Air Fryer Reference
Duck Legs
protein · fresh
- Temperature
- 375 °F
- 191 °C
- Total time
- 35 min
- Two to four leg quarters fit in a single layer and serve 2–4
- Flip at
- 18 min
- flip once
- Internal temp
- 175 °F
- 79 °C
Doneness
Done when the skin is deep golden and crackling-crisp, the rendered fat has drained off, and the thickest part of the leg reads 175 °F (79 °C) at the bone — duck legs are dark, collagen-rich meat that turns confit-tender past the 165 °F poultry minimum, so don't pull them early or they'll be tough. Start skin-side down, then flip at the halfway mark so the skin crisps in its own rendered fat. The meat should be falling-tender and the juices run clear.
Oil & seasoning
No oil needed — duck legs render plenty of their own fat as they cook. Pat the skin bone-dry and prick it first so the fat escapes and the skin crackles; save the rendered fat for roasting potatoes.
Season with: Classic salt-and-pepper: dry-salted confit-style with just salt, pepper, and a little thyme so the duck flavour leads., Chinese five-spice: rubbed with five-spice for a fragrant star-anise-and-cinnamon crust., Herbes de Provence: thyme, rosemary, and a little lavender for a Provençal roast., Orange-glazed (à l'orange): brushed with an orange-and-honey glaze in the last few minutes..
Watch out for
- Prick the skin all over (not into the meat) so the fat renders out and the skin crackles instead of staying flabby.
- Start skin-side down, then flip at the halfway mark so the skin crisps in its own rendered fat.
- Cook to 175 °F (79 °C), not the 135–145 °F you'd use for Duck Breast — leg meat is dark and collagen-rich and needs the higher temperature to turn tender.
- Pat the skin bone-dry before cooking and drain the rendered fat partway through (save it) so the legs roast rather than deep-fry in their own fat.