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Home » Recipes » Main Dish

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2023 by Angela Latimer · 1 Comment

Smoked Duck

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Pin image with text of spatchcock smoked duck on a cutting board.

This smoked duck is tender, juicy, smoky, and basted with sweet maple syrup and honey glaze for a showstopping meal! The bird is dry-brined overnight and then spatchcocked so that it cooks evenly and quickly. Pair it with any of your favorite side dishes for a dinner that is sure to please!

Easy Smoked Spatchcock Duck

If you're new to preparing and eating game meat, then duck is a fantastic place to start! It is easy to cook and has a rich flavor that resembles red meat more than chicken.

Using your smoker makes it essentially effortless to prepare (besides needing to spatchcock the duck, which is super easy!) Plus, the smokey flavors complement the earthy taste of the meat wonderfully.

Square overhead image of spatchcock smoked duck on a cutting board.
This smoked duck is tender, flavorful, and super simple to prepare!
Jump to:
  • Easy Smoked Spatchcock Duck
  • 🥘 Smoked Duck Ingredients
  • 🔪 How To Make Smoked Duck
  • 🥗 Sides
  • 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
  • 🥡 Storing & Reheating
  • ❓ Recipe FAQs
  • 🍖 More Recipes Using Game Meat
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Comments & Reviews

🥘 Smoked Duck Ingredients

Since duck is so flavorful on its own, you're only going to need a total of 5 ingredients. The honey and maple syrup are combined to make a sweet glaze that is completely irresistible!

Tall image showing ingredients needed for smoked duck.
  • Duck - One whole 5-pound duck.
  • Salt - 1 tablespoon of salt.
  • Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
  • Honey - ¼ cup of honey.
  • Maple Syrup - ¼ cup of maple syrup.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Smoked Duck

Prepare your duck, and then let the smoker work its magic! All you need is your smoker, some kitchen shears, a cutting board, and your measuring utensils.

One 5-pound duck will yield about 3 servings of meat. Of course, you can use whatever size duck you like!

Process image 1 showing cutting backbone out of the duck.
Process image 2 showing continuing cutting backbone out of the duck.
Process image 3 showing seasoned spatchcock duck carcass.
Process image 4 showing seasoned spatchcock duck carcass in smoker.
Process image 5 showing applying honey/maple syrup over duck while in the smoker.
  1. Prepare. To get started, rinse your duck under cold water and pat it completely dry using paper towels. Trim off any excess skin, remove the tail, and trim the wing tips if desired. If there are any giblets or other packages inside the body cavity, remove those and discard them (or save them for something else).
  2. Dry brine. Use corn on the cob keepers to carefully pierce all over the skin of your 5-pound (2.27 kilograms) duck (avoiding piercing the meat itself). Generously season the entire bird with 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of salt, set it into a baking pan, and then place it uncovered in the fridge to dry brine overnight.
  3. Spatchock the duck. The next day, preheat your smoker to 275°F (135°C). Remove the duck from the fridge and spatchcock the bird (remove the backbone, flip it over, and firmly press down to break the breast bone so that it lays flat).
  4. Season. Sprinkle the duck with a little more salt and ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of fresh ground black pepper and then place it into the smoker.
  5. Smoke. Smoke your duck for a total of 30 minutes per pound. After the first 40 minutes of cooking, mix together ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of honey and ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of maple syrup and brush the mixture onto the duck every 30-40 minutes until it is done cooking.
  6. Rest. Once the internal temperature has reached 160°F (71°) (checking at the breast), remove it from the smoker, lightly cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

🥗 Sides

cropped-what-to-serve-with-duck-poster.jpg

Pair your smoked duck with some roasted yellow squash and roasted potatoes and onions for a complete and delicious meal! Choose any of your favorite veggies or starches, as this duck will taste great with tons of different things!

Take a look at my post on what to serve with duck for some more ideas and recipes! Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

  • Hang on to your trimmings and giblets to make some duck broth that can be used in a delicious smoked duck and mushroom risotto!
  • Duck is done cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°), but you'll want to remove it from the smoker when it reaches 160°F (71°) as the internal temperature will continue to rise an additional 5°F while resting (called "carryover cooking"). 
  • Soy sauce OR balsamic vinegar would make a great addition to your honey and syrup mixture. You could also add a splash of orange juice!
  • Spatchcock the duck so that it can lay flat in your smoker and cook evenly.
  • Dry brining the duck will help to remove any excess moisture from the skin, causing it to become nice and crispy.
  • I recommend using fruity hardwoods, such as maple, apple, cherry, or pecan. 
Wide image of spatchcock smoked duck cut in half on a cutting board.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Keep any leftover duck stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend carving the duck for easier storage.

Reheating Duck

Place your duck meat into a baking dish with a small amount of chicken broth or water. Tightly cover it with some aluminum foil and warm it in the oven at 300°F (150°C). 

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ Recipe FAQs

What Should I Do With Leftover Duck Bones?

