Smoked Duck

This Smoked Duck Recipe is a step-by-step guide for duck hunters and home cooks who want to transform a whole duck into a perfectly smoked, crispy-skinned masterpiece.

A Morning Duck Hunt in North Dakota

The morning started still and cold, the kind of calm you only find before sunrise on a North Dakota slough. The cattails were rimmed with frost, and the water mirrored a faint pink sky that promised a perfect day. I sat tucked into a patch of cover with my coffee thermos, listening to the distant chatter of mallards swimming nearby.

When the first pair of mallards cupped their wings and drifted in over the water, I felt that familiar jolt of both excitement and gratitude. A few well-placed shots later, I had a couple of ducks resting at my feet. I already knew exactly what I’d be doing with the greenhead when I got home.

As a wild game chef and full-time recipe developer, I love helping other duck hunters turn their harvest into something unforgettable. Smoking duck is one of those rituals that takes patience but rewards you in every way - the aroma of wood smoke, the crackle of crisp skin, and that first bite that reminds you why you hunt in the first place.

Whether you shot a mallard over a cattail slough or picked up a farm-raised duck at the grocery store, this smoked whole duck method will give you that rich, smoky flavor.

Remove Pesky Pinfeathers And Tighten Skin

After plucking a duck, sometimes we're left with a few pinfeathers we couldn't quite get even with a pair of tweezers. And we might have a few spots of fuzz. In this situation, use a kitchen torch or propane torch and pass the flame quickly and evenly over the duck skin. You want to hold it about 6 inches away. Move the flame in smooth, sweeping motions - don’t linger in one spot or you’ll scorch the skin. As the flame passes over, you’ll see the tiny pinfeathers and fuzzy down shrivel and disappear. The skin will also take on a slightly tighter appearance - that’s exactly what you want.

Once the whole bird is torched, let it cool for a few minutes, then wipe it down with paper towels to remove any soot or charred residue. The brief exposure to heat not only singes off any leftover feathers but also renders the surface fat just enough to tighten the skin so it will crisp beautifully during smoking.

If you don't have a torch, use tongs to hold the duck over the kitchen sink. Carefully pour boiling water over the entire duck (a kettle works best). The hot water instantly tightens the skin.

Drying A Whole Duck With A Fan

Another method to drying a whole duck is to set it on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and aim a small fan at it to circulate air and speed up the drying of the skin. This helps tighten the skin and draw out surface moisture, which is essential for that crispy texture once it hits the smoker.

However, raw duck should not sit at room temperature longer than 1 hour. To stay food-safe:

• If you’re using a fan, only have the duck sitting at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes max, just until the skin feels tacky and dry to the touch.
• Then move it back to the refrigerator, uncovered, to continue drying until you’re ready to smoke.

Ingredients for Whole Smoked Duck

• 1 whole duck, plucked and gutted
• ¼ cup kosher salt, plus 2 tablespoons divided
• 4 cups cool water
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey

Brine the Duck

1. Whisk ¼ cup of kosher salt in 4 cups of cool water until fully dissolved in a container large enough to hold the brine and the whole duck. Submerge the duck completely in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

2. Remove the duck from the brine and pat the skin thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place the duck breast-side up on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Roll up one or two paper towels into a small wad and place it loosely in the cavity. This keeps air circulating inside while also wicking away moisture. Replace the paper towel once or twice if it becomes damp. Refrigerate the duck uncovered for 4 to 8 hours or overnight until the skin is completely dry.

(Chef’s Tip: This drying step is the key to crispy skin. Skipping it guarantees a rubbery bird.)

Smoke the Duck

1. Remove the duck from the refrigerator and use the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to coat both the dry skin on the outside and the inside of the cavity.

2. Set your smoker to preheat to 250 degrees F and add in wood chips — I recommend hickory for a bold smoke or apple for something sweeter and more delicate.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the molasses and honey. Brush the outside of the bird all over with about half of the mixture.

4. Place the duck in your smoker with a drip pan underneath. Smoke at 250 degrees F for 1 hour. Baste the duck with the remaining molasses and honey mixture, reduce the smoker heat to 200 degrees F, and continue to smoke for 1½ more hours.

5. Remove the duck from the smoker and transfer it to a preheated oven on the broil setting for 2 to 3 minutes to render the remaining fat and crisp up the skin.

6. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Remove the breasts from the carcass and slice before removing the legs and thighs and shredding the meat off those.

(Chef’s Tip: The short broil at the end is your secret weapon for that restaurant-quality golden skin.)

What You'll Notice While Smoking A Duck

As the smoke starts rolling, you’ll notice how the duck skin darkens from pale pink to deep amber. The fat drips and sizzles in the pan below, sending up the kind of smell that makes your neighbors peek over the fence. The molasses and honey form a thin lacquer, glistening under the smoke, promising that perfect flavor when you slice into it later.

While you wait, resist the urge to rush it. A smoked duck recipe rewards patience. Every slow minute inside the smoker renders more fat and builds more flavor.

How To Serve Smoked Duck

Smoked duck stands beautifully on its own, but it also plays well with others. You can slice the breast thin and serve it alongside roasted potatoes, wild rice, or grilled asparagus. The shredded leg meat makes an incredible sandwich with a smear of spicy mustard or chokecherry jam.

More Duck Recipes

If you enjoyed this smoked duck recipe and are looking for more great ways to use some of that duck in your freezer, be sure and check out all of our duck recipes here.

Come Duck Hunting in North Dakota

If you are headed our way for North Dakota waterfowl season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.

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