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Slow-cooked duck, braised red cabbage and hazelnuts

Slow-cooked duck, braised red cabbage and hazelnuts

This dish was created by Mud’s first head chef, Massimo Mele, and has remained a signature dish. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

“The slow-cooked duck with red cabbage from Launceston’s Mud Bar and Restaurant is the best duck I’ve ever eaten. I’d love the recipe.”
Dana Detraux, Melbourne, Vic

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Slow-cooked duck, braised red cabbage and hazelnuts

Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 25 mins, cook 4 hrs 45 mins (plus salting)
500 gm   rock sea salt
1   orange and 1 lemon, rind removed with a peeler only
6   star anise
10 cm   piece of ginger, thickly sliced
6   garlic cloves, bruised
4   duck Marylands (about 300gm each)
1 tbsp   Chinese five spice
850 gm   (4 cups) duck fat
To serve:   baby rocket and coarsely chopped roast hazelnuts
Duck jus
25 ml   olive oil
4   golden shallots, thinly sliced
2 tsp   honey
½ tsp   Chinese five spice
300 ml   old tawny Port
25 ml   red wine vinegar
500 ml   (2 cups) each of duck or brown chicken stock and beef stock (see note)
Braised red cabbage
50 ml   olive oil
1   onion, thinly sliced
2   garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½   red cabbage (about 700gm), thinly sliced
125 ml   (½ cup) red wine vinegar
110 gm   (½ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar


1 Combine salt, rind, star anise, ginger and garlic in a non-reactive dish (see note). Place duck skin-side down on top of salt mixture and rub flesh with five spice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2 Meanwhile, for duck jus, heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add shallot, honey and five spice and cook over medium heat until caramelised and sticky (7-10 minutes). Add Port and vinegar, bring to the boil and cook until reduced by half (5-7 minutes). Add stocks, return to the boil and cook until reduced by half (30-45 minutes). Season to taste. Cool, strain through a muslin-lined sieve (discard solids) and refrigerate overnight. Remove fat from top of jus and discard.
3 Preheat oven to 120C. Warm duck fat in a small roasting pan over medium heat. Remove duck from salt, brush off excess salt and place in warmed fat, ensuring duck is completely submerged. Cook in oven until meat is tender and almost falls from the bone (3-3½ hours). Remove duck and reserve 500ml duck fat. Keep remaining fat for roasting vegetables.
4 Meanwhile, for braised red cabbage, heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and stir occasionally over medium heat until soft (7-10 minutes). Add cabbage and stir occasionally until soft (8-10 minutes). Add vinegar and sugar, stir to combine and cook until liquid is almost evaporated (20-25 minutes). Season to taste and keep warm.
5 Increase oven to 200C. Place a piece of baking paper in a large frying pan, add reserved duck fat, add duck skin-side down (take care as duck will spit) and cook over medium-high heat until skin is crisp (3-5 minutes), then roast until warmed through (3-5 minutes). Meanwhile, reheat jus gently in a saucepan over medium heat (2-3 minutes). Remove duck from fat, blot with absorbent kitchen paper and serve immediately with braised cabbage and rocket leaves, scattered with hazelnuts and drizzled with jus.

Note Duck and brown chicken stock are available from select delicatessens. For non-reactive dishes, use glass, ceramic or plastic when marinating to prevent the acidic nature of marinades reacting with metal dishes and imparting a metallic taste.

RECIPE Launceston’s Mud Bar and Restaurant PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Vanessa Austin

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