Emilie Meyer
Cooking a whole duck in an air fryer is a great way to ensure the skin is crispy and the meat is moist and tender. It's also a lot less messy and quicker than roasting in the oven. The only challenge is fitting the duck in the air fryer, but as long as you have a large-capacity model, you can easily cook a 2kg (4.4-pound) bird. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to cook a whole duck in an air fryer, including tips on defrosting, seasoning, and achieving the perfect crispy skin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ease of cooking | Easy to prepare |
| Taste | Tender, juicy, flavorful |
| Skin | Crispy |
| Meat | Dark |
| Internal temperature | 165°F (74°C) to 170°F |
| Resting time | 30 minutes |
| Defrosting time | 24 to 48 hours |
| Cooking time | 45 to 55 minutes |
| Temperature | 300°F |
| Serving size | 3.5-4 ounces |
| Sides | Potatoes, asparagus, sweet potatoes |
| Sauce | Hoisin, orange, plum, wing |
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What You'll Learn
Defrosting and seasoning
If you're starting with a frozen duck, you'll need to defrost it before seasoning. Place the duck in the fridge and allow it to thaw uncovered for a day or up to 48 hours, depending on its size. Leaving the duck uncovered helps the skin dry out, which will make it crisp up better in the air fryer.
Once the duck is thawed, remove the neck and giblets, then rinse the duck and pat it dry with paper towels. You can then season the duck.
There are many seasoning options for your duck. A popular choice is to stuff the duck cavity with quartered orange and apple slices, as well as whole garlic cloves, to add a fresh citrus flavour and natural sweetness to the meat. You can also brush the duck with a mixture of honey and hoisin sauce towards the end of the cooking process to help the skin achieve a nice golden brown colour and a sweet flavour. Alternatively, you can use orange sauce, plum sauce, or your favourite wing sauce. You can also intensify the garlic flavour by adding roasted garlic inside the duck.
After stuffing and brushing the duck with your desired glaze, season the duck with salt and pepper all over, or use other seasonings of your choice. You can also score a diamond pattern on the duck breast before seasoning, being careful to only cut the skin and not the meat.
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Cooking temperature and duration
The cooking temperature and duration for a whole duck in an air fryer will depend on the specific recipe you are following, as well as the size of the duck and the wattage of your air fryer.
If you are cooking a Chinese Crispy Duck, you should preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F for 5 minutes. Then, place the duck legs, skin side up, on a rack or directly in the basket and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and burnished.
For a whole duck, one source recommends cooking at 300°F for 45-55 minutes. The duck should have an internal temperature of 170°F in the thickest part of the duck breast. Once that temperature is reached, let the duck rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
Another source recommends cooking a whole duck at 300°F for 25 minutes, then draining the fat from the bottom of the air fryer basket and poking the skin with toothpicks. Next, brush the duck with a mixture of honey and hoisin sauce and cook for another 20 minutes.
It is important to note that the USDA recommends a safe internal temperature of 165°F for duck. This can be measured by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone.
If your duck is not quite done after the initial cooking time, you can brush it with more glaze and continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until it is done to your liking.
Finally, it is important to let the duck rest after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat. The recommended resting time varies from 5 to 30 minutes.
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Carving and serving
When you are ready to carve the duck, use a sharp knife to remove the legs and cut the breast meat. Be sure to present the duck on a platter or board with your favorite sides. Some side dish ideas include air fryer potatoes, air fryer asparagus, or air fryer sweet potatoes. You can also serve the duck with a bowl of goose fat or duck fat roast potatoes.
If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, simply place the duck back in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes at 200°C/400°F to refresh before serving.
For a special presentation, you can stuff the duck with quartered orange and apple slices, as well as whole garlic cloves. This adds a fresh citrus flavor and natural sweetness to the meat. You can also brush the duck with a sweet and savory honey hoisin sauce during the cooking process to achieve a nice golden brown color and a delicious flavor.
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Crispy skin
To achieve crispy skin on your whole duck, it is important to dry out the skin before cooking. If your duck is frozen, let it thaw in the fridge uncovered for at least 24 hours, and preferably a couple of days, to ensure the skin is dry.
Once the duck is thawed, remove the neck and giblets, then rinse and pat the duck dry with paper towels. Scoring the duck breast in a diamond pattern can also help to achieve crispy skin, but be careful to only cut the skin, not the meat. You can then season the duck with salt and pepper all over, and brush with a glaze, such as honey mixed with hoisin sauce, to help the skin turn a nice golden brown colour.
Place the duck breast side up in the air fryer basket, with the legs secured with foil and the wings folded underneath. Poke the skin with toothpicks and cook for 25 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. After this, drain the fat from the bottom of the air fryer basket and cook for another 20 minutes.
For extra crispy skin, leave the duck uncovered after cooking and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
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Side dishes
There are several side dishes that go well with air-fried duck. Here are some suggestions:
- Goose Fat Roast Potatoes: These can be cooked in the air fryer and can be cooked in duck fat for extra flavour.
- Air Fryer Potatoes: For a quicker option, you can cook potatoes in the air fryer alongside the duck.
- Air Fryer Asparagus: Asparagus cooked in the air fryer is a great, healthy side dish.
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are another tasty option to cook in the air fryer.
- Fried Rice: You can use leftover rice, peas, carrots, and other vegetables, along with shredded duck meat to make a delicious fried rice dish.
- Quesadillas: Shredded duck meat can be used as a filling for quesadillas with cheese, peppers, and onions.
- Sandwiches: Use shredded duck meat to make sandwiches with your favourite bread, cheese, and condiments.
- Chinese Crispy Duck with Pancakes: This is a great sharing dish. Serve crispy duck legs with Hoisin sauce, Chinese pancakes, and vegetables such as spring onions and cucumber.
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Frequently asked questions
Cooking a whole duck in an air fryer takes about an hour, which is much quicker than oven-roasted duck, which can take up to 3 hours.
The recommended temperature for cooking duck in an air fryer is 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes. The duck should have an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the duck breast.
To make the duck skin crispy, pat the duck dry with paper towels before scoring and seasoning it. You can also leave the duck uncovered after cooking to ensure the skin stays crispy.
