Juicy Duck with Red Cabbage and Dumplings

Here’s a classic recipe for juicy roast duck with red cabbage and dumplings – perfect for a festive meal or Sunday dinner!

Ingredients

1 whole duck (about 2–2.5 kg), cleaned

Salt & pepper

1 apple, quartered

1 onion, quartered

1 tsp dried marjoram

250 ml (1 cup) chicken or duck stock

1 tbsp oil

1 kg red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp lard or oil

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 apples, coarsely grated

2 bay leaves

3 cloves

Salt to taste

6 bread rolls, cubed

250 ml milk

2 eggs

Salt, nutmeg

Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 160 °C / 320 °F (top & bottom heat).Pat the duck dry inside and out, season with salt and pepper.Stuff cavity with apple, onion, marjoram, and optional spices.

Place duck breast-side down in a roasting pan.Pour stock around it and brush skin lightly with oil.Roast for about 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices.

Flip duck so breast is up. Increase oven to 220 °C / 430 °F.Roast 20–30 minutes until skin is golden and crisp. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Caramelize sugar in fat.

Sauté onion briefly, add cabbage. Deglaze with vinegar, add apples and spices.

Cover and simmer gently 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

Heat milk and pour over bread cubes. Let soak. Stir in eggs, seasonings, and parsley.

Form dumplings and simmer in salted water for 15–20 minutes.