Five Spice Roasted Duck Recipe

I used five spice on a whole bird for a Roasted Duck Dinner and reveal one unexpected ingredient that solves carving and timing for Thanksgiving.

I’ve been obsessed with a Five Spice Roasted Duck lately. Using a whole duck and a good hit of Chinese five spice powder turns simple into strangely addictive.

The skin goes crunchy and the meat stays juicy, and there are little surprises in every bite that make guests ask questions. I serve it when I want a bold Roasted Duck Dinner or to give friends an Asian Roast Duck twist they didn’t expect.

I mess up timings sometimes, and yeah it gets messy, but that just adds to the story when we sit down. You’ll want to know why the flavors click.

Ingredients

• Duck: Rich, fatty bird, great source of protein; skin crisps, meat stays juicy.
• Chinese five spice: Warm aromatic mix, tastes sweet, licorice and peppery all at once.
• Soy sauce: Salty umami boost that brings savory depth and helps brown the skin.
• Honey or maltose: Adds a sticky sweet glaze, helps caramelize skin, use sparingly if dieting.
• Shaoxing wine: Adds nutty fermented flavor, tenderizes the meat and cuts through fat.
• Garlic: Pungent sharp bite that mellows with roasting and gives savory backbone.
• Ginger: Bright peppery freshness, lifts rich duck flavor and cuts the oily feel.
• Green onions: Fresh oniony notes, adds light crunch and a bright herb like finish.
• Brown sugar: Caramel warmth with mild molasses sweetness, balances salt and spices.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 whole duck about 5 to 6 pounds, giblets removed and patted dry
• 2 to 3 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (add more if you like it saltier)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maltose for glazing
• 4 garlic cloves smashed
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger sliced or grated
• 4 green onions trimmed and halved
• 1 orange quartered (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water or low sodium chicken broth for the roasting pan

How to Make this

1. Pat the duck very dry with paper towels, then loosen the breast skin gently with your fingers (dont tear it) so you can push some seasoning under; optionally leave the duck uncovered in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to dry the skin for extra crispness.

2. Make the rub: mix 2 to 3 tsp Chinese five spice, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Stir in 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), and 1 tbsp vegetable oil into the dry mix to make a paste.

3. Rub about half the paste under the breast skin and the rest all over the outside of the duck and inside the cavity so every part is seasoned.

4. Stuff the cavity with the 4 smashed garlic cloves, sliced 2 inch piece of ginger, 4 halved green onions and the quartered orange (optional). Tie the legs or tuck them under the bird so it roasts evenly.

5. Prick the skin all over with a skewer or fork being careful not to pierce the meat; this helps the fat render out while roasting. Place the duck breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1 cup water or low sodium chicken broth into the pan to keep things moist and catch drippings.

6. Roast in a preheated oven at 425 F for 20 to 30 minutes to start rendering fat and crisp the skin, then reduce heat to 350 F and continue roasting about 45 to 60 minutes more, or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 F. Drain excess fat from the pan a couple times while cooking so the duck isnt sitting in grease.

7. About 15 to 20 minutes before it finishes, warm 1 to 2 tbsp honey or maltose so it thins, brush it over the skin to glaze, then return to the oven and glaze once more 5 to 10 minutes before done so it caramelizes without burning.

8. When the thermometer hits 165 F, remove duck from oven and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes loosely tented with foil; this keeps juices where they belong and makes carving easier.

9. Carve and serve, and dont throw away the fat in the pan its liquid gold for roasting potatoes or frying veggies later.

Equipment Needed

1. Roasting pan with rack, to keep the duck elevated and catch drippings.
2. Instant-read meat thermometer, to check the thigh reaches 165 F.
3. Sharp chef’s knife and a carving knife, for trimming and slicing the rested bird.
4. Large cutting board, sturdy and roomy so juices dont spill everywhere.
5. Small mixing bowl and spoon, to mix the spice paste.
6. Pastry brush, for glazing with honey or maltose.
7. Kitchen twine, to tie the legs or tuck them under.
8. Skewer or fork, to prick the skin so fat can render out.
9. Paper towels and a sheet of aluminum foil, for patting dry and loosely tenting while the duck rests.

FAQ

Five Spice Roasted Duck Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chinese five spice powder: if you dont have it mix 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground star anise or crushed anise, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds, or use garam masala in a smaller amount though the profile will change
• Shaoxing wine or dry sherry: use dry sherry if available, or dry white wine with a splash of soy sauce, or for a no alcohol option use chicken broth plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• Light soy sauce: swap for tamari for gluten free, or use low sodium soy sauce, or dilute regular soy sauce with a little water to cut the salt
• Honey or maltose for glazing: substitute maple syrup, agave nectar, warmed apricot jam, or hoisin thinned with a bit of water, they all glaze and caramelize well

Pro Tips

– Dry the skin overnight in the fridge uncovered if you can, it really makes the skin crispier because the surface dehydrates a bit, and you’ll get faster fat rendering when it roasts.

– Push a good portion of the paste under the breast skin with your fingers or the back of a spoon so the meat gets seasoned from the inside, but be gentle so you dont tear the skin.

– Prick the skin all over but avoid piercing the meat, set the bird on a rack over the pan and drain excess fat once or twice while roasting so the duck isn’t sitting in grease, and save that fat for roast potatoes or frying vegetables later.

– Warm the honey so it brushes on easily, glaze only in the last 15 to 20 minutes and then one more quick brush 5 to 10 minutes before finish so it caramelizes without burning, and use an instant read thermometer to pull the duck at 165 F then let it rest about 15 minutes so the juices settle.