Peking Duck Recipe

Chinese · Main course · 150 min total

A classic Chinese dish featuring crispy, lacquered duck skin and tender meat, traditionally served with pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and hoisin sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck (about 5-6 lbs), cleaned and patted dry
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• For serving: 12-16 Mandarin pancakes or store-bought wrappers
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 4 scallions, cut into thin strips
• 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into thin strips

Instructions

1. The day before, rinse the duck and pat dry. Prick the skin all over with a fork, especially the breast and thighs. In a small bowl, mix honey, soy sauce, five-spice powder, salt, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, and baking soda. Rub this mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Place the duck on a wire rack over a baking sheet, breast side up. Refrigerate uncovered for 12-24 hours to dry the skin.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove duck from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place duck on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the bottom of the pan (not over the duck). Roast for 30 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Continue roasting for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thigh. If the skin is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
4. Remove duck from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes. While the duck rests, warm the pancakes according to package directions. Arrange hoisin sauce, scallions, and cucumber on a serving platter.
5. To serve, carve the duck: first remove the crispy skin in pieces, then slice the meat thinly. Serve with pancakes, hoisin, scallions, and cucumber. To eat, spread a little hoisin on a pancake, add a few pieces of duck, scallions, and cucumber, then roll up and enjoy.

Tips

• For extra crispy skin, you can also air-dry the duck in front of a fan for 2-3 hours after rubbing with the seasoning mixture.
• Leftover duck meat can be used in stir-fries or soups.
• If you can't find Mandarin pancakes, you can use flour tortillas as a substitute.

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