Porchetta-Style Duck (Anatra in Porchetta)

Italy’s region of Tuscany is known for its wines, cheeses, and fine cuisine, such as Porchetta-Style Duck.  A whole duck is rubbed with aromatic spices and stuffed with savoury pancetta and fennel, before being roasted. Crispy, tender, and a taste of Tuscany in your home!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole 5–6-pound (2.2-2.75 kg) duck, cleaned and trimmed

Stuffing

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
• ½ pound (226 grams) pancetta, diced finely
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup (240 ml) diced fennel
• 1 cup (240 ml) diced chestnuts
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pepper
• 1 pound (454 grams) pork sausage meat (removed from any casings)
• 1 cup (240 ml) chopped Italian parsley

Rub

• 1 cup (240 ml) finely chopped fennel stalk and fronds
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground black pepper
• ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
• Salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).
• Rinse duck with cold water and pat dry of excess moisture with paper towel. Carefully pull the skin from the flesh, without actually taking it off the duck, to create a pocket for the rub. Set duck aside.
• For the stuffing, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until fat renders. Add onion, fennel, chestnuts, fennel seeds, rosemary, sage, chili flakes, and black pepper, tossing to combine. Cook until onions have browned. Remove from heat and mix together with sausage and Italian parsley. Stuff cavity of duck with sausage mixture.
• For the rub, combine chopped fennel, garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, sage, dried chili flakes, and pepper in a small bowl. Distribute the rub underneath the skin of the duck, all over the flesh. Once again, pat the duck skin dry of excess moisture. Truss the duck with butcher’s twine. Rub the skin with ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
• Sear on all sides in a cast-iron pan, ending with breast-side down. Transfer to oven and cook for 90 minutes, basting every 30 minutes, then cover with tin foil and cook for 1 more hour, basting every 30 minutes.
• Transfer duck to cutting board and cover in tinfoil. Let duck rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.