# Whole roast duck cooking times

How long to cook a whole duck: **2–2½ hours in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) and 5–6 hours in a slow cooker**. Every way to cook it is below, with the temperature and how to tell it’s done.

Source: https://feastflow.co.uk/whole-duck-cooking-times (FeastFlow free cooking-time guides). Last checked 11 November 2026.

## How long to cook a whole duck

Times are for a 2–2.5 kg duck, for 4.

Whole roast duck: cooking times by method:

| Method | Time | Heat | How |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Oven](https://feastflow.co.uk/oven-cooking-times) | 2–2½ hours | 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, gas 4 | Pour off the fat every 30 minutes (keep it for roast potatoes). Turn up to 220°C for the last 15 minutes to crisp the skin. Rest 15 minutes. |
| [Slow cooker](https://feastflow.co.uk/slow-cooker-cooking-times) | 5–6 hours | on low | On a bed of onion; crisp the skin in a hot oven after. |

## Before you start

Prick the skin all over (not the meat), rub with salt and sit it on a rack so the fat drains.

## How to tell it’s done

Juices run clear and the legs are tender.

**Food safety:** Whole duck is roasted until the juices run clear, 74°C (165°F) in the thigh.

## Questions

### How long to cook a whole duck in the oven?

2–2½ hours at 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, gas 4. Pour off the fat every 30 minutes (keep it for roast potatoes). Turn up to 220°C for the last 15 minutes to crisp the skin. Rest 15 minutes.

### How long to cook a whole duck in a slow cooker?

5–6 hours on low. On a bed of onion; crisp the skin in a hot oven after.

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Times are a guide for typical home portions: ovens, air fryers, microwaves and sizes vary. Check meat, poultry and fish with a thermometer. Safe temperatures follow USDA and UK Food Standards Agency guidance.

FeastFlow also plans a whole meal backwards from serving time, with every dish timed and oven temperatures that don’t clash: https://feastflow.co.uk/