Peking duck is a Beijing-style roast duck, traditionally served with crisp skin, thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and a sweet-savory sauce. It tastes rich and deeply savory, with a lightly sweet, aromatic glaze and fresh, crunchy accompaniments that keep each bite balanced; this home method uses an overnight air-dry for crisper skin without specialized equipment.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Pekin duck, fully thawed and about 5 lb (2.3 kg), giblets removed
- 8 cups (1.9 L) boiling water, for tightening the skin
- 1/4 cup (85 g) maltose syrup, or mild honey as a substitute
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine salt
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, about 15 g, cut into thick slices
- 2 scallions, about 30 g, cut into short pieces for the cavity
- 1 small star anise, optional, for the cavity
- 12 to 16 Mandarin-style pancakes, about 300 g total, warmed before serving
- 1/2 cup (120 g) hoisin sauce
- 1 medium cucumber, about 200 g, cut into thin matchsticks
- 6 scallions, about 90 g, cut into thin strips
Instructions
- Dry the duck. Take the thawed duck from its packaging and remove any giblets from the cavity. Do not rinse raw poultry; pat the duck very dry inside and out with paper towels, then discard the towels and wash your hands. Set the duck breast-side up on a wire rack over a rimmed tray. Use a clean skewer or the tip of a small knife to prick the skin all over, especially around the thighs and lower breast, taking care not to pierce the meat. This gives some of the fat beneath the skin a route to render as it roasts.
- Scald and glaze the skin. Set the duck, still on its rack, in a clean sink or over a deep heatproof tray. Carefully pour the 8 cups (1.9 L) boiling water over the skin in a slow, even stream; avoid splashing. Let excess water drain, then pat the bird dry again. In a small bowl, stir together the maltose and rice vinegar. If the maltose is firm, warm the bowl briefly in a pan of hot water so it loosens; do not boil it. Brush a thin, even layer of glaze over the whole duck. Mix the salt with the five-spice powder and sprinkle it inside the cavity, then add the ginger, cavity scallions, and optional star anise.
- Air-dry overnight. Leave the duck breast-side up on its rack and refrigerate it uncovered for 12 hours. Keep the tray on a low shelf, away from ready-to-eat food, so raw poultry cannot drip onto anything. The skin should look dry and slightly tight before roasting. If it still looks damp, give it more time in the refrigerator rather than covering it.
- Heat the oven. Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C). Set an oven rack in the lower-middle position. Make sure the duck is still on a rack above a rimmed roasting pan so air can circulate and rendered fat can collect below it. Do not put the duck directly on a flat pan, where the underside can sit in fat.
- Roast until crisp and safely cooked. Roast breast-side up at 425°F (220°C) for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting for about 90 minutes, checking after 75 minutes at the lower temperature because ovens and duck sizes vary. If one side browns faster, rotate the pan. The skin should be a deep mahogany color, and the legs should move more freely at their joints. Check the thickest part of each thigh and breast with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for duck is 165°F (74°C); continue roasting and check again if any tested area is below that temperature. If the skin darkens too quickly before the duck is cooked through, loosely tent the darkest areas with foil.
- Rest and carve. Transfer the duck to a clean cutting board and rest it for 15 minutes. Remove the legs at the joints, then slice the breast and cut or separate pieces of crisp skin. There is no need to carve every slice paper-thin at home: aim for manageable strips that include skin and meat. Keep the duck warm while you prepare the serving platter and accompaniments.
- Warm the pancakes and serve. Warm the pancakes according to their package directions, or steam them briefly until pliable. Set them out with hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallion strips. To eat, spread a little sauce on a pancake, add duck skin and meat, top with cucumber and scallion, and fold it up.
Tips
- Start with a completely thawed duck. A partially frozen bird cooks unevenly, and it is difficult to dry the skin properly. Thaw it in the refrigerator in a tray; allow enough lead time for the bird to thaw before beginning the 12-hour drying step.
- Keep the skin dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispness. Pat the duck dry after scalding, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator, and avoid basting it during roasting. Basting adds moisture to the skin and can make it less crisp.
- Use honey if maltose is unavailable. Maltose gives the glaze a traditional mild sweetness and glossy finish. Mild honey is an accessible stand-in, though it tastes more floral and can darken sooner; watch the skin closely near the end of roasting.
