How to Roast a Duck in a Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Cooking a duck in a wood fired pizza oven is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy this rich and flavourful bird. The combination of wood smoke, high heat, and radiant temperatues inside the pizza oven creates perfectly crisp skin and tender, juicy meat. If you’ve been wondering how to roast a duck in your pizza oven, this guide will walk you through everything from preparation to carving.

Why Roast Duck in a Wood Fired Pizza Oven?

Wood fired pizza ovens aren’t just for pizzas, they’re versatile outdoor ovens perfect for roasting meats, baking bread, and slow cooking. Duck is especially well suited because:

• High heat equals crispy skin: The dry heat of the oven helps render duck fat, leaving a thin, golden crust.
• Smoky flavour: Different woods (like oak, apple, or cherry) add subtle smoky notes that pair beautifully with duck.
• Even cooking: The radiant and convection heat of a pizza oven ensures the duck cooks evenly all over.

Preparing the Duck

• Choose your duck: A whole duck (around 2–2.5kg) works best for roasting.
• Dry the skin: Pat the skin dry with paper towels to help it crisp up.
• Blanch the duck: The day before you plan to cook, blanch the duck in boiling water for about 2–3 minutes. This step helps remove excess fat and impurities from the skin, leading to even crispier skin during roasting.
• Season generously: Rub with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs (thyme, rosemary, or sage work well). You can also add orange zest or Chinese five spice for extra flavour.
• Optional stuffing: Fill the cavity with garlic, onion, and citrus fruits to infuse flavour as it roasts.

Firing Up the Pizza Oven

• Preheat your wood fired pizza oven to around 180–200°C (350–400°F).
• Use seasoned hardwood for a steady, long lasting heat. Add a few chunks of fruit woods like cherry or apple to add sweetness that complements duck.
• Once the oven is hot, push the embers to the side and place a tray or roasting pan in the centre of the cooking floor.

Roasting Method

• Roast breast-side up – first 45 minutes. This allows the fat to render from under the skin.
• Drain fat – carefully remove excess duck fat from the tray (save it for roasting potatoes later!).
• Turn the duck – roast breast-side down for another 30–40 minutes to keep the breast meat moist.
• Final crisping – flip it back breast-side up, increase oven temperature slightly (to around 220°C), and cook for a further 10–15 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crispy.
• Check doneness – the internal temperature of the thickest part of the duck thigh should reach 74°C.

Resting and Carving

• Let the duck rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.
• Carve into breast, leg, and wing portions. Serve with wood fired vegetables, roasted potatoes in duck fat, or a fresh citrus salad.

Tips for Success

• Use a roasting rack if possible to allow heat to circulate and keep the skin crispy all over.
• Keep a tray underneath to catch duck fat – it’s liquid gold for cooking.
• Experiment with marinades (soy sauce, honey, orange juice, or balsamic glaze) for added flavour.

Final Thoughts

Roasting a duck in a wood fired pizza oven takes your outdoor cooking to the next level. The intense heat and subtle smoky flavour create a duck that’s crisp on the outside, succulent on the inside, and bursting with flavour. Whether it’s for Christmas lunch, a dinner party, or a weekend cook-up, once you try this method, it will become your go-to way of preparing duck.

by: Sasha Halabi