Roasting a whole duck might seem intimidating, but this Thai roasted duck recipe makes it simple! With just a few ingredients, you can create a flavorful duck for any occasion.
Use your roasted duck in Thai roasted duck curry with pineapple, Ba Mee Moo Dang, Khao Moo Dang, Thai wonton soup, fried rice, or noodle stir fry.
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What is Thai Roasted Duck?
Thai-roasted whole duck is a tasty dish made by seasoning the duck with just salt, pepper, and fragrant Thai herbs and roasting it until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender. Its simple yet rich flavors let the duck's natural taste shine, making it a great choice for special occasions or impressing guests!
There are many roasted duck recipes in Thai cuisine, often inspired by Chinese cooking, and they are usually served with other dishes or in soups and curries.
In Thailand, especially at Thai-Chinese restaurants, you can find various roasted duck dishes like Peking duck and Cantonese roast duck. On the streets, you'll see red ducks hanging from carts, similar to a popular red pork dish.
This recipe is my unique spin on roasted duck. It uses just a few ingredients to create delicious Thai flavors. It’s versatile enough to be used in soups, curries, and stir-fries, similar to roasting a chicken for salads or other meals.
Why You’ll Love This
- Use it in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries!
- This easy recipe always gives you tasty results. The duck has crispy skin and juicy meat packed with Thai flavors.
- You can serve it as a main dish or use leftovers in other meals, making it a flexible option!
- This dish will impress everyone, whether it’s a holiday, a special occasion, or a family dinner.
Ingredients for Thai Roasted Duck
- Whole duck: Use either frozen or fresh duck.
- Salt: Important for seasoning and bringing out the duck’s natural flavor.
- Ground black pepper: Adds a touch of warmth and depth to the flavor profile.
- Cilantro stems or roots add a distinctly aromatic flavor that complements the duck and gives it its special Thai flavor.
- Lemongrass: Adds a citrusy note as well as removing some of the gamey smell from the duck.
- Shallot: Offers a mild sweetness and subtle onion flavor, perfect for stuffing the cavity of the duck.
- Green Onions: Brings a fresh aroma and a hint of sharpness, enhancing the overall dish.
- Oil: A light coating of avocado, vegetable, or canola oil helps make the skin crispy and tasty and gives it a beautiful roasted look. Skip sesame or olive oil for this recipe.
How to Roast a Whole Duck
Learn how to roast a duck with these easy instructions and step-by-step photos!
Step 1: Prepare the duck. Take the duck out of its packaging and remove the gizzards. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the duck, including inside it. Rub it well and rinse with cold water. Dry the duck with paper towels to help make the skin crispy.
Step 2: Stuff with herbs. For extra flavor while the duck cooks, stuff lemongrass, cilantro stems, shallots, and green onions inside the cavity.
Step 3: Season the duck. Rub more salt and pepper on the outside and inside of the duck. If the skin looks dry, brush a little oil on it. Cover the tips of the wings with aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
Step 4: Roasting. Place the duck breast-side up on a roasting rack on a baking sheet and put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Place the duck in the center of the oven and roast for about 30 minutes for every pound of duck. Mine was a 4.5-pound duck, so the roasting time was about 2.5 hours.
Step 5: Rotate the duck. Halfway through cooking, carefully turn the duck so the breast side is down. Use oven mitts to help with this.
Step 6: Broil for crispiness. Switch the oven temperature to broil in the last 5-8 minutes. The high heat makes the skin crispy! Watch it closely to avoid burning. Once golden brown, turn off the oven and let the duck rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Save the excess fat at the bottom of the pan for later use. See tips below.
Serving: Use a sharp knife to slice the duck and arrange the breast, duck legs, and wings on a platter. Serve while the duck skin is still crispy. Enjoy it as a dish with a dipping sauce, or use it in soups, curries, or stir-fries. Don’t discard the extra fat; it can be useful too!
How to Serve
Enjoy your roasted Thai duck with steamed jasmine rice and a vegetable side dish like Pak Boong Fai Dang. You can also serve it with Thai red curry sauce or sweet chili sauce for extra flavor.
For a nice touch, garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro. Use your roasted duck breasts in Gaeng Phed Ped Yang.
Dipping Sauces for Roasted Duck
Here are two of my favorite dipping sauces for roasted duck.
Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce
This is my all-time favorite! It features a delightful Isaan and Thai twist, packed with spicy, tangy, and savory goodness from chilis, garlic, shallot, lime juice, and fish sauce.
Sweet Hoison Dipping Sauce
This one brings in classic Chinese flavors! It’s a sweet and slightly tangy blend of hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or toasted rice powder. Enjoy!
