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Grilled Duck Legs are taken to another level with a decadent hazelnut crust and topped with an elegant light red wine sauce. This is a perfect pairing for Cabernet Franc and a cozy fall evening.

Oregon is home to 95% of the US hazelnut production, so we are very familiar with hazelnuts and see them everywhere. The flavor of hazelnuts may be familiar to many as the base to Nutella, or hazelnut spread, and adds a unique flavor to any meal that calls for nuts. It also combines well as the base for a crust for seared meat, and in this case grilled duck legs.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Duck – We prefer duck legs over breast for this recipe.
• Hazelnuts – Buy pre-roasted and unsalted hazelnuts. Most commonly, these will be found in the bulk aisle of the grocery store. You can substitute it with other roasted nuts like almonds or cashews.
• Panko Breadcrumbs—We combine the breadcrumbs with the seasoning and hazelnuts to form the crust. You can substitute with regular breadcrumbs or even gluten-free panko; just be sure it’s ground down to a less coarse size.
• Seasoning – Kosher salt and coarse black pepper is added to the crust mixture for flavoring as you bite into the duck. We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. We do not recommend using table salt in these portions.
• Red Wine – Use a good red wine you would drink. In this case, we are using a Cabernet Franc from Chinon (France).
• Shallots – I like the softer flavor that shallots offer to a red wine sauce. If you want something more pronounced, use red onion.
• Butter – Butter helps add flavor and thickening to the sauce.
• Balsamic – The balsamic adds a nice acidity to the sauce and rounds out a touch of sweetness.

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Preparation

Duck legs will likely be found in the frozen section of your better grocery stores. It will either be a whole duck or parted out as breasts or legs. There are many breeds of duck; we love Muscovy duck for grilling.

It has flavor profiles similar to that of a steak, nice and rich. It will have a nice red color. If you find the whole duck you would part it out like a chicken, cooking the pieces on the grill separately.

If all you can find is duck breast, score the skin side with cross hatches to allow more of the fat to render out while grilling. Otherwise, the skin can burn and still be rubbery.

For additional flavor, we are really trying to focus on adding texture to the crust and the nutty and earthy flavor from the hazelnuts. We add a little panko to the hazelnuts for the crunch (or you can use breadcrumbs) and then salt and pepper. You can buy hazelnuts in your bulk aisle, just throw them in a food processor to grind them down.

Seasoning

In a small bowl combine the seasoning ingredients and stir to combine. Coat the duck with olive oil and then lay down a large plate. Sprinkle the seasoning onto the duck over the plate to catch the excess.

Liberally apply the seasoning to each of the duck legs. And it’s now ready to grill.

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How to Grill Duck Legs

The goal is to sear the seasoned duck hot and fast and then finish indirect so the crust doesn’t burn.

1. Set up your grill for two-zone grilling with a target temperature of 450 – 500 degrees in your grill. We prefer lump charcoal.
2. Place the seasoned duck on the grill grates over the direct side of the grill. Grill each side of the duck for 6 – 8 minutes to get a nice sear. Close the lid in between flipping to minimize flareups.
3. Move the duck to the indirect side and allow it to finish grilling until the internal temperature of the duck reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the leg using a good instant-read thermometer (about 8 – 10 additional minutes).
4. Remove the duck from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes to allow for carry-over cooking and to stay juicy. It will temp up to 165-170 while it’s resting.

Be sure to pay attention to the flame and heat so as to not burn the duck. Instead if you see the skin render and sear, move from direct heat to indirect so it can continue to cook, and flip and repeat.

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Red Wine Sauce for Grilled Duck Legs

We like to make the pan sauce in advance to allow the wine to reduce, and then rewarm it when the duck is resting.

1. In a saucepan over medium heat add olive oil and shallots. Stir shallots occasionally until translucent and softened, but not browned (about 6 minutes).
2. Then add red wine. Bring to a simmer and then add balsamic. Allow to reduce by half. About 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and then add butter, and salt to taste.

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Wine Pairing With Duck Legs

We love this grilled duck leg and wine sauce paired with a Cabernet Franc, especially those from Chinon, in France. They’re not too weighty and rich but they also aren’t too light. The flavors show bright fruit and a touch of pepper which are perfect with duck.

You can also seek out lighter bodied Merlot or even an age worth Zinfandel.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What To Serve With Grilled Duck

Pair this duck with our perfect roasted potatoes or even our duck fat potatoes. You can also soak up that amazing wine sauce with our parsnip puree or even mushroom risotto.

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