Ever wondered how to cook duck? It's much simpler than most people think. This Roast Duck has tender and juicy meat, crispy skin, and it's glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look. Perfect holiday main dish recipe or something you can make any time for a special occasion.
It's a great-looking dish - perfect for any special occasion, and with the holidays coming up, this roast duck will look great on any Thanksgiving menu (my 50 best Thanksgiving recipes), or as a Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner idea. By the way, the honey-balsamic glaze in this recipe DOES NOT MAKE THE DUCK SWEET - I did not want a sweet duck. It only gives a nice crispiness and beautiful look to the duck skin. Your duck will have a very savory and juicy flavor from the garlic and lemon that you'll stuff inside the duck cavity. SO GOOD! Cooking this duck does take some time and effort, which makes it a perfect holiday main dish or a special occasion dinner.
This recipe has very detailed instructions (with step-by-step photos) on how to prepare and cook the duck - which could be very helpful if you've never cooked the duck before. The duck will be roasted in the oven at 350 F for about 3 hours, and in addition to the beautiful duck, you'll end up with a lot of duck fat which I highly recommend you save and use for roasting vegetables, potatoes, and even cooking your breakfast eggs with it!
If you want a really beautiful and festive presentation for your holiday duck, use my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash glazed with Cinnamon & Maple Syrup, with Pecans & Cranberries as garnish for the duck (this is what you see on the photo below). You can garnish the duck and decorate the serving platter with these colorful veggies - they will have all the holiday colors and flavors and will look very pretty with duck:
How to prepare a whole duck for roasting
Step-by-step photos and instructions start here (the complete recipe without photos is at the bottom of this post). I recommend that you read and look through these photos and then scroll down to the recipe box itself for more condensed version of the recipe (without photos).
If using frozen duck, make sure it's completely defrosted (defrosted in the refrigerator for a couple of days). Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels:
Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast side in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. The 2 deep cuts to the right of the photos is the example of how NOT TO SCORE, but it's still OK, as I did not cut through the meat but did reach the meat in those 2 cuts on the right:
The duck breast should be scored in a diamond pattern:
This is what the duck should look like, breast side up, scored (see 2 deep scores on the right - try not to do that but it's OK as long as you don't cut into the meat itself):
Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except for where the duck legs connect to the duck body).
Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over.
Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking).
The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside.
Tie the duck legs with butcher’s twine or butcher's string (or, in my case, I just used folded aluminum foil to tie up the duck legs, because I forgot to get butcher's twine):
Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).
How to roast a duck in the oven
THIS IS A RECIPE OVERVIEW WITH STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS. SCROLL DOWN TO THE RECIPE CARD TO SEE THE COMPLETE RECIPE.
Here is the recipe for a duck cooked to the final internal temperature of 165 F (well-done, not dry, not overcooked, just juicy and well-done). Use an internal meat thermometer at all times to guide you through the process. Adjust the cooking times proportionally if you prefer to cook your duck medium (140 F internal temperature) or medium-rare (130 F internal temperature).
1) Roast the duck for about 40 minutes at 350 F, breast side up, then remove the duck from the oven, it should look like this after the first 40 minutes of roasting:
2) Then, flip the duck breast side down, and roast for 20 or 40 minutes at 350 F breast side down. After 20 minutes of roasting, check the duck's internal temperature with an instant meat thermometer. If the temperature reaches 140 F, proceed to the next step. If the meat temperature is below 140 F, roast the duck for 10 or 20 more minutes or until the temperature reaches 140 F. The duck should look like this - it's breast side down on this picture:
3) Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven, careful not to spill the juices (fat) in the roasting pan. Carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out - keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.
4) In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon and ¼ cup of honey. Set the duck breast side up again on the roasting rack in the roasting pan. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 40 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture. Continue to measure the duck's internal temperature with the meat thermometer.
5) Add more honey to the mixture if it's too thin; it should be relatively thick. Roast the duck for another 20 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 5 minutes with honey balsamic mixture.
6) Take the duck out of the oven once the internal temperature reaches 155 F (and after you've briefly broiled it if needed). Let it rest, uncovered, on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. During this time the duck will continue cooking in residual heat until it reaches 165 F.
