Duck and Pancakes: Crispy Duck with Homemade Pancakes

Duck and pancakes is a Beijing-inspired meal of tender duck, thin soft pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallions, wrapped together at the table. This home-friendly version roasts duck legs until tender and makes Mandarin-style pancakes from scratch; it takes inspiration from Peking duck without claiming to reproduce the elaborate whole-duck preparation.

Ingredients

4 duck legs, about 2½ lb (1.1 kg) total
1½ tsp fine salt (9 g)
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (2 g)
½ tsp ground black pepper (1 g)
2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g), plus 1 tbsp (8 g) for dusting
¾ cup boiling water (180 ml)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil (10 ml), plus 2 tsp (10 ml) for brushing between pancakes
½ cup hoisin sauce (about 130 g), for serving
1 medium cucumber (about 10 oz/280 g), cut into thin matchsticks
6 scallions (about 100 g), trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 tsp neutral oil (5 ml), for the skillet if needed

Instructions

Season the duck. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the duck legs very dry with paper towels; dry skin browns and renders more effectively than damp skin. Trim away any loose flaps of fat, but leave the skin in place. Mix the salt, five-spice, and black pepper, then rub the mixture over both sides of the legs. Set them skin-side up on a rack in a roasting pan, leaving a little space between each leg.
Roast until tender. Roast for about 2 hours 20 minutes, turning the pan once after about 1 hour 15 minutes if your oven heats unevenly. The legs should be deeply rendered and easy to pierce near the joint. Check the thickest part of each leg with a food thermometer without touching bone: USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for duck. For meat that pulls apart readily, the legs may cook beyond that minimum; if a leg is not tender yet, continue roasting and check again in 15-minute increments.
Crisp the skin. Transfer the pan carefully, pour off and reserve the rendered fat if you like, then raise the oven to 450°F (230°C). Return the legs skin-side up for 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely near the end so the skin crisps without scorching. If your oven takes a while to reach the higher temperature, allow for that transition. Remove the legs and let them rest for 10 minutes before handling.
Make the pancake dough. While the duck rests, put the flour in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling water gradually while stirring with chopsticks or a sturdy spoon until rough clumps form. When the dough is cool enough to handle, knead it on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, until fairly smooth. Cover it with an upturned bowl or a clean damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. This rest makes the dough easier to roll thin without springing back.
Shred the duck and prepare the fillings. Once the legs are cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones into bite-size shreds. Chop the crisp skin into small pieces and keep it separate so it stays crisp. Put the meat and skin on a serving plate, and arrange the hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallions in separate bowls. Discard the bones, or save them for stock if you have a safe plan to refrigerate them promptly.
Shape the pancakes. Divide the rested dough into 16 equal pieces and keep them covered so they do not dry out. Roll each piece into a small ball, then flatten it into a disc. Brush the top of 8 discs lightly with sesame oil and place the remaining discs on top, making 8 pairs. Roll each pair together into a thin circle about 6 inches (15 cm) across, dusting with a little flour only if it sticks. The oil between the layers lets the cooked pancakes separate easily.
Cook and separate. Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook each pancake pair for about 1 to 2 minutes total, turning once, until pale golden spots appear and the dough is cooked but still pliable; reduce the heat if the spots darken before the center cooks. Stack the pairs under a clean towel as they finish. When cool enough to handle, gently peel each pair apart into 16 thin pancakes. Serve warm, with the duck and fillings ready for everyone to assemble.

Tips

Dry the skin thoroughly. Moisture slows browning and can make the skin less crisp. If you have time, pat the legs dry and leave them uncovered on a tray in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight, then season just before roasting. Refrigerate raw poultry safely and keep it separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Roll the pancake pairs evenly. A slightly thicker edge is fine, but try to keep each circle similar in thickness so the pancakes cook at the same speed. If the dough keeps shrinking, cover it and give it another 10 minutes to relax rather than forcing it thinner.
Keep cooked pancakes covered. A towel helps hold warmth and prevents the edges from drying while you cook the remaining batches. If a pancake tears, use it as a base for a smaller wrap; the filling will still taste good.
Choose a practical sauce substitute. Hoisin gives the wraps their familiar sweet-salty flavor. If you cannot find it, use plum sauce; it is usually fruitier and less savory, so stir in a little soy sauce to bring it closer. Avoid adding extra salt to the duck if your substitute is particularly salty.

