John Myers
If you want to prepare a duck in the oven, the cooking time is of course very important. This depends mainly on the temperature and the weight of the ducks.
Recommended temperature
The ideal cooking time for the duck in the oven is only possible if you set the right temperature. To ensure that the duck is cooked, regardless of its size, the oven must not be set too low. The following temperatures are ideal:
- Factory Farmed Ducks: 160°C
- Free-range ducks: 140°C
The difference between the temperatures comes from the fat content of the ducks. Because ducks that are kept in the wild or shot have less fat, which means that lower temperatures are required for roasting. Specimens from factory farming such as Peking or Musk ducks, on the other hand, are bred for fat and therefore have to be roasted at 160°C. It should be noted that you should increase the oven temperature again if you prefer a crispy duck skin:
- 15 minutes before the end
- Remove cover (if used).
- Increase the oven to 200°C to 250°C
- The grill or convection function is ideal
Note: Using a lid will not affect temperatures if you are using a roasting pan. This only affects the aroma.
Cooking time duck: table
How long a duck needs to be in the oven is one of the most important questions when preparing it. If they are too short in the oven, they will not cook and in most cases, the skin will be too soft and will not form a tasty crust. On the other hand, if it is fried for too long, it often burns or becomes dry. You should plan a cooking time of 70 minutes per kilogram of duck. To give you a better overview of the cooking times, we have prepared a table for you. This includes the cooking times depending on the weight of the ducks with and without stuffing. Stuffed ducks have to be in the oven 10 minutes longer for every kilo:
Weight – Cooking time with filling – Cooking time without filling
- 2 kg – 160 minutes – 140 minutes
- 3 kg – 240 minutes – 210 minutes
- 4 kg – 320 minutes – 280 minutes
- 5 kg – 400 minutes – 350 minutes
Note: If the ducks are free-range, the cooking time is reduced by 10 minutes per kilo. That means a duck weighing 2 kg only has to go in the oven for two hours.
