Buying and lighting calculator · Poultry

How much whole duck do I buy and when do I light?

A whole duck is sold fresh or frozen, usually between 2 and 2.5 kg, and it yields far less than it looks: it carries bone, a thick layer of fat under the skin, and loses a good part of the rest as the fat melts and moisture evaporates. That is why we plan 500 g raw per person to get about 200 g of meat on the plate, within the USDA range of one to one and a half pounds per guest. In the kamado, indirect heat at 180 °C with a pan underneath to catch the fat gives crisp skin. Prick the skin before roasting, allow about 60 minutes per kilo, and keep the fat that renders: it is wonderful for potatoes.

How to ask for it

For 4 people: Ask for a whole duck, giblets out, 2.4 kg in total; each one 2 to 2.5 kg, and prick the skin before roasting so the fat can render.

A whole duck loses about 60 % to bone, melted fat and moisture: 500 g raw gives about 200 g of meat on the plate. 74 °C in the breast and 82 °C where the leg meets the thigh.

How we calculate it

We start from a reasonable cooked portion (about 200 g of meat on the plate, 170 g of cleaned fish) and convert it to raw weight using each cut's bone and trim loss. "Hungry" adds 25 %. We round up to what is actually sold: quarter kilos, whole pieces, units.

To the cook time (per kilo or per piece, at each method's temperature) we add the kamado's lighting and stabilising (20-45 min depending on the method, as on the recipe pages), the rest, and a margin for long cooks, which vary from one piece to the next. Times are approximate: your kamado, the wind and the charcoal decide; on big cuts, trust the probe.

Frequently asked questions

How much duck per person?

For a whole duck, about 500 g raw per person leaves about 200 g of meat on the plate. The USDA recommends one to one and a half pounds (450 to 680 g) raw weight per person, and a professional recipe for a 2.5 kg duck gives four portions. A 2.4 kg duck covers four people, or five with generous sides.

How long does a 2.4 kg duck take in the kamado?

At 180 °C indirect, allow about 60 minutes per kilo: a 2.4 kg duck takes around 2 h 25 min. Producers give between 40 and 60 minutes per kilo depending on oven temperature, and the USDA gives 30 to 35 minutes per pound at 175 °C. Trust the probe: 74 °C in the breast and 82 °C where the leg joins the thigh.

How do I get crisp duck skin?

Dry the skin well with kitchen paper, salt it, and prick it without reaching the meat so the fat can escape. Set the duck on a rack with a pan underneath, indirect, and collect the fat that builds up. Leaving it uncovered in the fridge for a few hours beforehand also helps the skin dry out and brown.

Other Poultry cuts

← All cuts

Approximate figures. Sources and the portion rule are in "How we calculate it".