Serving Suggestions

Bring the warm pancakes, shredded duck, chopped crisp skin, sauce, cucumber, and scallions to the table in separate dishes. To assemble, spread a small spoonful of hoisin over a pancake, add a modest portion of duck, then top with cucumber and scallion. Fold or roll the pancake around the filling and eat it by hand. Keeping the ingredients separate means each person can adjust the sauce and crunchy vegetables to taste, and it prevents the pancakes from becoming soggy before serving.

For a fuller meal, add a simple vegetable side such as steamed greens, lightly dressed cabbage, or stir-fried snow peas. Plain rice is also useful if you want the meal to stretch further, though it is not needed inside the wraps. If serving several people, warm the plates and set out extra napkins: the hoisin can drip, and the duck skin is best eaten soon after crisping.

Variations

Use store-bought pancakes. Frozen Mandarin pancakes are a convenient shortcut when available. Steam or warm them according to their package directions, and begin checking the duck early enough to account for any extra time the homemade pancakes would have taken. Thin flour tortillas are a less traditional substitute; warm them briefly in a dry skillet, knowing they will be thicker and more flexible than the delicate pancakes in this recipe.

Swap the aromatic seasoning. If Chinese five-spice is unavailable, season the duck with salt and pepper alone, or use a pinch each of ground cinnamon and ground star anise if you have them. That small blend will not taste exactly like five-spice, which commonly includes several warming spices, but it still complements the rich duck. Use a light hand with star anise because its flavor can dominate.

Add more crunch or heat. Carrot cut into fine matchsticks works alongside the cucumber, and a little sliced chili can add heat. Keep extra vegetables dry and cut them shortly before serving so they stay crisp. For a less sweet wrap, serve some duck with a small amount of hoisin and add a splash of rice vinegar to the sauce at the table.

Make the portions smaller. For a party, roll the dough into 24 smaller pieces instead of 16, pairing them to cook 12 small pancakes. They will be easier to serve as bites, but take a little longer to roll and cook. Keep the fillings in small bowls and replenish them from the refrigerator as needed rather than leaving perishable food out for an extended period.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover duck, pancakes, and cut vegetables within 2 hours of serving. Store the duck in a covered container, the pancakes in a separate airtight container with parchment between them, and the cucumber and scallions separately. Cooked duck keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; homemade pancakes are best within 2 days because they gradually lose softness. Hoisin sauce can be kept according to its package directions.

Reheat duck until it reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Warm a portion in a covered skillet over low heat with a spoonful of water, or microwave it covered, stirring or turning partway through so it heats evenly. For crisper skin, briefly finish it in a hot skillet or under the broiler, watching closely. Steam the pancakes for a few minutes or warm them in a covered skillet until soft and hot. Avoid reheating the cucumber and scallions; serve those cold and fresh. Freeze leftover duck in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Pancakes can also be frozen with parchment between them, though their texture may be slightly less tender after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the duck ahead?

Yes. Roast and shred the duck up to 2 days ahead, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat the meat to 165°F (74°C), then crisp the skin separately in a hot skillet or under the broiler if it has softened. Make the pancakes closer to serving time, or warm previously cooked pancakes gently so they remain pliable.

Why are my pancakes tough or hard to separate?

Tough pancakes often come from dough that was not rested, discs rolled too thick, or pancakes cooked too long over high heat. Let the dough rest for the full 30 minutes, roll each pair thin, and cook only until set with a few pale golden spots. Brush a thin, even layer of sesame oil between the two discs; too little can make them stick, while a pool of oil can make them greasy.

Can I use duck breast instead of duck legs?

You can, but the timing and texture will change. Duck breast is leaner and cooks much faster than legs, so do not roast it for 2 hours 20 minutes. Cook it using a reliable breast-specific method and check the thickest part with a thermometer; USDA FSIS guidance calls for duck to reach at least 165°F (74°C). Slice the cooked breast thinly rather than shredding it.

Do I need a rack to roast the duck legs?

A rack helps hot air circulate and keeps the legs from sitting in rendered fat, which encourages more even browning. If you do not have one, arrange the legs skin-side up in a roasting pan and turn them carefully during cooking; they may need a little extra time to crisp. Pour off excess fat carefully if it pools deeply, and save it only if you can cool and refrigerate it promptly.

What can I use instead of homemade pancakes?

Look for packaged Mandarin pancakes in the freezer section of an Asian grocery store, then warm them as directed on the package. Thin flour tortillas are an accessible alternative, although they have a different, more bread-like texture. Lettuce leaves can make a fresh, crisp wrap without pancakes, but they change the dish rather than imitate the original style.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).