Arroz de Pato — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender shredded duck braised with aromatic herbs, then layered with rice and baked until the top forms a golden, crispy crust while the interior stays moist and richly flavored with duck juices.

Ingredients

1 whole duck (about 2kg), quartered
350g short-grain rice
200g cured beef sausage (alheira or similar beef-based sausage)
1 onion, halved
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 carrot
100ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
Orange slices for garnish

Instructions

1 Place duck quarters in a large pot with onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, and carrot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 90 minutes until duck is very tender.
2 Remove duck, strain and reserve the broth. Shred the meat, discarding skin and bones.
3 Cook rice in 600ml of the duck broth for 12 minutes until almost done but still slightly firm.
4 Slice the sausage and brown lightly in a skillet.
5 Layer rice, shredded duck, and sausage slices in an oven-safe dish. Pour a ladle of broth over.
6 Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and crispy. Garnish with orange slices.

Did You Know?

The crispy top crust, called "pegado," is the most prized part — Portuguese families have been known to argue over who gets the crunchiest corner piece.