricots. Let
soak for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Transfer the apricots and soaking liquid to a blender. Add the marmalade, sugar, vinegar,
and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a
saucepan, forcing the fruit pulp through the strainer with a spatula, scraping the strained
pulp off the bottom of the spatula.
Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange liqueur and stir it into
the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes: the sauce will thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the
heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper – or additional sugar or
vinegar if needed.
1 5 pound duck [thawed in the refrigerator if frozen]
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 strips orange zest [use a vegetable peeler to get strips about 1" x 4"]
1 orange, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can [16 ounces] of beer
1 can [12 ounces] orange soda
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or to taste
Orange Sauce [see recipe below]
Method
Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the duck and set aside for another
use. Remove and discard the fat inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the duck, inside
and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper
towels. Prick the duck skin all over with a carving fork, taking care not to pierce the meat.
Place the duck on a wire rack on a tray in the refrigerator and let dry out overnight.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a
large drip pan in center.
Very generously season the front and main cavity of the duck with salt and pepper. Place a
strip of orange zest in the front cavity and one in the main cavity. Rub the outside of the
duck all over with cut orange. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over the duck and rub it all over
the skin. Very generously season the outside of the duck with salt and pepper.
Open the beer. Drink 3/4 the beer or save it for another recipe. Using a church key style
can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can. Using a funnel, add 1/2 cup
orange soda and the Grand Marnier. [Save the remainder for the sauce].
Holding the duck upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto
the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. If using a chicken roasting device, fill it with beer
and orange soda and position the duck on top.
Pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the duck stands upright. [The rear leg of
the tripod is the beer can. You don't need to do this if using a roasting device]. Tuck the
wing tips behind the duck's back.
When ready to cook, carefully stand the duck up in the center of the hot grate, over the
drip pan, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the duck until the skin is a dark
golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through [about 180° on an instant-
read meat thermometer inserted in the thigh], 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After 1 hour, prick the duck
skin with a sharp fork again [take care not to pierce the meat]. This helps release the fat.
Baste the duck with the remaining oil, taking care not to knock the bird over. If using a
charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the duck skin starts
to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with foil.
Use tongs to carefully transfer the duck in its upright position on the beer can to a platter
and present it to your guests. [Grab the bird by the beer can just under the butt]. Let rest
for 5 minutes.
Carefully lift the duck off the beer can. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise
burn yourself. Carve the duck or cut it in halves or quarters and serve with apricot orange
sauce.
Apricot Orange Sauce
Try to use a homemade chicken broth or at the very least a low sodium canned or boxed
broth.
Ingredients
6 ounces [3/4 cup] orange soda
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 strips orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup dried pitted apricots
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Method
Place the orange soda, chicken stock, orange zest and juice, and cinnamon in a heavy
saucepan and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apricots. Let
soak for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Transfer the apricots and soaking liquid to a blender. Add the marmalade, sugar, vinegar,
and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a
saucepan, forcing the fruit pulp through the strainer with a spatula, scraping the strained
pulp off the bottom of the spatula.
Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange liqueur and stir it into
the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes: the sauce will thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the
heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper – or additional sugar or
vinegar if needed.