In the end, the duck should be nicely browned with crispy skin like this:
Untie the legs:
If you want a really beautiful and festive presentation for your holiday duck, use my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash glazed with Cinnamon & Maple Syrup, with Pecans & Cranberries.
You can garnish the duck and decorate the serving platter with these colorful veggies - they will have all the holiday colors and flavors and will look very pretty with duck:
Thanksgiving side dishes
- Garlic and Bacon Green Beans - crispy and crunchy green beans sautéed with garlic and bacon in olive oil and butter on stove top.
- Creamy and Crunchy Salad with Peas, Bacon, and Pecans - easy and beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Gorgonzola cheese - Brussels sprouts smothered in heavy cream and mustard with bacon, apples, Gorgonzola cheese and nutmeg. Cooked on stove top.
Roast Duck Recipe
Ingredients
Roast Duck
- 6 lb whole Pekin duck
- salt
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 lemon small or medium, chopped
Glaze
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon , freshly squeezed juice
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
HOW TO THAW FROZEN DUCK
- If you purchased frozen duck, make sure to defrost the frozen duck in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Once the duck is completely thawed (in the refrigerator), take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it more or less to room temperature.
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 Fahrenheit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).
PREPARE THE DUCK
- Remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, ensuring you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts. You don’t need to poke the duck legs as the skin is pretty thin there (except where the duck legs connect to the duck body). Season the duck generously with salt both inside the duck's cavity and outside on the skin, legs, and all over. Place the duck breast side up. (refer to step-by-step photos on scoring duck's skin above this recipe card - please scroll up).
- Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity (these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher's twine.(again, refer to the step-by-step photos above).
GENERAL GUIDELINES on roasting the whole duck safely in the oven
- Before you go ahead with the recipe, please review these general guidelines.
- According to USDA, to safely cook the duck in the oven at 350 Fahrenheit you have to cook it for 30 minutes per pound, which equals 3 hours for a 6-pound duck. Of course, one should use a meat thermometer and cook the duck to one's preference (medium-rear, for example), but at your own risk. 🙂 Here is the link for the USDA's safe cooking guidelines for whole ducks.
- The duck is considered safe to eat (according to USDA) when an internal temperature reaches 165 °F using a meat thermometer. That's when it's well done. If you take the duck out of the oven once the internal temperature is 155 F and let it sit for 10-15 minutes on the counter until it reaches 165 F - the duck will be well-done, delicious, and safe to eat. Check the internal temperature in the thigh's and wing's innermost part and the breast's thickest part.
- If you prefer to cook your duck rare or medium-rare, the internal temperature (as measured by a meat thermometer) at which you take it out of the oven is 130 Fahrenheit. For medium, take it out at 140 Fahrenheit. But it could be not safe to eat (according to USDA). Do so at your own risk. 🙂 The USDA recommends roasting the duck for 30 minutes per pound at 350 F to be safe.
RECIPE OVERVIEW
- With these considerations in mind, here is the recipe for a duck cooked to the final internal tempearture of 165 F (well-done, not dry, not overcooked, just juicy and well-done). Use an internal meat thermometer at all times to guide you through the process. Adjust the cooking times proportionally if you prefer to cook your duck medium (140 F internal temperature) or medium-rare (130 F internat temperature).
HOW TO ROAST THE DUCK IN THE OVEN
- Step 1. Roast for 40 minutes. Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (the roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck). Roast the duck, uncovered, breast side up, for 40 minutes at 350 F.
- Step 2. Roast for 20 minutes (or up to 40 minutes). Flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 20 more minutes, uncovered, at 350 F. After 20 minutes of roasting, check the duck's internal temperature with an instant meat thermometer. If the temperature reaches 140 F, proceed to the next step. If the meat temperature is below 140 F, roast the duck for 10 or 20 more minutes or until the temperature reaches 140 F. Keep in mind this recipe is for a well-done roasted duck. Please take a look at the 2 sections above GENERAL GUIDELINES and RECIPE OVERVIEW if you want your duck roasted medium or medium-rare. And always use a MEAT THERMOMETER.