- Measure temperature rather than relying on color. A dark exterior does not prove the meat is safely cooked. Check more than one thick area with a thermometer, and do not let its probe touch bone. Handle the raw duck and its tray separately from the ready-to-eat pancakes and vegetables.
Serving Suggestions
For a meal closest to the familiar Peking duck presentation, serve the carved duck in the center of the table with warm Mandarin pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallions. The pancake makes a soft, slightly chewy wrapper; hoisin contributes sweet, salty, fermented depth; and the vegetables add a cool, crisp contrast to the duck’s rich skin. Use a small amount of sauce at first so its sweetness does not overwhelm the roast flavor.
Steamed rice, stir-fried greens, or a simple cucumber salad make practical sides if you want a fuller dinner. A little extra scallion or a few thin strips of fresh ginger can brighten the plate. If you have rendered fat in the roasting pan, let it cool before handling; it can be strained and refrigerated for another use, but do not pour hot fat down the sink.
Variations
Use a different sweetener: Maltose is a traditional glaze ingredient but can be difficult to find. Honey works well; maple syrup is another option, though its distinct flavor makes the glaze less traditional. With either substitute, brush on a thin coat and keep an eye on browning.
Change the wrap: If Mandarin pancakes are unavailable, use small flour tortillas warmed until soft. Their texture is thicker and their flavor less delicate, but they still hold the duck and vegetables. Lettuce leaves make a crisp, lighter-feeling wrap, though they are not a close stand-in for the tender pancakes.
Adjust the seasoning: The recipe uses a modest amount of five-spice and keeps the sauce and accompaniments prominent. For a more aromatic roast, add another 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) five-spice to the cavity seasoning. For a less sweet plate, serve less hoisin and add extra cucumber and scallion rather than changing the duck’s glaze.
Make a smaller meal: Roast a smaller duck if available, but do not simply halve the cooking time. Begin checking its internal temperature earlier and rely on the thermometer for doneness. A smaller bird may need less time to roast, while the overnight skin-drying step remains useful.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover duck within 2 hours of cooking, storing the meat and skin in a shallow airtight container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Keep pancakes, cut vegetables, and sauce in separate containers so the vegetables stay crisp and the pancakes do not become greasy. Remove any meat from the bones before storing if that makes it easier to chill and reheat evenly.
For best texture, reheat duck pieces on a rack or baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot throughout; smaller pieces may take about 10 to 15 minutes, while larger pieces take longer. Check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the safe reheating temperature. The skin may not be as crisp as it was on the first day, but a brief finish under the broiler can help; watch it closely so the glaze does not burn. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, and discard duck left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Peking duck taste like?
Peking duck is rich, savory, and aromatic, with crisp, often slightly sweet skin and tender meat. The glaze gives the skin a mild sweetness, while five-spice adds warm fragrance. Hoisin, scallion, cucumber, and a soft pancake create a sweet-savory, fresh, and crunchy combination in each bite.
Is Peking duck very sweet?
The duck itself should not taste like a dessert. Its glaze is lightly sweet and helps the skin brown, while hoisin is the sweeter part of the assembled bite. Use a small amount of sauce and extra cucumber or scallion if you prefer a more savory balance.
Is Peking duck greasy?
Duck is naturally richer than chicken, and its skin has a substantial layer of fat underneath. Pricking the skin without piercing the meat and roasting the bird on a rack lets some of that fat render into the pan. The result is still rich, but crisp skin and fresh accompaniments help balance it.
Does this home recipe taste exactly like restaurant Peking duck?
No home roast can reproduce every specialized preparation method. Traditional versions may involve particular breeds, careful shaping and drying, and purpose-built ovens. This method borrows the defining sweet-glazed skin, roasted duck, pancakes, and garnishes, while using standard home equipment and a refrigerator for drying.
Can I prepare the duck on the same day?
The duck can be roasted without the full overnight dry, but the skin is less likely to become as crisp. For the best result with this method, allow 12 hours uncovered in the refrigerator after glazing. If time is short, keep the bird food-safe in the refrigerator and understand that its skin may be softer.
What can I use instead of hoisin sauce?
Hoisin is a sweet, savory fermented sauce commonly served with the pancakes. A thick, mildly sweet Chinese-style plum sauce can work, though it tastes fruitier and less savory. You can also serve the duck with a little soy sauce mixed with a touch of honey, but that simpler substitute will not have hoisin’s distinctive depth.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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