As I mentioned, our new marketer’s husband Howard is a former chef and Certified North Carolina BBQ judge. He has concocted a simple but SUPER method for delicious smoked duck from the grill. A whole duck is spatchcocked (chef’s term for removing the backbone and flattening the bird- see video here) Rubbed all over (skin and bone side) with 5 Spice Powder (this yummy spice is great on roasted squash, chicken or ribs, too) salt and a bit of your favorite hot pepper (Howard loves using the Japanese spice Sashimi Togorashi but cayenne will do as well). Wrap in plastic and let sit at least 3+ hours (overnight is great) in the refrigerator. Take the duck out 1 hour before cooking.
This recipe works on a charcoal or gas grill. If using a charcoal grill start some lump charcoal in your chimney starter or in a pile at the base of your grill. Get all the coals red. Place coals to one side of your grill. If using a gas grill only fire up gas on one side of grill, leaving the other side for the duck. Cover and let the grill get warm.
Put wood lumps (hickory or oak are great) directly on charcoal and then place duck on grill NEXT TO pile of charcoal and wood. Leave 4-6″ space between the pile of wood and charcoal and the duck. Do not place the duck directly over charcoal. Cook 3-4 hours at 250-300 degrees until the duck reaches an internal temp of 175 degrees. About halfway through check on the status of your coals. If they are mostly ash, you might need to add new coals or wood to maintain temperature.
To get smoky on the gas grill you can use a disposable foil pan with wood chips on the side that is lit. The duck will render a good amount of fat (leaving a crispy, juicy bird) so have something to catch the grease under the duck. Serve with a vinaigrette salad or mango cole slaw for a delicious feast!