- Step 3. Remove duck fat. You now have roasted the duck for 1 hour (or 1 hour 20 minutes total). Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven, careful not to spill the juices (fat) in the roasting pan. Carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out - keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large heat-proof bowl or container.
- Step 4. Make a honey-balsamic glaze and roast for 20 minutes, brushing the duck with the glaze. Flip the duck breast side up again on a rack in a roasting pan (the pan will have no fat juices now). In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of balsamic vinegar + the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon + ¼ cup honey. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 20 minutes at 350 F, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture. Continue to measure the duck's internal temperature with the meat thermometer.
- Step 5. Roast for 20 minutes and continue brushing the duck with the glaze. Add more honey to the mixture if it's too thin; it should be relatively thick. Roast the duck for another 20 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 5 minutes with honey balsamic mixture.
- Step 6. Broil the duck (optional and if needed). You can carefully broil the duck for about 5 or 10 minutes (check it regularly to ensure it doesn't char too much). Broiling the duck is a great option if the skin is not crispy enough. It will speed up the caramelization of the skin if your duck is already cooked to a desired internal temperature (as measured by a meat thermometer).
- Step 7. Remove the duck from the oven. Remove the duck from the oven once the internal temperature reaches 155 F (and after you've briefly broiled it if needed). Let it rest, uncovered, on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. During this time the duck will continue cooking in residual heat until it reaches 165 F.
- Step 8. Discard the lemon. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve!
Notes
Updated recipe
I updated this recipe on October 28, 2023, to make it comprehensive. Let me know in the comments what you think (if the updates are helpful) or if you "miss" the old recipe (which I can repost).Why is the calorie amount in the Nutrition Section so huge?
The huge calories (about 3,000 calories per serving) you see on the nutrition label (the nutrition info on my site is approximate anyway!) include a large amount of duck fat rendered when you roast the duck. You will not eat this fat with the duck (it's rendered and then removed from the roasting pan). But you can save it and use some of it to roast the potatoes or eggs for the next several days.Duck's weight matters!
Ducks come in different sizes. The recipe, as written, is for a 6-pound duck. If your duck is half that size (3 pounds), adjust cooking times accordingly (in half). Use a meat thermometer as your guidance.Looking for Thanksgiving side dishes to serve with duck?
I have created a comprehensive recipe collection of 60 Thanksgiving side dishes conveniently categorized by ingredient: Green Beans, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc. It's a great resource to browse through for a last moment holiday inspiration! This side dishes will also work great for Christmas and New Year's Eve.Looking for a complete Thanksgiving menu?
Be sure to check out my 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu) - it includes everything: Fall-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu features proven, tried, and true Thanksgiving dishes that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes since 2012).⬇️⬇️ My most popular Thanksgiving side dishes, salads, and desserts are below. They will pair beautifully with the roast duck. I highly recommend you check them out. ⬇️⬇️
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My most popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Thanksgiving Side Dish with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples (cooked with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice)
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Cheese
- Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, Dried Cranberries, and Balsamic Glaze
My most popular Thanksgiving Salads
- Fall Pasta Salad with Spinach, Roasted Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, Cranberries, and Goat Cheese
- Apple Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Goat Cheese, and Maple-Lime Mustard Dressing
- Christmas Salad with Baby Spinach, Mandarin Oranges, Pomegranate Seeds, Cranberries, Pecans, and Honey-Mustard Lime Vinaigrette
Giovanna
Hi Julia
Thanks for the recipe. I’m planning to make it for Christmas. I’ve never made a duck before but when I do other roasts I often put potatoes and root vegetables at the bottom of the pan (under the rack) so it cooks with the fat and juices. It sounds like duck might create a lot more fat so if I were to do this at what step should I add potatoes? Or will the fat be too much to do this (I like potatoes cooked in fat but don’t want to overdo it!). Thanks!
Julia
Giovanna, you are correct that there will be too much fat (way too much!) at the bottom of the pan to roast the potatoes. The duck generates A LOT MORE fat than turkey or whole chicken.
