Grilled duck from the rotisserie: The perfect duck from the rotisserie
A grilled duck on a rotisserie is a delicacy that's easy to create with the right preparation and technique. The rotisserie ensures the duck is cooked perfectly all over, making it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If you follow our tips, your duck is guaranteed to be juicy, flavorful, and with an irresistible crust.
Preparations for the best result
What is important when buying a duck
When buying, pay attention to good quality. Poultry meat should always be fresh, firm, and not have an unpleasant odor. Unbroken skin also indicates high quality. However, the amount of fat beneath the skin varies depending on the type of duck. Weight also varies depending on breed and gender.
Before cooking, you should thoroughly pat your duck dry inside and out, as dry skin ensures a nice crispy finish. You should also remove any giblets beforehand, if any are still present.
A high-quality duck and proper preparation are the foundation for a successful dish. In our shop , you'll find exceptionally high-quality free-range duck , either ready-to-grill without giblets or as a ribeye . Of course, you can also purchase individual cuts, such as breast or leg, from us.
What are the preparation options
There are several ways to prepare a duck . In addition to the classic oven roast, you can also prepare it on a grill with a rotisserie. We have a video for this here . The rotisserie ensures even heat distribution, resulting in a juicy and crispy result. Alternatively, the duck can also be prepared indirectly on a grill (charcoal or gas grill). If you choose this method, we also have a video for roasting a grilled duck here .
How do I prepare my duck
Preparing the duck is crucial for its later flavor and texture. It's always important to bring meat to the right temperature, meaning taking it out of the fridge in good time and bringing it to room temperature. Once you've taken your fresh duck out of the packaging and patted it dry, you should first remove the wing tips, as they burn easily. Don't throw them away, though; set them aside for the sauce. The rump should also be trimmed off. Now you can generously season your duck inside and out to your taste. Salt, pepper, paprika, and mugwort are good choices, but ready-made spice mixes like this goose spice are also suitable. Make sure the skin is evenly coated, but don't overseason. Once you've done that, you can place the duck on the rotisserie and carefully secure it. It's important to ensure it's placed as centrally as possible to ensure even cooking. If the legs or wings don't fit snugly against the body and stick out too much, it's advisable to tie them to the duck, for example, with kitchen twine, to prevent them from burning. Once everything's done, it's time to put it on the grill .
Preparation of the grilled duck
How to make the duck tender and crispy
We prefer to grill our duck using the back burner of the gas grill, also called the rear burner, because this makes the skin nice and crispy. However, if you don't have a back burner but do have a gas grill with a rotisserie, you can also use the indirect heat in the cooking chamber to grill the duck . To do this, it's important to turn off the burners directly below the food and use only the burners on the sides.
To achieve crispy grilled duck , you should start with medium heat. A grill temperature of around 180-200°C is ideal. To avoid wasting duck fat and preventing a grease fire, we recommend placing a drip tray or roasting pan under the duck while grilling. These can also be used to simultaneously cook side dishes, such as peeled, chopped potatoes, which will become extra crispy and flavorful thanks to the duck fat. The duck will be cooked through in about 1.5 to 2 hours. Towards the end of the cooking time, the temperature can be increased briefly to make the duck 's skin even crispier. However, this time can vary depending on the size of the duck . It is best to measure the internal temperature. The meat is tender and juicy when the duck has an internal temperature of around 80°C in the thighs and 64-68°C in the breast. Then your duck is ready and ready to serve. To truly impress your guests, you can carve the duck at the table, right in front of them. If you're still unsure about this, don't worry; in this video, we'll show you the best technique.
We recommend always serving the duck with a suitable sauce and a delicious side dish, such as apple, onion, and radicchio vegetables and baked potatoes.
The right filling
You've probably already noticed that we don't use any stuffing in our instructions. The simple reason for this is that it would negatively affect the crust. A fruit or vegetable filling would leak out liquid, preventing the Maillard reaction on the duck skin, which is responsible for a crispy crust and roasted flavors.
However, stuffing isn't inherently wrong. With roast duck , it not only adds extra flavor but also helps keep the meat juicy . Popular stuffings include apples, oranges, onions, and soup vegetables. Herbs like mugwort or sage also go well. The stuffing shouldn't be packed too tightly, as this could cause the poultry to burst. Alternatively, individual ingredients, such as half an orange or an apple, can be used to create subtle flavors. The right stuffing contributes significantly to the overall experience of roast duck, ensuring a juicy interior and intense flavor.
What do I serve with it
The best side dishes for grilled duck
Traditional side dishes go perfectly with spit-roasted duck . Classics like dumplings and red cabbage are always a good choice and harmonize perfectly with the rich flavor of the duck meat . Potato gratin or Brussels sprouts can also serve as a delicious side dish. For those who prefer something lighter, serve a fresh salad with seasonal vegetables. It's important to match the side dishes to the flavor of the duck . A fruity touch from cranberries or applesauce can further enhance the dish. Our special recommendation is an apple, onion, and radicchio mixture with baked potatoes baked in duck fat. We've provided a video tutorial for this and summarized everything in a recipe below.
How to make the perfect sauce
To round off this delicious holiday dish, you need the perfect sauce. You can use the duck 's trimmings, such as the wing tips and any rendered fat, as a base. Brown everything in a pan to render out the fat and infuse the sauce with a strong duck flavor. For more umami, you can also fry a finely chopped onion. Once the sauce base is well browned, deglaze it with port wine, wine, or chicken stock , let it reduce, and then add water to the contents of the pan. For a fruity variation, you can add orange or cherry juice. Now all you have to do is bring the duck sauce to a boil and then slowly reduce it over low heat. Finally, you can pass it through a sieve and season with salt and spices of your choice. The sauce should enhance the flavor of the duck without overpowering it. This will ensure that the crispy skin and succulent bird come into their own.
Don't have time but still want to enjoy duck for the holidays? No problem! With our roast goose service, you can order not only goose and capon , but also a duck for your Christmas feast. You can order it ready-made or with a guaranteed success for you to crust it yourself. We also prepare side dishes for you. You can find out more about our roast goose service here .
You can find more recipes and lots of knowledge about meat and BBQ on our YouTube channel .
