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One-Pan Roast Duck Legs with White Beans & Carrots Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 54 reviews
  • Author: Jake
  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes (excluding optional salting time)
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

This one-pan roast duck legs recipe features succulent duck legs cooked slowly with white beans, carrots, garlic, and thyme, resulting in a flavorful, hearty meal. The duck skin crisps up beautifully towards the end, while the beans and vegetables absorb all the delicious rendered duck fat and herbs, making for a comforting rustic dish that’s easy to prepare in a single pan.

Ingredients

Scale

Duck Legs

  • 4 duck legs
  • Handful of thyme sprigs
  • Sunflower oil, for drizzling

Vegetables & Beans

  • 500g carrots, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g cans white beans, drained

Instructions

  1. Optional Salting: If you have time, lightly salt the duck legs a day or two before cooking. Scatter some thyme sprigs over the legs, then cover and chill until needed. This enhances flavor and tenderizes the meat but is optional.
  2. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) or gas mark 3. Drizzle a little sunflower oil in a shallow flameproof casserole or roasting tin and heat it on the stovetop.
  3. Brown Duck Legs: If duck legs were salted in advance, pat dry with kitchen paper. Sizzle the duck legs skin-side down in the hot pan until the skin is golden brown and the fat renders out. Turn the legs and brown all over, cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes.
  4. Prepare Vegetables: Remove duck legs to a plate and pour away half the rendered fat from the pan (reserve if desired for other uses). Return the pan to heat and fry the sliced carrots, finely chopped garlic, and thyme sprigs with seasoning for about 5 minutes, until the carrots start to soften.
  5. Simmer in Oven: Place the duck legs on top of the vegetables skin-side up. Pour about 100ml of water over the vegetables, bring to a simmer on the stove, then cover the pan and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the meat to become tender.
  6. Add Beans and Crisp Skin: Remove the covered pan from the oven and uncover. Increase oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6. Lift the duck legs out onto a plate and stir the drained white beans into the carrots and thyme. Arrange the duck legs back on top and return the dish uncovered to the oven. Cook for another 20-30 minutes until the duck skin is crisp and the beans are heated through and simmering.
  7. Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve directly from the pan for a rustic presentation.

Notes

  • Salting the duck legs a day or two ahead helps to intensify the flavor and tenderize the meat but can be skipped if short on time.
  • Rendering and saving the duck fat is a great bonus for roasting potatoes or vegetables later.
  • The simmering step in the oven ensures the beans and carrots absorb the duck flavors fully.
  • Make sure to crisp the duck skin at the end by raising the heat to ensure a deliciously crispy texture.
  • This dish pairs well with simple green salads or crusty bread to soak up the juices.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus optional 1-2 days for salting duck)
  • Cook Time: 2 hours (including 1h 30m covered roasting and 20-30m crisping)
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: French

Keywords: duck legs, roast duck, one pan meal, white beans, carrots, thyme, rustic dish, crispy skin

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Find it online: https://platedbyjake.com/one-pan-roast-duck-legs-with-white-beans-and-carrots-recipe/