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Roast calculator

Duck cooking times and calculator

Whether you’re roasting a whole duck, or just cooking a duck breast, this page will tell you how to cook duck perfectly. It tells you how long your duck needs to cook, hints and tips on the best way to cook your roast duck, and some ideas for the best duck recipes around. All you need to do is follow our advice to get the perfect duck dinner!

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Duck
Calculator

What are you cooking?

Choose the cut, add the weight and pick the finish.

Cut of Duck
Weight unit
kg
The slider uses handy steps. Type an exact kilogram weight, such as 0.953kg, for gram-level precision.
Doneness
Practical checks

Duck roasting tips

  • Let the meat come up to room temperature before cooking.
  • Prick the skin of the duck with a toothpick or skewer before cooking and season with salt.
  • For super crispy skin, pour a kettle of boiling water over the duck and then leave to dry for an hour before cooking.
  • Don't forget to rest the meat before carving. This allows the meat to relax and distributes the juices throughout. A general rule of thumb used by chefs for resting meat is 1 minute for every 100g of meat.
Next step

Need the right cut?

Find butchers, farm shops and food suppliers that match the meal you are planning.

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Before serving

Duck cooking time questions.

Use the calculator for planning, then make the final food-safety checks before anyone eats.

How do I use this Duck cooking time calculator safely?

Choose the cut and weight, use the calculated time as a planning guide, then check the thickest part of the meat with a food thermometer before serving.

Can I rely on cooking time alone for Duck?

No. Oven performance, cut shape, starting temperature and stuffing all change the result. Use the time as guidance and confirm doneness with temperature and visual checks.

Should Duck rest before carving?

Yes. Resting helps the meat relax and improves carving. The page tips include practical resting guidance for the selected meat.

Useful kit

Useful roasting kit.

A few practical tools can help you check larger joints accurately and manage the roast with less guesswork.

Wireless leave-in meat thermometer

A Bluetooth probe lets you follow the temperature of a larger beef, lamb or pork joint from your phone while it cooks.

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Fast instant-read thermometer

Useful for a quick final check in the thickest part of meat before resting and serving.

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Heavy-duty roasting tray with rack

A sturdy tray and rack help larger joints cook more evenly and make it easier to collect resting juices.

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Build the meal

Move from a single timing to a complete cooking plan, method guide or supplier search.

Meal planner Build a timed schedule for the main dish, potatoes, sides and resting. BBQ and smoking Outdoor timing ranges, heat zones and thermometer checks. Slow cooking Longer, lower cooking guidance for casseroles, shoulders and stews. Find suppliers Search butchers, meat suppliers and food partners near you.