Little cold out here in Colorado today, so I figured instead of low and slow I would drag the Weber Beast out and do a crispy duck with smoke!

The Weber Kettle is an amazing tool for producing excellent foods. But many people fail to realize it is an oven, that unlike you indoor oven, can have smoke chips put in it to enhance a roasted meal like never before. Now I am not talking about the wet tender type meat of the low and slow smokers, I am talking crispy skin just like momma's oven roasted chicken, but with that ever sought after hint of mesquite in it! And so I drag out to the barbeque area to see if the BEAST is ready for some cooking.

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Load her up with the fuels that she will require to perform the duck roasting. And fire off the coal.

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I start to fabricate the duck while the coal comes up to heat. This is a peking duck which is an excellent roasting variety. But they need work to look good on the grill. To many people fail to truss up their birds. End up with something that looks like a bird that went through a smokey fire and then hit a windshield. Or if they laid it on its back in a low and slow, it ends up looking like a hooker ready for business. Niether of which offer the look at the table you should want for all the work you put into preparing it, take the time to truss it so it looks good on the table.

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To enhance the natural taste of the duck, I want earthy items. In this case I am using oranges, raisins, onions, and figs. Along with a little garlic, salt and pepper.

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All this goes inside to baste the bird in earthy flavors from the inside while the outside is roast to a nice crispy finish. A word on the internal basting, if you are going to do an aeromatic stuff, please remember to pierce the membrane inside the body cavity of the poultry or fowl you are working with at the time. I have watched so many people stuff a bird with aeromatics and never pierce the membrane. While I am sure the fire pit and grease trap love them, the bird gets about nothing from it if you don't get in there and pierce some holes with a fork or knife. Just a hint, but a big one for flavorful meat.

About all filled up.

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Once you have salted, peppered and stuffed your aeromatics in, you can start to truss the victim up.

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Couple of half hitches to hold those wings against the body, and a few on the thighs and legs ends will do. You are tying tight against the body so these parts don't burn up during the roasting process. Once complete it is time to get back to the fire.

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Those of you used to using a kettle will understand what I am doing. For those who are newer to it. I am heating from one side of the kettle and roasting the bird on the opposite. Under the bird is the mesquite for the smoke. When the lid goes down the coal will start the mesquite smoking, the juice and fats from the bird will keep it moist enough that it will smoke and not flare up into fire. At first I keep the exit port on my weber kettle's lid above the coals. This allows the bird to expel moisture down onto the mesquite pieces, after 30 minutes I will change the lid port to be directly over the duck. This will bring the temperature around the duck close to 375 F giving me that crispy skin that only a duck can produce!

After one and a half hours the duck starts to take on the look of fine roasted dinner.

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For side dishes I am doing cranberry, corn, and cornbread stuffing. Pretty simple but a nice quick meal with the smoke and using the weber kettle as the oven.

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Off the Weber and onto the plate. This duck is ready to be sliced and eaten.

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And this was dinner tonight.

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'til we talk again, explore that kettle, they are just a big outdoor oven. And the can cook just as fast as an indoor oven if you want them too.

My goodness Bob. Not a fan of waterfowl, but that looks amazing. poi-nts
I love the Weber kettle. I have 2 of them.

poi-nts from me too..... :thumb:



Weber Kettle's (IMHO) are probably the most versatile outdoor cooking tool ever made. They can pretty much do it all...... Thanks for the great post, pics & also reminding me/us of the greatness of the Weber Kettle... :thumb:

Bob great looking duck Looked like an awfully white meat for duck.what kind was it.?thanks for the info on the lids I've been cooking with my 2 webber kettles my whole life and never knew that.thanks .well deserved points nice postpoi-nts:hail::cool:

That is a great lesson on the weber. I havn't had duck in 30 yrs makes me want to try one. Great pics also.

My goodness Bob. Not a fan of waterfowl, but that looks amazing. poi-nts
I love the Weber kettle. I have 2 of them.

