Juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked. Air Fryer Duck might sound a bit peculiar, but the results speak for themselves. Served with all the classic accompaniments, from Danish caramelized potatoes to a rich duck sauce, it doesn’t get much better. Read on to see how easy it is to make a whole duck in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Christmas Dinner
We’re already looking at Christmas food and, most importantly, preparing for St. Martin’s Day. That means, of course, duck, caramelized potatoes, red cabbage, and a perfect sauce!
The air fryer is here to stay, and this year I decided to try “wedging” a whole duck into it. It succeeded fully, and the result was so good that I simply have to share the recipe with you. Firstly, there are limitations on the size of the duck; in our air fryer (Cosori Dual Blaze), the maximum is 3 kg! Beyond that, it gets a bit tricky with space.
But it worked! And I must say it’s probably one of the better ducks I’ve made. And as the headline suggests, you almost get into the Christmas spirit when the aroma of duck spreads throughout the house. Christmas is just around the corner, soon it will be all about Christmas presents, decorating, and generally enjoying everything from Æbleskiver to the annual tradition of getting the Christmas tree with my mom and dad.
If you don’t have an air fryer with the capacity to handle a whole duck, there are plenty of alternatives. Duck breast roast, duck breast, or duck legs. So, there are a few options when St. Martin’s Day and Christmas need to be celebrated.
Ingredient notes
Duck – In this case, a 3 kg duck. It fits perfectly in the drawer if you place it diagonally.
Oil – I rub the duck with a bit of oil to bind salt and pepper.
Apples & Prunes – The classic filling.
Salt & Pepper – A duck can take quite a bit of salt and pepper; you shouldn’t overdo it. I distribute it inside and outside the duck.
Water – Water should be added to the bottom of the air fryer. Otherwise, it will get smoky in the kitchen. And the broth it forms together with the fat and juice from the duck provides the base for the best duck sauce.
How to make Air Fryer Duck?
Here’s a brief description of how to cook a whole duck in your air fryer. There’s a bit of preparation involved in getting the duck ready.
Place the prepared and stuffed duck in the air fryer drawer, with water added to the bottom beforehand. Cook the duck for about 2 hours, then increase the temperature to give the duck its final color.
Once the desired core temperature is reached, take the duck out and let it rest uncovered for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce, and skim the fat from the drippings, adding water as needed.
In a pot, melt butter and sauté the flour. Whisk in the drippings and cream until the desired consistency is reached. Then add the rest of the sauce ingredients, including coloring, and season with salt and pepper.
Slice the duck and serve it with the sauce, caramelized potatoes, and red cabbage.
Find the full recipe further down this page.
Frequently asked questions
The core temperature should be 75 degrees Celsius at the leg.
No, you can skip the roux and thicken the sauce with a mixture of water and cornstarch.
Other Air Fryer recipes you might like
- Air fryer baked potatoes
- Air fryer stuffed chicken breast
- Air fryer Italian vegetables
- Air fryer asparagus with puff pastry
- Air fryer top sirloin cap roast
Tips and tricks for the recipe
- Brush the duck with drippings and fat from the bottom a couple of times during cooking.
- Try a different filling. It could be quinces and/or fresh herbs.
- Monitor the core temperature regularly; there is a significant difference in how various air fryers heat, so cooking times can vary.
Serving suggestions
- We prefer to serve duck with all the classic Danish accompaniments: red cabbage, caramelized potatoes, boiled potatoes, plenty of sauce, and old-fashioned white cabbage. While the duck rests, you can actually make your caramelized potatoes in the air fryer.
Do you love cooking in your air fryer?
Then you must try our recipe for Air fryer whole chicken
Recipe for Air Fryer Roast Duck
Here is our recipe for how you can make a whole duck in your air fryer. Served with all the delicious classic accompaniments for St. Martin’s Day or Christmas, it doesn’t get much easier or better.
It’s easy to just throw the duck in the air fryer, especially if you’re roasting a pork roast or other food in the oven, so there’s not enough space for the duck.
Air Fryer Duck
Ingredients
- 3 kg duck
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 apples
- 10 prunes
- 3 tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
- 7 dl warm water
Duck Sauce:
- 50 g butter
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 7.5 dl drippings dilute it with water after skimming off the fat
- 1 dl heavy cream
- 1 tbsp concentrated duck stock
- 1 tbsp red currant jelly or to taste
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp gravy browning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
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Start by preparing the duck. Remove the innards, save the neck and heart. Cut off the tail and discard it. Trim the outer wing joints and save them along with the heart and neck.3 kg duck
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Core and dice the apples to the desired size. Add 2 teaspoons of salt inside the duck and distribute it. Then, place the diced apples and prunes inside the duck and finish by using a meat pin to close it, keeping the filling inside.2 apples, 3 tsp salt, 10 prunes
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Pat the duck completely dry with paper towels and rub it with oil. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper on the outside and set it aside.1 tbsp oil, Pepper
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In the drawer of your air fryer, add 7 dl of water, along with the neck, heart, and wingtips. They will impart flavor to the drippings used later for the sauce. Place the rack in and now position the duck diagonally with the breast side up in the air fryer drawer. – If the neck, heart, and wingtips cannot fit under the rack, place them on top next to the duck.7 dl warm water
- Now, place the drawer in your air fryer and turn it on the air fryer function set to 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit). The duck should cook for 1 hour and 50 minutes. It can be basted with fat from the bottom of the drawer a couple of times during the process.
- When the time is up, increase the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit), and the duck is cooked until it is golden and crispy. – The core temperature should be 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit) at the leg, and there should be no red juice when pierced.
- When the duck is done, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest uncovered before carving and serving. – Remember to skim the fat from the drippings, which can be used for the sauce.
Sauce
- While the duck is resting, make the sauce. Pour the drippings through a sieve into a bowl, skim off the fat, and dilute the remaining drippings with water until you have 7.5 dl, then set it aside.
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In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and sauté for a few minutes, stirring. Gradually add the cream and drippings while whisking to avoid lumps.50 g butter, 40 g all-purpose flour, 1 dl heavy cream, 7.5 dl drippings
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Once all the drippings and cream are incorporated, add red currant jelly, red wine vinegar, browning, and concentrated duck stock. Heat the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 tbsp concentrated duck stock, 1 tbsp red currant jelly, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp gravy browning, Salt, Pepper
- Slice the duck and serve it with the sauce and all the traditional accompaniments.
Nutrition
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