Hang on to all of the bones, trimmings, and giblets that come inside the body cavity. You can use these to make an incredibly rich and delicious duck broth! Use your broth to make tons of tasty dishes, such as smoked duck and mushroom risotto.

What Is The Best Wood To Smoke Duck With?

The best wood for smoking dark meat such as duck is fruity hardwood. Use wood such as apple, maple, cherry, or pecan. I would avoid soft wood like pine and cedar as the flavors don't pair well, and it could cause the duck to taste odd.

How Do I Spatchcock A Duck?

Place the duck onto a cutting board or platter with the breast facing down. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip it over and give a firm press to the breast bone in order to crack it so that the bird can lay flat and cook evenly.

Tall image of spatchcock smoked duck on a cutting board.

🍖 More Recipes Using Game Meat

  • Creamy Duck & Wild Rice Soup - If you have any leftover duck meat on hand, use it for this creamy soup!
  • Goat Curry - Tender chunks of goat are coated in a delicious coconut milk gravy.
  • Roasted Quail - A simple and tasty dish where everyone can enjoy their own bird.
  • Rabbit Stew - Rabbit meat is cooked low and slow until incredibly tender and flavorful.
  • Grilled Cajun Alligator Bites - Bite-sized pieces of alligator sirloin are coated in Cajun seasoning and grilled to perfection.
  • Venison Tenderloin Roast - This roast is the best way to use up some venison from your last hunting trip.

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📖 Recipe Card

Wide image of spatchcock smoked duck on a cutting board.
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5 from 3 reviews

Smoked Duck

This smoked duck is tender, juicy, smoky, and basted with sweet maple syrup and honey glaze for a showstopping meal! The bird is dry-brined overnight and then spatchcocked so that it cooks evenly and perfectly. Pair it with any of your favorite side dishes for a dinner that is sure to please!
Author | Angela Latimer
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 3213kcal
Prep 5 minutes minutes
Cooking 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 5 lb duck
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions
 

  • To get started, rinse your duck under cold water and pat it completely dry using paper towels. Trim off any excess skin, remove the tail, and trim the wing tips if desired. If there are any giblets or other packages inside the body cavity, remove those and discard them (or save them for something else).
  • Use corn on the cob keepers to carefully pierce all over the skin of your 5 lb duck (avoiding piercing the meat itself). Generously season the entire bird with 1 tablespoon salt, set it into a baking pan, and then place it uncovered in the fridge to dry brine overnight.
  • The next day, preheat your smoker to 275°F (135°C). Remove the duck from the fridge and spatchcock the bird (remove the backbone, flip it over, and firmly press down to break the breast bone so that it lays flat).
  • Sprinkle the duck with a little more salt and ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and then place it into the smoker.
  • Smoke your duck for a total of 30 minutes per pound. After the first 40 minutes of cooking, mix together ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup maple syrup and brush the mixture onto the duck every 30-40 minutes until it is done cooking.
  • Once the internal temperature has reached 160°F (71°) remove it from the smoker, lightly cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Hang on to your trimmings and giblets to make some duck broth that can be used in a delicious smoked duck and mushroom risotto!
  • Duck is done cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°), but you'll want to remove it from the smoker when it reaches 160°F (71°) as the internal temperature will continue to rise an additional 5°F while resting (called "carryover cooking"). 
  • Soy sauce OR balsamic vinegar would make a great addition to your honey and syrup mixture. You could also add a splash of orange juice!
  • Spatchcock the duck so that it can lay flat in your smoker and cook evenly.
  • Dry brining the duck will help to remove any excess moisture from the skin, causing it to become nice and crispy.
  • I recommend using fruity hardwoods, such as maple, apple, cherry, or pecan. 
  • To store: Keep any leftover duck stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend carving the duck for easier storage.
  • To reheat: Place your duck meat into a baking dish with a small amount of chicken broth or water. Tightly cover it with some aluminum foil and warm it in the oven at 300°F (150°C). 

Nutrition

Calories: 3213kcal (161%) | Carbohydrates: 41g (14%) | Protein: 87g (174%) | Fat: 297g (457%) | Saturated Fat: 100g (625%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 38g | Monounsaturated Fat: 141g | Cholesterol: 575mg (192%) | Sodium: 2805mg (122%) | Potassium: 1658mg (47%) | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 39g (43%) | Vitamin A: 1271IU (25%) | Vitamin C: 21mg (25%) | Calcium: 116mg (12%) | Iron: 18mg (100%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Dinner Recipes, Game Meat Recipes, Main Course, Smoked Meats
Cuisine American
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    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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  1. Čikara Drazenko says

    January 17, 2024 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    Savrsen odnos .mislim da uz med i javorov sirup ide 30g maslaca
    "A perfect relationship. I think 30g of butter goes with honey and maple syrup."

    Reply

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Hi there, I'm Angela

I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, cook, baker, and total foodie. I love sharing new, fun, creative recipes and great classic recipes, just like my Grandma used to make! Every recipe on BIWL is tested to ensure that cooks of any experience level can succeed.

Welcome to Bake It With Love. Enjoy!

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