Juicy & Easy Smoked Duck Breast Recipe
This smoked duck breast recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for beginners, it's a step-by-step guide to juicy, smoky duck with crispy skin, ideal for a special weekend dinner or a fancy weeknight treat. Learn how to easily prepare and smoke duck breast for a gourmet experience at home.
Equipment
- 1 Smoker Electric, charcoal, or gas smoker
- 1 Meat Thermometer Digital thermometer recommended
- 1 Sharp Knife For scoring duck skin
- 1 Mixing Bowl Medium size for spice rub
- 1 Cutting Board For prepping duck breasts
Ingredients
- 2 Duck Breasts skin on
- 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika optional
- as needed Wood Chips applewood, cherry, or pecan
Instructions
- Pat duck breasts dry and score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
- In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika (if using). Mix well.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the duck breasts, including the score marks. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Add wood chips according to smoker instructions.
- Place duck breasts skin-side up on smoker grates. Smoke for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare, or 145°F (63°C) for medium.
- Optional: For crispier skin, increase smoker temperature to 350°F (175°C) for the last 10-15 minutes or sear skin-side down in a hot skillet.
- Remove duck breasts from smoker and let rest for 10 minutes, tented with foil.
- Slice smoked duck breast against the grain and serve immediately.
Notes
For extra crispy skin, ensure duck breasts are patted very dry before seasoning. Scoring the skin deeply but without cutting into the meat is crucial for fat rendering and crispy skin. Resting the duck after smoking is essential for juicy and tender meat.