Tips for a Crispy Duck
- Save the duck fat that drips in the pan! It’s great for cooking stir-fries, eggs, meats, or veggies. Duck fat is tasty and nutritious, so don’t waste it!
- Use your roasted duck like you would with a roast chicken. Use the
- Use the duck neck, liver, and other parts with herbs for more flavor and tenderness. It’s a great way to avoid food waste!
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check if your duck is cooked. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh should be 165 degrees F.
- If using frozen duck, thaw it completely before cooking.
- Dry the duck well by patting it down; this helps the skin get crispy.
- Let the duck rest for 10-15 minutes before carving to keep the juices in. Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
- You can keep leftover duck in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, roast it in the oven at 300°F for 15 minutes or until the skin puffs up.
- Using these recipes, save the duck bones and carcasses to make tasty and nutritious homemade broth.
- You can also freeze the meat for up to 2 months—wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn.
More Thai Recipes You'll Love
Frequently Asked Questions
Check your Asian and regular grocery stores. They are typically sold in the frozen section.
Yes! Duck is often used in Thai dishes, especially in curries, salads, and roasted recipes.
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Thai Roasted Duck
- Total Time: 2.5 hours
- Yield: 6 people 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Roasting a whole duck might seem intimidating, but this Thai-flavored roasted whole duck recipe makes it simple! You can create a flavorful duck for any occasion with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds whole duck. Use either frozen or fresh duck.
- ¼ cup salt. Save 1 tablespoon for roasting; the rest is used to wash and clean the raw duck. ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Add more, if preferred, a little more heat.
- 1 ounces or a large handful of cilantro stems or roots. Cut them into 6-inch pieces.
- 2 lemongrass stalks, chop into 6-inch pieces, smash before stuffing to release oils.
- 2-ounce shallot sliced long and large, ⅓ inch wide.
- 4 sprigs of green onions, sliced into 6-inch pieces.
- Oil. A light coating of avocado, vegetable, or canola oil helps make the skin crispy and gives a beautiful roasted look. Skip sesame or olive oil for this recipe.
Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce
- 1-10 fresh Thai chilis, finely chopped. Use green, red, or spicy chili peppers and adjust for your spice level.
- ¼ cup shallot, chopped small
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped small
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions for the spicy sauce: Mix everything into small pieces in a sauce bowl. Adjust to taste with more lime, fish sauce, sugar, or water.
Sweet Hoison Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup Hoison sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar. (Apple cider or regular vinegar works)
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds or rice powder for the crunch. Or use both!
Instructions for the Hoison sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a sauce bowl. Adjust to taste with more water or vinegar.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the duck. Remove the duck from its packaging and remove the gizzards. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the duck, including inside it. Rub it well and rinse with cold water. Dry the duck with paper towels to help make the skin crispy.
Step 2: Stuff with herbs. For extra flavor while the duck cooks, stuff lemongrass, cilantro stems, shallots, and green onions inside the cavity.
Step 3: Season the duck. Rub more salt and pepper on the outside and inside of the duck. If the skin looks dry, brush a little oil on it. Cover the tips of the wings with aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
Step 4: Roasting. Place the duck breast-side up on a roasting rack on a baking sheet and put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Place the duck in the center of the oven and roast for 30 minutes for every pound of duck. Mine was a 4.5-pound duck, so the roasting time was about 2.5 hours.
Step 5: Rotate the duck. Halfway through cooking, carefully turn the duck so the breast side is down. Use oven mitts to help with this.
Step 6: Broil for crispiness. Switch the oven temperature to broil in the last 5-8 minutes. The high heat makes the skin crispy! Watch it closely to avoid burning. Once golden brown, turn off the oven and let the duck rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Save the excess fat at the bottom of the pan for later use. See tips below.
Serving: Use a sharp knife to slice the duck and arrange the breast, duck legs, and wings on a platter. Serve while the duck skin is still crispy. Enjoy it as a dish with a dipping sauce, or use it in soups, curries, or stir-fries. Don’t discard the extra fat; it can be useful too!
Notes
- Save the duck fat that drips in the pan! It’s great for cooking stir-fries, eggs, meats, or veggies. Duck fat is tasty and nutritious, so don’t waste it!
- Use your roasted duck like you would with a roast chicken.
- Use the duck neck, liver, and other parts with herbs for more flavor and tenderness. It’s a great way to avoid food waste!
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check if your duck is cooked. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh should be 165 degrees F.
- If using frozen duck, thaw it completely before cooking.
- Dry the duck well by patting it down; this helps the skin get crispy.
- Let the duck rest for 10-15 minutes before carving to keep the juices in. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 2.5 hours
- Category: Holidays
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: Thai
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Pairing
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