Smoked Duck Wings Recipe

Smoked duck wings are slow-braised and smoked in duck fat with orange peel, garlic, and spices before being finished over high heat for irresistibly crispy skin. This smoked duck wing recipe is perfect for BBQ lovers who want tender, flavorful wings with a restaurant-quality glaze right off the grill.

If you’re a fan of smoked chicken wings but want to level up with something rich, flavorful, and a little more adventurous, smoked duck wings glazed in my homemade orange sauce are the way to go.

This method combines smoking, confit-style braising in duck fat, and high-heat grilling for wings that are both tender and packed with crispy skin. Whether you’re cooking a whole duck for the holidays or grabbing wings on their own, this recipe shows you how to make the most of flavorful duck meat.

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Duck Wings Recipe

Duck wings don’t get nearly as much attention as chicken wings or other recipes like this smoked duck breasts, but they’re one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to BBQ. They’re naturally tougher than chicken wings or duck legs, which means they need a little extra love to get tender. That’s where the confit method comes in: slowly braising the wings in seasoned duck fat until the cooked meat is soft, then finishing them off on the grill for that perfect crispy skin.

Think of it as a combination of techniques, including smoking for flavor, confit for tenderness, and grilling for texture. The result is a dish that feels gourmet but is easy to master at home. If you’ve seen duck wings start to trend, make them once, and you’ll understand the hype.

Ingredients for Smoked Duck Wings

Here’s what you’ll need to season wings and get started:

• Duck wings (drums and flats, tips removed)
• Kosher salt (for dry brine)
• Duck fat (or substitute chicken or duck stock if you want a cheaper option)
• Orange peel
• Garlic cloves
• Bay leaf
• Black peppercorns or freshly ground black pepper
• Aleppo pepper or red pepper flake
• BBQ rub (optional)
• Orange sauce (or BBQ sauce)

Substitutions and tips: If you can’t find duck fat at your local store (I found mine at Whole Foods Market), melt duck fat rendered from an entire duck, or even use olive oil in a pinch. Duck fat gives the best flavor, but a flavorful stock works too.

How to Make Smoked Duck Wings

1. Prep the Duck Wings: Pat the skin of the duck wings dry with a paper towel. If you’d prefer to dry brine, I recommend seasoning the wings generously with kosher salt, then placing the wings on a baking sheet with a wire rack. Leave uncovered in the fridge for 12 hours. This helps dry the skin of the duck for extra crispy skin later. If you do not plan to do this, just plan to add some additional salt to the confit.
2. Make the Duck Fat Confit: In a foil pan or sauce pan, combine warmed duck fat with orange peel, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and Aleppo pepper. Place wings into the fat so they’re covered about ½ inch deep.
3. Smoke Low and Slow: Set your smoker to 250 degrees F. Smoke the wings for 2-2.5 hours or cook them fully until tender. Use a thermometer probe to check (it should easily slide into each wing). You want the internal temperature to reach at least 165 degrees F.
4. Finish on the Grill: Remove wings from the fat and wipe down the excess duck fat. This can cause flare-ups in your smoker, and you do not want a grease fire! If you prefer, at this point, you can also season with a little BBQ rub if you like. Place wings over indirect heat at 375 degrees F. and cook for about 30 minutes, flipping as needed.
5. Glaze and Crisp: During the last 10–15 minutes, brush with your sweet orange chili glaze or hot sauce glaze. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top for extra crunch and let the glaze caramelize without burning.
6. Serve: Enjoy immediately while the crispy skin is at its best.

Tips for Smoking and Finishing Duck Wings

• Air Drying: Don’t skip the overnight dry brine if you want all-over flavor. This is the best way to guarantee flavor throughout.
• Fat Bath: Duck fat is the gold standard, but stock works if you want to cut costs. Either way, the confit step is key to tender wings.
• Wood Choice: Fruity woods like apple or cherry pair beautifully with duck meat.
• Internal Temperature: Make sure the cooked meat registers at least 165 degrees F. You’ll know it’s done when the wings feel soft and almost pull-apart tender.
• Finishing and Glazing – When grilling duck meat at high heat, you’ll want to avoid flare-ups, as the duck’s skin contains more fat than chicken wings. Keep your grill indirect and move the wings around if they’re getting too much direct heat. For glazing, a sweet orange chili sauce is the perfect balance of citrus, heat, and sticky sweetness. Combine orange juice, honey or brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of hot sauce in a small saucepan. Reduce over medium heat until thick, then brush onto your wings during the last few minutes of grilling.

Serving Ideas for Smoked Duck Wings

Smoked duck wings are a showstopper appetizer, but they can also be a main dish when paired with sides. Try serving them alongside roasted vegetables, fresh salads, or even crispy roasted duck fat potatoes.

If you’re cooking an entire duck, these wings make the perfect starter while the cavity of the duck roasts away in your smoker. You can also pair them with other sides like bulgar pilaf and grilled vegetables for a full meal, or offer a dipping station with extra hot sauce, sweet chili glaze, or even a soy sauce–based dip.

Variations and Other Duck Wing Sauces

Want to mix things up? Here are a few more flavor profiles:

• Orange Glaze: Sweet, tangy, and packed with umami from hoisin and soy sauce.
• Mapled Bourbon BBQ: Add bourbon, orange juice, and brown sugar to your BBQ sauce for a rich, smoky finish.
• Pineapple BBQ Sauce: A tangy and sweet sauce perfect for glazing!
• Air Fryer Finish: If you don’t have a grill, you can also finish the wings in an air fryer at 375 degrees F for 10–12 minutes until crispy.

No matter which glaze you choose, these wings are guaranteed to impress. Once you’ve made them, you’ll understand why duck wings deserve a permanent spot on your BBQ rotation.

More Recipes To Try

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Smoked Turkey Legs

Smoked Beer Can Chicken