Expert: Keith Patton - 12/18/2008

Question
how long do I need to smoke a whole duck in an electric smoker.  any sugestions on preparing it also

Answer
Gil:

Store bought duck presents a problem.  Any fowl processed in a poultry plant probably has salmonella in it.  This is the food poisoning bacteria. I worked in such a plant as a teenager and can attest it is everywhere.  We got rashes under watch bands etc any where the water the fowl were packed in got on you and stayed for any length of time.  This stuff digs in deep.  I had a spot under my watch band that would break out if it got and stayed wet for any length of time...years after I stopped working there.  The little microbes just set up housekeeping in my skin and waited for the right conditions to flourish.

Anyway.  I would cold smoke it in your smoker.  That is I would add the degree of smokiness at low temperature in the smoker, then cook the duck in the oven to ensure doneness.  You can get away with poultry cooked to 165F which is what the FDA recommends, you could probably go as low as 150-155 if you want it to be juicy.

Smoke the bird in your smoker at a low temp and lots of smoke, turning it a couple of times.

Store bought ducks are quite fatty so you will need a drip pan.

You can then roast it per any recipe.  I would have a meat thermometer to cook to temperature, not to time and temp as so many recipes tell you.  No two ovens cook the same.

If the bird starts to brown too much on top, place a piece of foil over it, you can always brown it up just before you take it out.

I would serve with a sauce.  Try boiling some fresh cranberries with sugar and water till they pop and the sauce reduces. Adjust the sugar so the sauce isn't so tart.  Rasberry preserves with a bit of lemon juice and water added makes another good sauce for duck.

Keith