• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to content

Preppy Kitchen logo

  • About
    • Meet John
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Breads
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Casseroles
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Press
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Roasted Duck

    Roasted Duck

    Published: February 7, 2019 · Modified: Mar 30, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This delicious crispy roasted duck seasoned with garlic and thyme is served with caramelized onions and fingerling potatoes tossed in duck fat and makes for an amazing dinner!

    260 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A clipping of roasted duck legs on a serving dish with potatoes and onions.

    Besides being a knockout dinner, this roasted duck yields a pan of delicious duck fat, which you should definitely pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator for jazzing up future recipes. If you choose to broil the duck for extra crispy skin, you will need to cover the back half with foil to prevent over-browning.

    How To Make Roasted Duck

    A photo showing steps on how to make a crispy roasted duck with potatoes.

    1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. To prep your duck, remove the neck and giblets from the duck; discard or reserve for another use. Trim the excess fat from the neck and tail areas of the duck and discard them. Prick fatty areas of the duck (breasts and near thighs) with the top of a knife, cutting just into the skin but not piercing the meat. Now pat the duck dry with paper towels.
    2. Tuck the tail of the duck in, tie the legs together, then transfer the duck to a roasting pan. (If your pan is large enough, bake the potatoes with the duck). Stir the salt, herbs de Provence and pepper together. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt mixture into the cavity of the duck and stuff with the onion quarters, garlic cloves, thyme and bay leaves. Drizzle with olive oil, and rub to coat. Sprinkle the duck liberally with the salt mixture and the remainder on the potatoes. If you’re not baking the duck and potatoes together, reserve some of the olive oil and salt mixture.
    3. Bake for 1 hour then remove the pan from the oven and increase the temperature to 450 degrees F. Stir the potatoes to coat with rendered duck fat or pour some onto the potatoes if baking separately. Return the duck/potatoes to the oven and cook until browned and a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads 160. About 25 minutes.
    4. If desired, you can broil the duck for 4 to 5 minutes for extra crispiness. Let the duck rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    5. If your pan was not large enough to bake the potatoes with the duck; put them together in a large bowl and coat with the reserved olive oil and salt mixture. The onions should be cut into quarters and the potatoes into halves. Give them a gentle toss with your clean hands to make sure they are evenly coated.
    6. Transfer the potatoes to a pan and use the same baking instructions as above. Remove the potatoes after 1 hour of baking, coat with the rendered duck fat, and place back into the oven for 25 more minutes.

    Crispy roasted duck legs in a serving dish with potatoes and onions.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is Roast duck healthy?

    Duck meat is high in protein but it has a higher fat content than chicken and turkey. When roasted with the skin on duck has more saturated fat and cholesterol. You will find about 75 milligrams of cholesterol in a three ounce portion of duck meat roasted with the skin on.

    What does roasted duck taste like?

    Duck has a stronger flavor than chicken but it’s not gamey and overwhelming. I would compare it to the dark meat on turkey but note that the meat is more tender owing to the high fat content of the duck.

    Should you cover a duck when roasting?

    Covering your duck when it roasts will create steam during the baking and prevent you from getting nice crispy duck skin. You can cover duck during baking if you’re not concerned about crispness of skin; doing so will keep moisture in and potentially create a juicier piece of meat

    If you’ve tried this roasted duck recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    A photo of roasted duck legs with onion and potatoes on a plate.
    Print
    5 from 8 votes

    Roasted Duck

    Tender and crispy roasted duck seasoned with garlic and thyme, served with onion and fingerling potatoes tossed in duck fat.
    Course dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American, French
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 472kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Ingredients

    INGREDIENTS

    • 1 5 to 6-lb. whole duck
    • 2 tbsp kosher salt 34g
    • 1 tbsp herbes de Provence 4g
    • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2g
    • 1 yellow onion quartered
    • 1 head garlic plus 2 large cloves
    • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 tbsp olive oil 30mL
    • 2 pounds small potatoes 908g

    Instructions

    INSTRUCTION

    • Preheat oven to 325F. Remove neck and giblets from duck; discard or reserve for another use.
    • Trim excess fat from neck and tail areas of duck, and discard.
    • Prick fatty areas of duck (breasts and near thighs) with the top of a knife, cutting just into the skin but not piercing the meat.
    • Pat duck dry with paper towels.
    • Tuck tail in, and tie legs together. Transfer duck to a roasting pan; add potatoes.
    • Stir together salt, herbes de Provence, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt mixture in cavity of duck; stuff with 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, thyme, and bay leaves.
    • Drizzle duck and potatoes with olive oil, rubbing to coat. Sprinkle duck liberally with salt mixture; sprinkle remainder on potatoes.
    • Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to 450F.
    • Stir potatoes to coat with rendered duck fat.
    • Return duck to oven; cook until browned and a meat thermometer inserted in breast reads 160, about 25 minutes.
    • If desired, broil duck 4 to 5 minutes for extra crispiness. Let duck rest 10 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    If your pan isn't big enough, you can bake the duck and potatoes separately using the same steps and instructions.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 140g | Calories: 472kcal | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 286mg | Vitamin A: 300IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 3.8mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!

    IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!

    Pork Tenderloin

    Bacon Wrapped Chicken

    Beef Stew

    « Red Velvet Cake
    Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignons »

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

    Search

    Follow Us On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Preppy Kitchen Newsletter

    Sign up to receive recipes, recommendations and tips straight to your inbox!

    Buy My Book

    As Seen On

    As seen on Elle Décor, People, Food Network and more

    Top recipes This Month

    • A stack of peanut butter cookies on a small wooden board

      Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

    • An Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie next to a glass of milk

      Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    • Lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar on a green and white plate.

      Lemon Bars

    • A group of pink macarons on a serving tray next to flowers

      Macaron Recipe

    • An Espresso martini on a gray surface with coffee beans scattered around

      Espresso Martini

    • A cake stand with a slice of red velvet cake cut out and placed on a plate in front.

      Red Velvet Cake

    • A group of shortbread cookies. some are stacked while others are on crumpled paper.

      Shortbread Cookies Recipe

    • A photo of a vanilla cupcake on a cupcake stand with vanilla buttercream frosting beautifully piped on top.

      Buttercream Frosting

    • A plate with multiple cake pops on it with one with a bite taken out.

      Cake Pops

    • photo of moist Vanilla Cupcakes in pink paper wrappers

      Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

    Footer

    As Seen On:

    Elle Décor, People, Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network, Woman's Day, forkly, Yummly, the Bump, Buzz Feed, Home and Family and New York magazine.

    The Brand

    • About John
    • Press

    Preppy Kitchen Logo

    Dessert Recipes

    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Pies
    • All Desserts

    Main Course Recipes

    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Casseroles
    • InstantPot
    • Soups
    • Salads

    COPYRIGHT © 2015 - 2020 PREPPY KITCHEN | PRIVACY POLICY

    260 shares