What I would do is this. In the recipe under the section Roast the duck for 3 hours in 4 distinctive steps: during step 3 you are supposed to pour out all the fat from the bottom of the pan. Follow this step and pour out all the fat during step 3 from the roasting pan into a separate heat-proof bowl or container - at this point, there should be a lot of fat and drippings generated.
Next, leave (or put back) just a small amount of fat or drippings back into the roasting pan (reserving the rest of the duck fat to be refrigerated), add potatoes and root vegetables and proceed with the remaining steps 4 through 7.
Do keep in mind that you will be brushing the duck in the following steps with the lemon + balsamic vinegar + honey, so that might affect the flavor of the root vegetables somewhat. Maybe reduce the honey amount from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons if you don't want the veggies to be sweet.
Brian
This is a good looking recipe. What is the target temperature? My bird is a little smaller and the times may be too long. Thanks.
Julia
Hi Brian, Not sure how small your duck is. If you review my most recent comments (to Emma and Joe Hogan) I provide precise instructions for 3.6 lb duck and 5.5 lb duck, respectively.
I would suggest using a meat thermometer early on, after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting, to check the duck for doneness).
*****How to know when the duck is done? The duck is done to medium rare if the juices are pinkish when you carefully cut the duck in the fattest part. The duck is well done when juices run yellow-ish color.
*****You can also use a meat thermometer. The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer. Use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck.
Damon
But, seriously? 2862 calories per serving??!
Julia
Damon, the calorie count is an approximation. In this particular case, the calorie count includes all the DUCK FAT to be rendered from the duck, and that's A LOT OF CALORIES! I have no way of excluding the duck fat from the calorie count here. But, obviously, you won't eat the duck fat - duck fat is to be reserved and refrigerated to be used later for cooking meats and veggies, and you probably won't even use all of the duck fat.
Scott
Hi Julia
I have used this wonderful recipe for several years and my family of 3 loves it. This Xmas i was requested to make it again but we have two more people joining my family. I bought two ducks this time and plan on cooking both at the same time. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Julia
Scott, I am so glad you've used this recipe for several years - it's a huge compliment to me!
If you plan to roast 2 ducks - just follow the recipe as is and roast them at the same time in the same oven (if your oven fits them).
I have roasted 2 six-pound ducks at the same time in the same oven using this recipe - for a total of 3 hours.
Keep in mind that if your ducks are smaller than 6 pounds each, you might have to reduce the roasting times.
Kristen Taylor-Wall
Found the answer in the next step! Sorry for wasting your time! Thanks for the recipe!
Julia
Glad you found the answer! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Kristen Taylor-Wall
I am currently making this so I hope you see this quickly. I drained the drippings out from the bottom of the pan but am unclear if I am supposed to brush the entire balsamic lemon solution onto the duck and then brush the duck using the mixture in the pan every 10 minutes or leave the rest in a bowl and brush it from there? Thanks in advance! It looks delicious so far!
Julia
Kristen, glad to hear you're making this right now and that it looks delicious! 🙂 And, glad that you found the answer in the next step. Enjoy the duck and Merry Christmas!
Harry
Would orange be ok instead of the lemon
Julia
Harry, yes, orange would work just fine instead of lemon!
Makk
Hi, you put calories per serving. How much is saving size (how many oz per serving)?
Thank you!
Julia
Please keep in mind that in this particular recipe the calorie account includes all the duck fat that will be rendered from the duck. That's a lot of duck fat and a lot of calories. Obviously, you won't consume the duck fat and hopefully save it / refrigerate it for later use (to cook veggies, meats, etc.)
Virginie
Could I leave the drippings in the pan and add potatoes at the 1h40 mark instead?
Julia
Hi Virginie! Keep in mind that there will be too much fat (way too much!) at the bottom of the pan at 1h 40minutes mark to roast the potatoes. The duck generates A LOT MORE fat than turkey or whole chicken. I would remove the duck fat after 1 hour and 40 minutes of roasting from the roasting pan into a separate heat-proof bowl or container – at this point, there should be a lot of fat and drippings generated.
