Skip to content

Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes

Duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes is a bistro style dish for 4, ready in 80 minutes, medium difficulty, for €3.90 per person. The duck legs roast slowly in the oven while the cherry sauce reduces on the side. Success comes from balancing the sauce's sweetness with the tang of caramelized balsamic vinegar.

Tonight, roasted duck legs topped with a tangy cherry sauce, served with smooth mashed potatoes.

Duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes
Total time
1 h 20
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall

Duck with cherry sauce pairs rich, tender meat with a bright sauce built on balsamic vinegar and fruity cherries. The duck leg skin turns crisp in the oven while the meat stays tender, almost confit like after an hour of slow cooking. Smooth mashed potatoes, whipped with hot milk and butter, soften the whole dish and soak up the sauce nicely.

This is a dish that takes time but barely any attention, perfect for a Sunday or a weeknight dinner when you want to impress without staying glued to the stove. The sweet and tangy flavors appeal to adults who enjoy bold combinations, less so to kids used to simpler tastes. It's also a good way to use jarred cherries out of season, so you can make this classic year round.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Duck legs 4

Pantry

  • Jarred or frozen cherriesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Balsamic vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Dairy

  • Milk 20 cl
  • Butter 50 g

Allergens Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Prick the duck leg skin, season with salt and pepper, then roast at 180 °C. 1 h

    The fat will render out, don't throw it away, it's great for other dishes.

  2. Melt the sugar in a saucepan until it turns into a light caramel, then deglaze with the vinegar. 3 min

    Pour slowly, it will sizzle.

  3. Add the broth and cherries, let it reduce by half. 12 min

    The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

  4. Cook the potatoes, then mash them with the hot milk and butter. 20 min

    A potato ricer works best.

  5. Serve the duck legs topped with cherry sauce alongside the mashed potatoes.

    Finish the sauce with a small knob of cold butter to make it glossy.

Our tips to get it right

  • Prick the duck skin well before cooking, this lets the fat render out so the skin crisps up instead of staying soft.
  • Save the duck fat rendered during cooking, it keeps in the fridge and makes excellent sautéed potatoes later on.
  • If the sauce is still too thin after reducing, keep cooking it gently rather than adding cornstarch, the texture stays more natural that way.

The variations

  • Swap the cherries for fresh figs or plums in late summer, the sauce keeps the same sweet and sour balance.
  • For a quicker version, use pan seared duck breasts instead of legs, cooking time drops to about 20 minutes.
  • For kids, serve the mash on its own with a little sauce on the side, the tangy cherry flavor usually goes down better as a dip than poured over everything.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A glass of grape juice
  • Steamed green beans

Storage

The duck and sauce keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze the meat and sauce separately for up to a month. Reheat gently in a pan or oven to keep the skin pleasant, the mash reheats best in a saucepan with a splash of milk.

Questions about this dish

Can you use duck breasts instead of duck legs?

Yes, but the cooking time changes a lot. Breasts need only 15 to 20 minutes in a pan, while legs need a full hour in the oven to become tender.

Should you use fresh or jarred cherries?

Jarred or frozen cherries work very well and let you make this dish out of season. Fresh pitted cherries give an equally good result in summer.

Can the cherry sauce be made ahead?

Yes, the sauce can be made the day before and gently reheated before serving. It often tastes even better after a night in the fridge.

Why caramelize the sugar before adding the vinegar?

The caramel adds a slight bitterness that balances the vinegar's acidity and the cherries' sweetness. Skipping this step risks a sauce that's too sweet.

How long does it take to make duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes?

Count 1 h 20 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does duck with cherry sauce and mashed potatoes cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Family and bistro classics

See all

Recipes with duck

See all