Whole duck slow-cooked in banana leaf with Bali’s full spice paste
Explore the Dish
Bebek betutu is a showpiece of Balinese cooking: a whole duck rubbed inside and out with base genep spice paste, wrapped in banana leaf and betel bark, and slow-cooked for hours — traditionally buried in embers — until the meat is meltingly tender and saturated with spice. It is rich, aromatic and deeply ceremonial.
The long, gentle cooking breaks down the duck completely, so the meat falls from the bone and carries the full warmth of turmeric, chilli, galangal, ginger and lemongrass. It is often served with rice, lawar and sambal.
Because it takes so long to cook, many restaurants ask you to pre-order bebek betutu a few hours or a day ahead. It is a meal worth planning around.
Betutu is one of Bali’s oldest ceremonial preparations, cooked for important religious occasions. The slow, spice-packed method preserved and flavoured the bird for feasts; today it is a celebrated restaurant specialty.
Bebek Tepi Sawah
📍 Ubud
A renowned Ubud restaurant for betutu and crispy duck amid rice-field views.
Traditional Balinese restaurants
📍 Ubud / Gianyar
Specialists slow-cooking betutu the traditional way — pre-order recommended.
Warung Khrisna / local betutu warungs
📍 Gilimanuk style, island-wide
Famous Gilimanuk-style betutu warungs known for fiery, fall-apart birds.
| Venue Type | IDR | USD (approx.) | INR (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street cart / warung | 45,000–90,000 IDR | $2.8–$5.6 | ₹250–₹500 |
| Local warung (sit-down) | 108,000–162,000 IDR | $6.8–$10.1 | ₹600–₹900 |
| Mid-range restaurant | 180,000–288,000 IDR | $11.2–$18.0 | ₹1000–₹1600 |
| Hotel / tourist restaurant | 315,000–540,000 IDR | $19.7–$33.8 | ₹1750–₹3000 |
Betutu is a meat dish (duck or chicken). Vegetarians should look to nasi campur vegetarian, tipat cantok or tempeh dishes.
Not vegetarian — try ayam/tempeh alternativesJain note: Balinese cooking uses garlic, shallots and shrimp paste (terasi) widely. Jain travellers should ask for dishes without onion, garlic and terasi — easiest at vegetarian warungs in Ubud.
A whole duck coated in Balinese spice paste, wrapped in banana leaf and slow-cooked for hours until meltingly tender.
Often yes — because of the long cooking time, many restaurants ask for a few hours’ or a day’s notice.
Bebek betutu uses duck; ayam betutu uses chicken. Same spice paste and slow-cooked method.
Medium to hot — the spice paste is bold, and Gilimanuk-style versions are famously fiery.
Duck betutu itself contains no pork, but check the individual restaurant; ayam betutu is a common poultry alternative.
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