I finally perfected a Cantonese Roast Duck using an old family brine and a lacquered maltose glaze I kept secret for years.

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I still get a little thrill every time I talk about this Peking Duck Recipe. I started out thinking it was only for restaurants, but a well rested whole Pekin duck and a jar of glossy hoisin sauce changed my mind.

The sight of that deep mahogany skin makes people stop talking, and the pancakes on the side make it feel a bit ceremony. It’s not Cantonese Roast Duck exactly, yet it lives in that neighborhood of flavors, loud and celebratory.

I mess up sometimes, yeah, but when it comes together it’s the kind of dish you want to show off.

Ingredients

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Pekin duck: Rich in protein, fatty skin gives crispy texture, higher in calories though.
Chinese five-spice powder: Warm sweet and savory mix, adds aroma and complexity.
Maltose or honey: Sticky sweet glaze, helps browning and shiny, adds caramel notes.
Hoisin sauce: Sweet salty umami paste, boosts depth and sticky coating for wraps.
Shaoxing wine: Lightly sweet savory wine, tenderizes meat and adds depth of flavor.
Scallions: Fresh bite, small fiber and vitamins, bright oniony crunch in each wrap.
Cucumber: Crisp, hydrating, low calorie, freshens palate and adds cool crunch.

Ingredient Quantities

1 whole Pekin duck, 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

3 tablespoons maltose or honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon sesame oil

12 to 16 Mandarin pancakes, store bought or homemade

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

6 scallions, sliced into thin sticks

1 medium cucumber, julienned

How to Make this

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1. Remove giblets, pat the duck very dry inside and out, trim excess fat, then rub 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper and 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice into the cavity and around the neck; pour 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce into the cavity and massage, tie the legs together so it cooks evenly.

2. Boil a kettle, pour the boiling water all over the duck to tighten the skin and loosen the fat under it, then pat dry again with paper towels until the skin is dry to the touch.

3. Make the glaze by mixing 3 tablespoons maltose or honey, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water and 1 tablespoon sesame oil until smooth; if the maltose is thick, warm the mix over low heat just until pourable, then cool a bit.

4. Brush most of the glaze over the whole duck, leave a few tablespoons aside for basting later, place the duck on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight, it’ll dry the skin and make it super crisp.

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, set the duck on the rack in a roasting pan skin side up, roast at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes to jumpstart the crisping.

6. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F and continue roasting about 40 to 55 minutes more, occasionally tilt the pan to drain fat and baste once or twice with the reserved glaze in the last 20 minutes so the skin gets glossy, cook until the thickest part reads 165 degrees F or juices run clear.

7. When done, let the duck rest 10 to 15 minutes so the juices settle, you can pour off and save rendered fat for later frying if you want.

8. Carve the duck into thin slices, try to get a good mix of crispy skin and meat in each slice, it’s okay if the cuts are imperfect, they’ll still taste great.

9. Warm 12 to 16 Mandarin pancakes, spread a little hoisin sauce on each, add slices of duck, a few scallion sticks and some julienned cucumber, roll up and eat right away while its hot and crispy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large roasting pan with a wire rack (big enough for a 4 to 5 lb Pekin duck)
2. Rimmed baking sheet plus a second wire rack for fridge drying
3. Kettle or large pot to boil water
4. Pastry brush for glazing
5. Small saucepan or heatproof bowl to warm and mix the glaze
6. Instant read meat thermometer to check for 165 F
7. Kitchen twine and poultry shears to tie and trim the duck
8. Large cutting board, a sharp carving or chef knife, and paper towels

FAQ

Q: How long do I roast a 4 to 5 lb Pekin duck and what temp should I use?

A: Roast at about 375 F (190 C) for roughly 1 to 1 and a quarter hours, until the thickest part reads 165 F (74 C). For extra crisp skin, bump oven to 425 F (220 C) for the last 10 to 15 minutes. Let the duck rest about 15 minutes before carving, dont skip resting or juices run out.

Q: Whats the best way to get the skin super crispy?

A: Drying the skin is the key. After cleaning, pat dry, then leave the duck uncovered in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours so the skin dries. Blanch with boiling water or pour hot water over the skin to tighten it, then brush the maltose or honey plus vinegar mix on before roasting. A little prick to the fatty areas with a skewer helps fat render, but dont poke through the skin. Using a fan in the fridge speeds things up if you got one.

Q: I dont have Shaoxing wine or maltose what can I use instead?

A: Use dry sherry or a light Chinese cooking wine for Shaoxing. For maltose you can use honey or light corn syrup, honey will brown faster so keep an eye on it. If you only have dark soy, mix a little water to lighten the color and taste, but light soy is best.

Q: How do I warm store bought Mandarin pancakes so they dont get soggy?

A: Warm them in a steamer for 30 to 60 seconds or microwave several stacked pancakes wrapped in a damp paper towel for 15 to 20 seconds. Keep them covered with a clean towel to stay soft while you carve the duck, dont over steam or they turn gluey.

