There’s hardly anything better than a traditional, tender roasted duck leg. Roasting duck legs in the oven is not difficult at all, and a few simple seasonings can make this dish even better.
With the roasting method shown here, the meat will turn out perfectly tender, and the skin will be wonderfully crispy too.
Seasoning Roasted Duck Legs
When roasting duck legs, the simplest seasoning is salt and pepper. Even with just that, they will be perfect, because the distinctive flavor of the meat and the tenderness achieved through slow roasting offer an unforgettable experience on their own.
In traditional cooking, marjoram is often used, and a classic cookbook also recommends this spice for roast duck.
Here, I’m showing it with a slightly more “international” seasoning: I added a few cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
Tips for Roasting
Of course, you’ll find the details in the recipe. Here, I’ve just summarized a few points worth keeping in mind while roasting.
- First, brown the duck legs skin-side down for several minutes. This helps not only with crispy skin, but also with a deeper, more intense flavor.
- Duck legs are best roasted in a preheated 320°F (160°C) convection oven. If you don’t have convection, roast them at 350°F (180°C) with regular top and bottom heat.
- From about halfway through the roasting time, baste the duck legs every 10–15 minutes with their rendered fat. This will make them juicier, tastier, and crispier.
- There is no need to cover them. If you baste them with their own fat, they won’t dry out, and this also helps create perfectly crispy skin.
- Roast the duck legs in the oven for an hour and a half.
Serving Roasted Duck Legs
Roasted duck legs are best served fresh, since that is when the meat is truly tender and the skin is crispy.
But the great thing about this dish is that it keeps very well. Covered in the refrigerator, it will keep for several days, and you can put a delicious meal on the table at any time—either cold or hot. You can reheat the duck legs in the microwave, in the oven, or even in a hot skillet. In the last case, the skin will become somewhat similar to how it is when freshly served.
Serve them with any side dish you like. But they are also delicious on their own, and very good with oven-roasted potatoes, braised red cabbage with apples, or sautéed sauerkraut.
Enjoy!
How to Roast Duck Legs
Equipment
- 1 oven-safe dish
Ingredients
- 2 duck legs
- 1 tablespoon duck fat or another fat, 10 g
- 2 cloves garlic optional
- A few sprigs of thyme optional
- About 1/3 teaspoon salt 2 g
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- To roast the duck legs, first pat them dry and cut off any pieces that may be hanging loose. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) convection or 350°F (180°C) regular heat.
- Season the legs with salt and pepper.
- Heat an oven-safe dish until hot, then add the fat. Sear the duck legs skin-side down over high heat for about 6 minutes.
- Using a spatula, turn the legs over. Add the garlic and thyme.
- Put the dish into the preheated oven and roast for an hour and a half.
