5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Cinnamon Orange Duck Legs
This is a sumptuous, elegant slow cooker recipe – and yet it only requires 5 ingredients! Duck legs are infused with the warming cinnamon and tangy orange. This recipe brings out the unique and rich duck flavour. It’s simple to prepare, yet impressive enough for special occasions. Perfect for a date night!
Start by patting the skin of the duck legs dry some kitchen towel. This helps achieve a crispier skin when browning. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a pan, add a little oil and then place the duck legs skin-side down. Sear until the skin turns golden and crisp. This could take 5 or more minutes. Don’t be afraid to get them really golden – moving them around and pressing down if you need to. This step not only enhances the texture but also deepens the flavour in the final dish.
After that, transfer the duck legs to the slow cooker. Alongside the cinnamon, beef stock, orange zest and juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the duck is tender and almost falling off the bone. At the end – if you want the skin to be crispy – you can put the duck legs under a hot grill for a few minutes. We didn’t bother, but it’s up to you!
Serve the duck legs with a side of mashed potatoes or a simple green salad to balance the richness of the dish. Drizzle some of the cooking juices over the duck for added moisture and flavour.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Flavorful: The combination of cinnamon with sweet honey and citrus with the rich duck creates a beautifully balanced dish.
- Effortless: Once the browning is done, the slow cooker takes over, making this an easy dish to prepare with minimal hands-on time.
- Versatile: This dish is perfect for an intimate dinner but also special enough for festive occasions or entertaining guests.
Cinnamon and Orange Duck Legs
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 2 Duck legs
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 Orange medium-sized, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 250 ml Beef stock
Instructions
- Pat the skin side of the duck legs dry. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a hot frying pan, with a little oil, brown the duck legs on all sides – in particular the skin side.
- In the slow cooker combine beef stock, honey, orange zest and juice, and ground cinnamon. Add the browned duck legs.
- Cook on high for 4 hours on low, or 8+ hours on high.