Neither am I of Duck, Geese, Wild Fowl...(Chicken OK)... But that presentation looked out of this world..Thanks!! :thumb:

Please don't beat me up about the dislikes....just something about my childhood!!:noidea::noidea:

Please don't beat me up about the dislikes....just something about my childhood!!:noidea::noidea:

I don't beat anyone up, I only eat what I like as well.

poi-nts Dude that rocks, thats the best looking Water bird(lol) I've seen lately

poi-nts Dude that rocks, thats the best looking Water bird(lol) I've seen lately

whathe said, and poi-nts from the capt. Too!

I think people mistake the wild hunted duck with the much more delicious domestic duck. Save the FAT. Nice work Bob, but you already know that hehe.

Bob, thank you for another fantastic post!
First for reminding us about that great weber we all own.. (ok my new one) but really, the tutorial on puncturing the membrane inside the duck... thank you for sharing a wee bit of your vast knowledge, I look so forward to learning something from you every time you post. Thanks for taking the time. You know I am waiting for the next post..... I can't wait for that.... :hail: :hail:

Dang nice job, Bob. As usual. I've only had duck once, and I have a feeling the preparer ws not as well versed as you. It pretty much sucked. Guess it's time to give 'er a run myself. Thanks for the direction on this fine lookin' meal :{)

Dang nice job, Bob. As usual. I've only had duck once, and I have a feeling the preparer ws not as well versed as you. It pretty much sucked. Guess it's time to give 'er a run myself. Thanks for the direction on this fine lookin' meal :{)

Seriously, Rich? only once? Its delcious, bummer you had a bad experiance.. I bet that Bob makes the best duck you will even have!

I think people mistake the wild hunted duck with the much more delicious domestic duck.
yep wild ducks are small, tough and lean.

farmed ducks are large, moist and fatty.
We eat duck fairly regularly - had some wild ducks for the first time this year - not doing it again :-)

That duck looks spot on bob.
Nice selection of 'stuffing' too :-)

bbally Hell of a fine job on the duck! We raised a few pekins a couple years ago along with some muscovys and saxonys, all very good eating birds with a ton of fat.

Your kettle looks like its in great shape for its age. Is that a 26"er? I havent found an old 26" kettle to add to my collection but someday I will. Thanks for making me so hungry. Now where is duck hideing?

Looks great bbally. My UDS has no problem hitting oven temps, I might have to throw a duck in there and see how it comes out.

Nice job on the duck Bob! I don't think I've ever attempted cooking a domestic duck before. The only acceptable way I've found for wild duck is to remove the breast meat and cut into cubes, wrap with bacon and skewer. Cook skewered duck over direct coals until bacon is crisp and the serve.

Yes, the Weber is a great tool. I have the original "83" One Touch model. The One Touch blades have long ago disintegrated but the thing still rocks!

Yes it is a 26er. Gift from a lady who attended a catering I was doing that had never used it after writing a cookbook for them.

Best thing I found for wild duck it to slice it and make jerky with it. Terriyaki jerky is what I found works well. I only shoot mallards now.

If you want to try domestic duck, find the maple leaf farms duck at Wal-Mart. They have the best price on them I have found. It will either be a peking or a muscovy, both will cook well as Wutang states!

think we mostly eat aylesbury ducks. Dunno if that's the breed name or just the area they come from :noidea: big meaty things, very very tasty.

Got an idiot proof orange sauce recipe round somewhere, I'll have to dig it up.

I was going to smoke one before christmas - but never got round to it.

Sure would like to get my hands on a breeding pair of aylseburys.

http://www.aylesburyducks.co.uk/

I imagine the eggs are as good as a pekin's are.

Thanks for the great post and tutorial Bob. Bet it tasted great also!:thumb:

I'm another one that's not fond of waterfowl, but I sure had my eye on that one! Great looking bird, Bob.:hail:

Top Notch Bob.Just a fantastic job you did on the entire post and that Duck looks just delicious......poi-nts