Spiced Smoked Duck

Smoked Duck is an old fashioned holiday main. But given its modern fanciful restaurant creations, is it complicated to make at home? I decided to take on the challenge and demystify this delicious waterfowl. An endeavor I deemed completely worth it.

Smoking a Duck is Easy!

This simple smoked duck is so easy anyone can make it and have amazing results – even if it’s your first time working with the bird! It’s rubbed in a delicious holiday spice blend, smoked over hickory, and glazed with a sweet boozy mixture. It’s a picture-perfect holiday dinner and wonderfully tasty! 

Duck is one of those proteins we aren’t cooking enough. It’s readily available, especially during the holiday season or winter months, and isn’t break the bank expensive. Buying a whole bird isn’t hard though not as readily available in bulk bins as Christmas Hams.  

So here I have a recipe for you, even if it’s your first time smoking one!

What you need for this smoked duck recipe: 

This recipe was inspired by the entire ducks hanging at the Chinese market. They were so red and beautiful with a perfect glaze. I didn’t have Chinese 5 spice on hand, so decided to create a holiday spice rub with pantry staples to coat the bird.

Where to buy a whole duck?

Turns out, at the right time of year, just about anywhere. You can find them frozen at Walmart from Maple Leaf Farms or special order them from your local butcher. I have occasionally seen one or two hanging out near the whole chickens in a regular supermarket as well. Also, it is always worth asking, as sometimes they have them whole and in the frozen foods aisles. If you’re looking for duck and cant find it at your local grocery store, check out our trusted list of where we order meat online.

Make sure you are buying a whole bird, not just the breasts. This recipe involves smoking the whole bird, and where duck breast is amazing, we recommend our pan-seared duck breast recipe.

Keep in mind that this is smaller than smoked turkey by several pounds, and even some whole smoked chickens and if you are looking to feed a big crowd, you will want to double this recipe up or consider an additional protein. When buying, think of it as you would buying a small chicken to feed your guests and plan accordingly. 

An even more affordable way to enjoy roast duck

Ok, there is a secret tip on buying duck if you want to save a few bucks. If you have an Asian market handy, then oftentimes, you can find a “missing wing” duck. Those are like the Rack sale or the imperfect La Creuset pans… Big savings for minor issues.

In the case of duck, it isn’t like a missing turkey wing. A missing duck wing is just something that is really not going to be missed. They are tiny and don’t have much meat anyway.

Let’s put it this way… You won’t miss a missing wing on an imperfect duck, but you will find a way to save a ton of cash.

How to Smoke Duck

• For smoking the bird, I hang it over a low indirect fire in my cooker. I add thick wood chunks from Western to add that smoke flavor and help with the perfect color on the bird. We love cherry wood chunks for smoked duck. Cherry wood has a mild sweet aromatic flavor and adds a deep color to the duck meat.
• If you are hanging the bird, be careful, as the color develops quickly. You will want to rotate it at least once to ensure you aren’t overcooking one side or the other. But be cautious not to open the lid too often as it lets out the smoke. 
• Because duck is fatty, you will want to make sure there is a drip pan below the bird to catch drippings and prevent flare-ups.

Glazing your duck

To give this duck recipe the shiny glaze, crispy skin, and add some more flavor, I whipped up a glaze with additional duck fat, orange juice, soy, honey, and a little holiday brandy to simmer in a skillet over the smoker. Then just occasionally baste the top of the duck. I added thyme sprigs for that light additional aromatic.

Rending your duck fat

Duck is fattier than chicken – not like OMG so much fat, but not as lean and it tends to have a juicier (some would even say greasier) feel to the cooked meat. Getting the duck skin very dry so it will crisp up is a great way to render some of the fat and produce an amazing bite.

What to do with duck fat

Make sure to keep that rendered duck fat. You want that. It is valuable. You can make duck fat fried pommes frites. Put it this way, the reason they are called “French fries” is because true French fries are fried in duck fat.

So, take advantage of the pan drippings. Pour it off when it has cooled a bit or spoon it out after it solidifies. You can keep it in the freezer for a few months. Use when the occasion arises.

Look forward to the best French fries ever.

How to tell when duck is finished cooking

The meat is darker than chicken, and so it is harder to see visually when the bird is done cooking with the naked eye. As always, using an instant-read thermometer is the best and most accurate way to ensure that it has cooked to a safe temperature. Whole ducks should be cooked to a safe internal temperature of 170 degrees F, according to the USDA.  

What to do with Leftover Duck

If you end up with any leftovers the smoked deliciousness goes amazingly with a fried egg and thinly shaved red onion with a tomato and red pepper aioli in the morning as a sandwich or as a fun fried rice addition. It also crisps up lovely on top of a flatbread or served with an orange vinaigrette over an arugula salad. 

MORE DELICIOUS HOLIDAY RECIPES

Beef Recipes

The Best Smoked Prime Rib on a Pellet Grill

Turkey

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Beef Recipes

Crab-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

Lamb Recipes

Grilled Lamb Crown Roast with Moroccan Spices 

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