Q: Whats the easiest way to carve and serve Peking duck?

A: Rest the bird, then use a very sharp knife. Slice the skin with some meat attached into thin pieces, then carve the breasts across the grain into thin slices. Serve on warm pancakes with hoisin, scallion sticks and cucumber. Everybody can build their own wrap, its fun and messy.

Q: How do I store leftovers and reheat without losing crispiness?

A: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 to 4 days. To re crisp, heat in a 375 F oven for 8 to 12 minutes or use an air fryer 5 to 8 minutes, meat side wrapped in foil if you dont want it too dry. Reheat gently to avoid drying the meat.

Peking Duck Recipe (Chinese Style Roast Duck) Substitutions and Variations

Shaoxing wine or dry sherry: if you can’t find them use a dry white wine, or mirin (it’s sweeter so cut a bit of sugar), or for a non alcoholic swap try 1 tbsp apple juice plus 1 tsp rice vinegar.
Maltose or honey: swap with light corn syrup, golden syrup, agave nectar, or make a quick brown sugar syrup (2 tbsp brown sugar dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water) for the sticky glaze.
Light soy sauce: use tamari for gluten free, or regular soy sauce diluted with a little water and taste for salt, or coconut aminos for a milder slightly sweet alternative.
Mandarin pancakes: use small soft flour tortillas, thin crepes, or steamed bao buns for a different but tasty wrap option.

Pro Tips

1) Let the skin really dry out in the fridge overnight if you can, not just until “kind of dry”. Put the bird on a rack, leave the tray underneath, and if you got a cheap fan point it at the duck for a few hours, it helps the skin tighten up and crisp way better.
2) Do NOT poke or score the skin to get fat out, that just makes soggy skin. Instead trust the boiling-water-and-rest trick and let the fat render out while roasting, tilt the pan now and then to drain it off.
3) Warm the maltose or honey glaze gently so it pours, but thin any stubborn goop with a teaspoon of rice vinegar not water, it keeps the sweetness balanced. Save most glaze for the overnight coat and only baste in the last 15 to 20 minutes so the glaze gets glossy and not burnt.
4) Carving and serving hack: take the breasts off whole and slice thin across the grain so each bite has skin plus meat, and heat pancakes in a steamer or a damp towel in the microwave so they dont crack. Keep the rendered fat in the fridge for frying potatoes or veg later its way better than butter.

Peking Duck Recipe (Chinese Style Roast Duck)

Recipe by Pho Tsventsi

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected a Cantonese Roast Duck using an old family brine and a lacquered maltose glaze I kept secret for years.

Servings

servings

Calories

914

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large roasting pan with a wire rack (big enough for a 4 to 5 lb Pekin duck)
2. Rimmed baking sheet plus a second wire rack for fridge drying
3. Kettle or large pot to boil water
4. Pastry brush for glazing
5. Small saucepan or heatproof bowl to warm and mix the glaze
6. Instant read meat thermometer to check for 165 F
7. Kitchen twine and poultry shears to tie and trim the duck
8. Large cutting board, a sharp carving or chef knife, and paper towels

Ingredients

1 whole Pekin duck, 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons maltose or honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
12 to 16 Mandarin pancakes, store bought or homemade
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
6 scallions, sliced into thin sticks
1 medium cucumber, julienned

Directions

Remove giblets, pat the duck very dry inside and out, trim excess fat, then rub 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper and 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice into the cavity and around the neck; pour 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce into the cavity and massage, tie the legs together so it cooks evenly.
Boil a kettle, pour the boiling water all over the duck to tighten the skin and loosen the fat under it, then pat dry again with paper towels until the skin is dry to the touch.
Make the glaze by mixing 3 tablespoons maltose or honey, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water and 1 tablespoon sesame oil until smooth; if the maltose is thick, warm the mix over low heat just until pourable, then cool a bit.
Brush most of the glaze over the whole duck, leave a few tablespoons aside for basting later, place the duck on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight, it'll dry the skin and make it super crisp.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, set the duck on the rack in a roasting pan skin side up, roast at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes to jumpstart the crisping.
Reduce oven to 350 degrees F and continue roasting about 40 to 55 minutes more, occasionally tilt the pan to drain fat and baste once or twice with the reserved glaze in the last 20 minutes so the skin gets glossy, cook until the thickest part reads 165 degrees F or juices run clear.
When done, let the duck rest 10 to 15 minutes so the juices settle, you can pour off and save rendered fat for later frying if you want.
Carve the duck into thin slices, try to get a good mix of crispy skin and meat in each slice, it's okay if the cuts are imperfect, they'll still taste great.
Warm 12 to 16 Mandarin pancakes, spread a little hoisin sauce on each, add slices of duck, a few scallion sticks and some julienned cucumber, roll up and eat right away while its hot and crispy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.