Braised Duck Legs with Red Wine and Grapes

This duck is fairly easy to prepare and a rather versatile dish. I've served it with mashed potatoes and vegetables - the flavours hold their own alongside mashed potatoes. I've also prepared it as an entree with both Korean and Chinese meals. The grapes and orange flavours complement Asian dishes and goes very well with brown or white rice.

It's best made with a dutch oven like the le creuset since this pot holds heat very well for braising. If you are using a dutch oven, you can braise on the stovetop at a low simmer or in the oven at 350F for 3 hours.

Serves 4

Prep time 10min

Cook time 3 hrs 10min

4 duck legs 

2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon 

3 cups chicken stock 

2 large onions, roughly chopped 

4-6 garlic cloves, skin on

2 garlic cloves, minced 

15-20 seedless red grapes
2 carrots, sliced

4-6 stems of thyme 

Zest and juice of half an orange
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven, fry the duck legs in oil. Fry for 3-4 few minutes on each side to brown. Remove the duck from the pot. Drain about half to two-thirds of the duck fat at this time, save it to make fries or roasted potatoes in duck fat. 

Cook the onions and the minced garlic for a few mins to soften the onions. Add wine and reduce it by half.  

Place the duck back into the pot and pour the chicken stock, garlic cloves, grapes, orange zest and juice and thyme in. Make sure the liquid covers at least 90% of the duck and simmer at low heat on the stove or at 350F in the oven with the lid on. After 1 hr, add the carrots and continue braising for 2 hrs, checking the pot once or twice to ensure there is still ample liquid in the pot. If it is low, add some stock or water. Cook the duck meat until it is fall off the bone tender.

Serve with brown rice, white rice or potatoes and a side of vegetables.