Duck is a poultry type that is commonly found in the United States. It is pricey because its meat is very flavorful.
Ducks are related to geese and are larger than chicken with more breast meat, while its flavor is much more decadent than the chicken.
There are many ways to cook a duck, if you have never made a duck, now is the right time to try because the air fryer is here to help you as it makes crispy and juicy duck in no time.
So, be with me till the end to know everything about air fryer duck, which would help you to get started with this recipe.
Why Should You Make Duck In The Air Fryer?
I know there are many ways to cook duck, but the reason to make duck in the air fryer is that air fryer duck is delicious.
As you all are aware that duck is a versatile protein and can be cooked in many ways, but an air fryer is one of the best ways to cook it because it makes the duck’s outer crust crispy while keeping its interior juicy and tender.
All in all, an air fryer is a new, exciting way to cook a duck, and believe me you won’t be disappointed.
Ingredients
- Duck – The size of the duck depends upon your air fryer, usually the air fryer basket can take 2 to 4-pound of duck. But, if you own an air fryer oven, you can make a larger duck.
- Salt & Pepper – It adds flavor to the duck.
- Chopped Garlic – Garlic brings a very nice aroma to the duck.
- Olive Oil – It helps to roast up the duck in the air fryer.
- Lemon – Lemon tastes great with duck meat as it brings the citrus flavor.
Instructions
- Step 1- Prepare your duck by first, taking a small bowl and adding salt, pepper, chopped garlic, and lemon in it then mixing them well.
- Step 2- Now rub the prepared mixture over the duck.
- Step 3- Then place the duck in the air fryer and let it cook for 40-50 minutes at 400° F or until the internal temperature of the duck reaches 170 °F.
- Step 4- Once the duck is done, take it out and let it rest for 4-5 minutes.
- Step 5- Serve and enjoy!
For a visual representation, here’s how you can make duck in the air fryer:
Notes
The cooking time of fresh and frozen duck will be different and after air frying duck a few times, I have come to the conclusion that thawed duck roasts better in an air fryer than a fresh duck, but you have to make sure that it is internal temperature reaches 170 °F for properly cooked.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 1440 |
| Fat | 141g |
| Cholesterol | 259 mg |
| Sodium | 796 mg |
| Potassium | 725 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 1g |
| Protein | 39g |
| Iron | 8 mg |
What Sauces Can Be Served With Duck?
When it comes to serving a duck, the options are endless as many different sauces can be served with it from simple red wine sauce to a five-spice sauce.
You can have many dip sauces made from fruits such as orange, cranberry, raspberry, or plum, they pair perfectly with duck. You can also use the packet that comes with store-bought duck, but you never know how it would taste. I didn’t taste it either.
However, cranberry sauce is famous among all as it goes very well with duck. So, here is its simple recipe for you to try!
Instructions
Put a pan on a stove and add ¼ cup of water in it with fresh cranberries, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, grated ginger (1-2 teaspoons), ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground spices, 2 tablespoons of soya sauce.
Now let the water boil and the cranberries release their juices while you stir in between. This would take around 5 minutes.
Then zest 1 orange with juice and let it cook until it begins to thicken, it would also take 3-4 minutes. When it’s done, turn off the stove and transfer this mixture into a blender cup to make it a smooth texture.
How To Reheat The Duck?
The best way to reheat the duck is by separating the duck pieces after cooking it as a whole because in this way, at the time of reheating, you can control the reheating time of each piece.
The reason to separate the pieces of duck is that the leg piece of duck can handle a long reheat time, but the breast piece gets dried out.
To reheat a duck, use aluminum foil or a pan with a silicone cover if you don’t prefer using foil, you can either steam it to lock its moisture or use an air fryer oven at a low temperature until it is thoroughly warmed.
How To Pierce The Duck Skin?
Piercing the duck is a very important part before roasting it in an air fryer as ducks have a lot of fat between their skin and meat which everyone wants to render during the cooking process.
Cutting the excess fats from the duck results in crisper skin, but you need to be very careful while doing this process because if you accidentally cut too deep in the meat, the duck will dry out in the cooking process.
So, the easiest way to pierce the duck is by using sharp kitchen scissors. All you have to do is pull up the skin and snip it in, this way it won’t touch the meat part, and it is a much easier and quicker process than using a knife.
Also, if you feel that there are any prickly parts of feathers in the duck, just hold it firmly with your hands and pull it out. This usually happens when the duck isn’t well plucked, which is common in low-cost or wild ducks.
What Is the Taste of Duck?
My family’s duck aficionados will claim it tastes like a turkey, but with more black flesh. Duck is merely one of those delectable meats that are an excellent substitute for chicken; you must try it for yourself.
Duck, it turns out, tastes more like a superb piece of roast than chicken. Challandais sauce is made from roasted duck. The additional flavoring enhances the exquisitely sweet flavor.
What Sauces Go Well With Duck?
If you like our Air Fryer Lamb Chops, you’ll appreciate the spice we used for this recipe. You can experiment with different flavors by using orange sauce, plum sauce, or even your favorite wing sauce.
There are numerous sauces to choose from when serving duck. You can choose a classic, such as orange sauce, or something more distinctive, such as berry sauce. Plum sauce, hoisin sauce, and even honey are common alternatives. Duck is a versatile meat that may be prepared in a variety of ways.
Conclusion
In summary, I’d conclude
- Duck is a versatile protein that can be cooked in many ways in the air fryer as it tastes simply delicious
- The cooking time of fresh and frozen duck is different, which may also vary with the model and size of your air fryer.
- The duck is considered cooked when its internal temperature reaches 170° F.
- You have to be very careful while piercing the skin of the duck as it shouldn’t touch the meat or else the duck will dry out in the cooking process.