Smoking a whole duck?

[kevin_frisch]

For some reason this sounds like a fun thing to try... Or is it a really stupid idea? Would love to hear tips/successes/failures.

A few notes:
- I've fried many a duck breast, and have loved it -- kitchen mess with duck-fat splatter notwithstanding
- I generally don't smoke poultry because with the low fat content it never seems as good of a way to go vs other cooking methods
- I have a pellet smoker, and am somewhat new to smoking (have probably smoked just 40 times or so).

[texastweeter]

Smoked duck is awesome. I want to try a tea smoked duck, but I cant seem to find any camphor/menthol wood that is safe to smoke with and not soaked with chemicals. oh, and that crispy skin... its no good. you can package it up and send it to me for proper disposal.

[ecowper]

I smoked duck for Christmas one year. I bought three, and cooked two, saving the other for after New Year’s.

Really crucial to keep the cooker hot, not run it at 225. You want crispy skin and moist meat. Carving duck is different from chicken/turkey .... the body is different since it is a waterfowl. And there is a layer of fat under the skin. Even though I took the breasts to 165, the pink meat was off putting to some folks.

My family thought it was fun to have a Christmas dinner with Chinese food since we were doing smoked duck. It was a lot of fun.

[HorseDoctor]

That duck looks spectacular!!!

[Henrik]

Very nice looking duck ecowper! I agree with your cooking advice 100%. The skin is (or seems) fattier than chicken, so higher heat is a must to crisp it up. I do smoke duck too, I really like it, but it get a lighter smoker flavor since I cook it at higher temps. Therefore it finishes quicker, which means shorter smoke time. Either way, the flavor is really good. Some people new to duck might ask about the pinkish meat, but I just tell them that this is the way I cook and serve it. I make sure the duck breasts hit an internal temp of 140-143° C (60-62° C), no higher. I've gone up to 149-150° F (65° C) a few times, but then it always ends up a little chewy. Doesn't end up good.

[Henrik]

140 is good. What I meant was: I try to stay below 143 :-)
No, once they tasted it they loved it. And anyone who tries it can taste the 'done-ness'. So far all guests have been happy.

[jwreck26]

How much hotter do you smoke it? 300? Or even higher?

[Henrik]

Yep, that's my "chicken temp". And that's what I use for duck too.

[Troutman]

Looking at your duck dinner at Christmas reminds me of A Christmas Story Chinese dinner........ringel bewl, ringel bewl.....

[ecowper]

That's exactly why the kids wanted to do a Chinese Christmas dinner once we decided we were going to cook duck!

[Troutman]

You know we shop at a large Asian market here in Houston and they have Chinese style roasted (really smoked) duck all the time. They go like hot cakes. I just look at the guy cutting, do a tomahawk chop with my hand, and say "whole duck, cut" and he takes care of the rest. Love roasted/smoked duck.

[EdF]

One of our best Christmas dinners was when my to-be-wife and I decided to go to the Chinese joint. The owner said we must try the deep-fried whole cod they had very fresh. I've never been able to reproduce it in the last 16 years, but Lordy was that good!

[kmhfive]

What a hoot! Good-looking ducks ecowper !