What a beautiful/magical time. Following the wettest February in 20 years, the land is lush and green. Today, the skies were blue, the sun bright. Temps in the mid 20s, becoming cool in the evening, perfect weather to fire up the Weber.

Duck season opens in Vic next weekend and as part of my annual ritual, this is the time I like to savor the last of the birds from the previous season. Here's the recipe and the results.

2 ducks (I use any species except Mountain Duck)
¼ cup salt (for brine)
1 orange
1 onion
1 cup marmalade
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ sherry/brandy/bourbon (I use cooking sherry because of the $$)
Course black pepper and salt to taste.

Place birds in a large dish. Add just enough water to cover birds. Add salt, leave to soak in the fridge overnight. (Recently I haven’t bothered with this step, but if the birds are bruised/bloody, the brine will draw help draw out the blood)

Remove birds. Rinse and dry

Dust the cavity with salt and pepper to taste (I use quite a bit of pepper and little/no salt). Quarter the orange and the onion and stuff into the cavity of each bird,

Put the birds into the Weber and cook (indirect) with medium heat for 50-70 minutes, depending on the size of the birds.

Combine marmalade, brown sugar and sherry in a small pot, heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and a thick, sauce like consistency is achieved.

Apply marmalade glaze liberally to birds during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Ducks cooked this way are moist and flavoursome. Enjoy with a robust red wine. Ducking lovely!!

You could also cook in CO with trivet, but some elbow grease maybe required to remove the glaze from the bottom of the pan.

Old Nova Scotia stuffing for bird or rabbit.

An apple, an orange, and an onion.    They throw those away.

Me, I cook in an oval roaster in winter in regular oven and I make that 2 apples, 2 oranges, and 2 onions.  Since I'm only one person I like having stuffing for each meal.