What is the Best Way to Defrost Duck? (Charts Included)

You are preparing to make a delicious crispy duck dish or maybe duck confit, and you are wondering how to properly defrost the frozen duck that you have resting in your freezer. While your duck is safe in your freezer, it is important to keep it at a proper temperature during the thawing process. 

The best way to defrost frozen duck is to defrost it in the refrigerator. Although it takes up to a few days to defrost, thawing in the refrigerator ensures your duck stays fresh. It also keeps your duck at a safe temperature throughout the thawing process.  

Below you will find further information on how to properly defrost your duck, depending on the cut of duck you are defrosting, the time you have available, etc. We will also touch on some alternative ways you can defrost or cook frozen duck. 

The Best Way to Defrost Duck 

When storing any type of raw meat, it is important to keep the meat out of the Temperature Danger Zone. The Temperature Danger Zone refers to the temperature range in which bacteria thrive and reproduce efficiently in. This range is 40-140°F.

To keep raw meat, like a duck, below 40°F while thawing it is best to let it thaw in your refrigerator. 

Thawing your duck on the counter or in a sink with hot water is never a safe way to thaw your duck – as it harvests a perfect environment for bacterial growth.

Never leave a fresh, frozen, or thawed duck out on your counter for more than 2 hours. 

Most refrigerators should be set to at least 40°F or below. Ensuring that thawing your duck in the refrigerator will keep bacteria growth at a low. Your duck will remain safe for you, your family, or your guests to eat. 

How Long Does it Take to Defrost Duck?

If you are planning on defrosting your frozen duck in the refrigerator, then it is important to be prepared and plan as it can take a decent amount of time. It is not meant a quick thawing method, but the safest and best method. Listed below is the thaw times for different cuts of duck: 

Defrost Time for Duck in the Refridgerator

Whole Bird	2 or more days – depending on the size of the bird
Duck Breast	10-12 hours or overnight
Duck Leg (Drumsticks)	about 10 hours or overnight

Some other variables can affect the time it takes to completely defrost your specific cut of duck: 

• Where you place the frozen duck in your refrigerator to thaw – the temperature within your refrigerator often varies at different locations (for example, the back always tends to keep products cooler. 
• The temperature you keep your refrigerator – the table includes thaw times for a refrigerator set at 40°F. If your refrigerator is kept below 40°F, then you may need to extend the time it will take to thaw. 

There are other methods available to thaw your duck, as the refrigerator is just the best and recommended method. Let’s dive into the other methods available. 

How to Defrost Duck Quickly?  

You forgot to transfer the duck to the freezer and now you need to defrost it quickly. There are a few quick methods to thaw the duck, but they require more attention and monitoring. These methods also are only to be used when you plan on cooking the duck immediately. 

Cold Water Thaw

The best way to quickly defrost the duck is with a cold water bath. Simply fill your sink (or a large bowl) with cold water and submerge the duck in its original packaging or ziplock bag. Recycle the water and refill every 30 minutes or so to keep the temperature to where the duck continues to thaw.

If your packaging becomes damaged or your plastic bag opens, allowing for air to come into contact with the duck, then you will need to keep the duck in the refrigerator for the remainder of the thawing process. Bacteria found in the air will now be able to penetrate your duck. 

Duck Defrost Time Using the Cold Water Method

Whole Bird	2-7 hours
Duck Breast	1-2 hours
Duck Leg (Drumsticks)	1 -1.5 hours

Make sure to continue recycling the water with cold water – never warm or hot water. Once the duck is defrosted it should be cooked immediately. The duck should also be cooked before refreezing again. 

Microwave Thaw 

This is the method of thawing that should be used the least, as there are many issues with thawing in the microwave. Smaller cuts of duck, such as breasts or drumsticks, work better to thaw in the microwave rather than a whole bird. The duck must also be cooked immediately. 

More information on thawing duck in the microwave is provided in a further section. 

How Long Will a Defrosted Duck Last in the Fridge? 

If you are unsure how long it will take for your whole duck to defrost in the refrigerator, then you can always throw it in with well enough time before you are planning on cooking it. A good quality duck will stay fresh in the refrigerator for quite some time. 

The time your defrosted duck may stay in your refrigerator is dependent on what temperature you keep your fridge at: 

Fridge Temperature	How Long Will The Duck Stay Good?
38°or higher (most fridges)	Two days or less
36-38°F	Up to 3 days
34-35°F	4-5 days
32-33°F	6-7 days

These times may vary slightly if you frequently open your refrigerator. As the refrigerator temperature rises, the less amount of time the duck will stay good for. If you have children or are frequently in your refrigerator, then you may want to shorten the time you leave the duck in there. 

How Do You Defrost Duck in the Microwave?

While microwaving your duck may be the quickest and most convenient way to defrost your duck in a pinch, it is the least safe. Refrain from defrosting your duck in the microwave unless it is your last resort. The microwave is not the best at thawing the piece of meat evenly.

You must immediately cook the duck after it is done thawing in the microwave because some portions of the duck may be in the temperature danger zone. 

Make sure to remove all packing from the duck pieces before microwaving. The best thing to do is to place it on a microwave-safe plate or dish, as it will collect all the water and juice that will leak from the duck while defrosting. 

If you are unsure how long it will take to defrost your duck piece, then follow these simple two steps:

1. Set your microwave to the defrost setting for 2 minutes.
2. Let the duck rest in the microwave for about a minute or two.

If additional time is needed, repeat the above two steps again. 

Just like the cold water thawing method mentioned above, duck thawed using the microwave should be cooked before refrigeration or refreezing. 

Can You Cook a Frozen Duck? 

Sometimes you have absolutely no time to wait for your duck to defrost. In that case, you may be wondering if you can cook frozen duck. 

It is possible to cook frozen duck depending on the type of dish you are making. If you are planning to throw the duck into a casserole or cook it simultaneously with other foods, then it may not be able to be done. 

If you are cooking (or grilling) your duck alone, then it is possible to cook it frozen. Here are some tips for the easiest way to cook the frozen duck in your oven: 

• place your whole duck, duck breasts, or duck drumsticks (removed from all packaging) in a roasting pan in your oven on the middle rack 
• make sure your oven is preheated to whatever temperature your recipe calls for (you may also find oven temperature listed on the packaging of your frozen duck
• to determine the cooking time you just increase the cooking time by 50%

What About Cooking Crispy Duck? 

To achieve beautiful, crispy duck skin it is best to defrost your duck ahead of time. If you don’t have time, then you can still try to achieve iconic crispy duck skin with a frozen duck in the oven. Just follow these easy steps: 

1. Remove the packaging from the duck breast. 
2. Cover a baking sheet in foil. 
3. Place the duck breast, skin up, on the foil-lined baking sheet. 
4. Place the baking tray in the middle of the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes. 

When you remove your duck breast from the oven make sure the duck is cooked to the proper temperature, 165°F.  If so, enjoy! 

Let’s Wrap It Up  

Duck is not as common of a poultry product as chicken and turkey here in America. The majority of the duck you find in the supermarket is often frozen. When cooking duck it is best to defrost the duck beforehand.

You now have plenty of information to determine which defrost method works best for your situation. Defrosting in the refrigerator is always the best and easiest method if you have the time available.