Whole Duck
at 350°F
2 hr – 2 hr 30 min Plan on 22 to 27 minutes per pound in a 350°F oven. A 5.5 lb whole duck lands around 2 hr – 2 hr 30 min. Done is 165°F on a food thermometer, plus a 15-minute rest — never the clock alone.
Time by weight at 350°F
Planning ranges for a fully thawed, fridge-temperature whole duck. The right-hand column is when to take the first thermometer reading.
| Weight | Estimated time at 350°F | Check thermometer from |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lb | 1 hr 30 min – 1 hr 50 min | 1 hr 15 min in |
| 4.5 lb | 1 hr 40 min – 2 hr | 1 hr 25 min in |
| 5 lb | 1 hr 50 min – 2 hr 15 min | 1 hr 35 min in |
| 5.5 lb | 2 hr – 2 hr 30 min | 1 hr 45 min in |
| 6 lb | 2 hr 10 min – 2 hr 40 min | 1 hr 50 min in |
| 6.5 lb | 2 hr 25 min – 2 hr 55 min | 2 hr in |
Start checking the internal temperature well before the low end of the range — an early check costs nothing; a late one costs the meal. Done means 165°F on a food thermometer.
When is it actually done?
165°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 165°F, followed by a rest of about 15 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Worth knowing before you start
- Prick the skin all over (through fat, not into meat) — a duck carries a fat layer a chicken does not, and it needs escape routes to render and crisp.
- Pour off the rendered fat once or twice during the roast; it is the best roast-potato medium in existence — do not discard it.
- Duck breast served pink is a restaurant convention that sits below the USDA 165°F poultry guideline; the timetable above cooks the whole bird to the federal standard.
- Expect less meat than the weight suggests — a 5.5 lb duck feeds three to four, not six.
Answers people ask
How long does a whole duck take at 350°F?
Plan on 22 to 27 minutes per pound at 350°F. A 5.5 lb example takes about 2 hr – 2 hr 30 min. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a food thermometer, not when the clock runs out.
What internal temperature is a whole duck done at?
165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part, then rested about 15 minutes. That is the USDA FSIS safe minimum.
Is 350°F a good temperature for a whole duck?
It is the standard published temperature for this cut.
More chicken timings
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are anchored to USDA FSIS published timetables where they exist, and derived from that anchor plus cross-checked published sources where they do not — widened to cover the disagreement between sources rather than split down the middle. The full reasoning is on the method page. If a figure here looks wrong, say so — corrections are prioritised.