Smoked Whole Duck with Orange Maple Glaze
This Smoked Duck with Orange Maple Glaze is perfect for a show-stopping dinner. The duck is first dry brined, then rubbed with flavorful spices and smoked to perfection, then topped off with a delicious orange and maple glaze. The result is incredibly juicy duck meat with an amazing smoke flavor that will have your guests begging for seconds.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 995kcal
Equipment
- Pellet grill
Ingredients
- 5-6 pound whole duck
- 1 whole orange quartered
- 1 whole onion quartered
- 6 whole garlic cloves
For the dry brine
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
For the dry rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the orange glaze
- 1 cup orange juice
- ½ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Remove the neck and giblets inside the internal cavity of the duck, and rinse inside and out with cold water. Place the duck on a baking sheet and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Combine ¼ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, ½ tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary in a small bowl.
- Apply the dry brine evenly over the entire surface of the duck. Make sure to get it in all the nooks and crannies. Place the duck, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. The longer it brines, the more moisture will be removed from the skin. Before smoking, rinse the duck under cold water to remove the brine and pat it dry.
- Use the tip of a knife or sharp fork to gently prick the skin of the duck. Be careful not to pierce into the meat itself; just the skin and the fat layer. Do this over the entire surface of the duck. Duck skin is very fatty and pricking helps to render out the fat, leading to crispier skin.
- Place 1 whole orange, the quartered onion, and 6 whole garlic cloves inside the cavity of the duck.
- Make the dry rub by combining 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Generously sprinkle the dry rub over the entire duck. Again, make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Let the duck sit with the rub at room temperature for an hour before smoking.
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F.
- Place the duck directly on the grill grates, breast side up. Place a pan underneath the grill grates to catch the rendered fat if you like. Smoke for about 1½ hours until the internal temperature of the duck in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 145 degrees F.
- When the internal temperature of the duck starts to near 145℉, prepare the glaze. Mix 1 cup orange juice, ½ cup honey, 4 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoon grated ginger, and 4 cloves minced garlic in a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer over medium heat, then simmer, uncovered, until ready to use. Set aside half of the glaze for serving.
- Brush the glaze over the duck and again 30 minutes later to add an extra layer of flavor.
- Turn the smoker to 300℉, and continue to smoke the duck until it reaches 165℉ in the thickest part of the breast. This will take 15-20 minutes. This step will also crisp up the skin.
- Once the duck reaches 165℉, remove it from the grill, brush with glaze again, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with extra glaze on the side.
- If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking the duck. Cook by temperature, not by time.
- Resist the urge to open the grill lid frequently.
Nutrition
Calories: 995kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 1359IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 6mg