Next, leave (or put back) just a small amount of fat or drippings back into the roasting pan (reserving the rest of the duck fat to be refrigerated), add potatoes and root vegetables and proceed with the remaining steps 4 through 7.
Do keep in mind that you will be brushing the duck in the following steps with the lemon + balsamic vinegar + honey, so that might affect the flavor of the root vegetables somewhat. Maybe reduce the honey amount from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons if you don’t want the veggies to be sweet.
Or, you could cook the veggies separately and add a small amount of reserved duck fat and duck drippings to the separate pan where you roast the veggies.
Jerome Frazer
Hi! I'm going to try your recipe, it looks lovely! I'm assuming the duck is uncovered during roasting? Any suggestions on constructing a makeshift rack? Thanx!
Julia
Jerome, yes the duck is roasted uncovered the whole time. Not sure about the makeshift rack. 🙂 The duck does have to be lifted from the bottom of the pan for the duck skin to get caramelized and for the drippings to accumulate below the duck (and not around the duck).
Jerome
Hi! I'm going to try your recipe, it looks lovely! I'm assuming the duck is uncovered during roasting? Any suggestions on constructing a makeshift rack? Thanx!
Julia
Jerome, yes the duck is roasted uncovered the whole time. Not sure about the makeshift rack. The duck does have to be lifted from the bottom of the pan for the duck skin to get caramelized and for the drippings to accumulate below the duck (and not around the duck).
Kylie bruce
Hi, I just got the only duck available at my local shop, and it's been splayed. Is there any way to adjust the recipe to suit this?
nooyoo
Hi, if the duck I am buying is much bigger (almost 9-10 lb), how much longer should I cook it? Thanks in advance.
Meredith
I bought an instant read thermometer to cook this for Christmas! How long should I allow the duck to rest after roasting?
Julia
Allow the duck rest only for about 15 minutes, not longer.
The cooked duck should measure an internal temperature of 165 °F using a meat thermometer. Use the meat thermometer early on (after the first 1 hour and 40 minutes of roasting) to avoid overcooking the duck.
Hope you like it!
Amber
Would stuffing the duck affect the cook time or any steps in this recipe? Do you have any recipe suggestions for duck fillings?
Julia
Hi Amber! No, stuffing the duck won't affect any steps. Make sure to stuff the duck right before roasting.
You can stuff the duck with apples and prunes.
You can also combine bread, onion, celery, chopped dried apricots, chopped apple, chicken stock, and spices. Stuff the duck and cook the rest of the stuffing separately.
Ava
When do I add the veggies , do I cook them in there own dish. thank you
Julia
Ava, do you mean to add the veggies to the bottom of the roasting pan to cook with drippings and duck fat? Or, do you mean to stuff the duck?
I assume you mean the former: When to add the veggies to the bottom of the roasting pan to cook with drippings and duck fat?
It's important to keep in mind that there will be too much fat (way too much!) at the bottom of the pan to roast the potatoes. The duck generates A LOT MORE fat than turkey or whole chicken.
So, yes, I would probably cook the veggies separately and add a small amount of reserved duck fat and duck drippings to the separate pan where you roast the veggies.
If you would like to cook the veggies at the bottom of the same roasting pan as the duck, what I would suggest is this:
In the recipe under the section Roast the duck for 3 hours in 4 distinctive steps: during step 3 you are supposed to pour out all the fat from the bottom of the pan. Follow this step and pour out all the fat during step 3 from the roasting pan into a separate heat-proof bowl or container – at this point, there should be a lot of fat and drippings generated.
Next, leave (or put back) just a small amount of fat or drippings back into the roasting pan (reserving the rest of the duck fat to be refrigerated), add potatoes and root vegetables and proceed with the remaining steps 4 through 7.
Do keep in mind that you will be brushing the duck in the following steps with the lemon + balsamic vinegar + honey, so that might affect the flavor of the root vegetables somewhat. Maybe reduce the honey amount from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons if you don’t want the veggies to be sweet.
Alexis
Are the calories per serving
Julia
Yes, the calories are per serving. However, the calories include the fat generated from the roasting of the duck. And, you won't use most of that fat, if use it at all.