Jasmine Pancakes and Roast Duck with Hoisin

Jasmine pancakes and roast duck pair crisp-skinned duck with thin, soft pancakes scented with jasmine tea, plus cucumber, scallions, and hoisin for wrapping. The meal takes inspiration from Chinese roast duck served with pancakes, while the tea-infused dough is a simple home variation; the floral note stays subtle so it complements rather than overwhelms the duck.

Ingredients

1 whole duck, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), fully thawed, with giblets removed
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1 jasmine tea bag or 1 tsp (2 g) loose jasmine tea
1 cup (240 ml) water for brewing the tea
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus up to 2 tbsp (16 g) for dusting
¾ cup (180 ml) hot brewed jasmine tea, measured after brewing
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, for the pancake layers
1 tsp (5 ml) neutral oil for the skillet
½ cup (120 ml) hoisin sauce, for serving
1 English cucumber, about 12 oz (340 g), cut into thin matchsticks
6 scallions, about 3 oz (85 g), cut lengthwise into thin strips

Instructions

Dry and season the duck. Unwrap the thawed duck, remove the giblets, and pat the bird very dry with paper towels; do not rinse raw poultry. Use a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to prick the skin all over, especially around the legs and breast, taking care not to pierce the meat. Mix the salt, five-spice, and pepper, then rub the mixture over the skin and inside the cavity. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a rimmed roasting pan and refrigerate it uncovered for 12 hours. Keep it on the lowest shelf, away from ready-to-eat food.
Brew the tea and mix the dough. Steep the jasmine tea in 1 cup (240 ml) freshly boiled water for 3 minutes, then remove the tea bag or strain the leaves. Measure ¾ cup (180 ml) of the tea into a heatproof measuring cup and let it cool for about 15 minutes, until hot but manageable. Put the flour and fine salt in a bowl. Pour in the tea gradually while stirring with chopsticks or a fork, until shaggy clumps form. When cool enough to handle, knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured counter for 5 minutes, until the dough feels smooth and pliable. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Roast the duck. Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C). Roast breast-side up for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and roast for about 2 hours 5 minutes more. Carefully pour off accumulated fat once or twice if the pan is getting very full; save it for another use if desired. Mix the honey, soy sauce, and water. During the last 15 minutes, brush a thin coat over the skin, avoiding a thick sugary layer that could scorch. Check the thickest part of the breast and the inner thigh with a food thermometer without touching bone; USDA FSIS gives 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for duck. If either area has not reached 165°F (74°C), continue roasting and check again every 10 minutes. Rest the cooked duck on a clean board for 20 minutes before carving.
Shape the pancakes. While the duck roasts, turn the rested dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Work in pairs: flatten two balls into small discs, brush one disc lightly with neutral oil, place the other disc on top, and roll the pair together into a thin round about 6 inches (15 cm) across. Keep the remaining dough covered so it does not dry out. A little flour on the counter is useful, but too much can make the pancakes tough.
Cook and separate the pancakes. Warm a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat and wipe it with a little of the measured skillet oil. Cook one paired round for about 30 seconds, until small bubbles appear, then flip and cook the other side for 20 to 30 seconds. The surface should have a few pale golden spots, not become crisp. Transfer it to a plate and, while it is still warm, gently peel the two thin pancakes apart. Cover them with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the separated pancakes under the towel to keep them supple.
Carve and serve. Carve the duck into bite-size pieces, removing the meat from the bones and slicing the skin into strips. Arrange the warm pancakes, duck, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin on a platter. Spread a little sauce on a pancake, add duck and vegetables, fold or roll it, and eat while warm.

Tips

Give the skin time to dry. The uncovered refrigerator rest helps the skin lose surface moisture so it can brown and crisp. If you cannot leave it for 12 hours, dry it for at least 4 hours; the skin may be less crisp, but the duck will still roast well. Do not leave raw duck at room temperature to dry.
Use tea as a gentle fragrance. Jasmine tea varies in strength. If yours is strongly scented, steep it for only 2 minutes; a bitter or perfumey tea can dominate the filling. If you cannot find jasmine tea, use hot water instead. The pancakes will still work, but they will not have the floral aroma.
Keep the dough covered. Dough exposed to air forms a dry skin that is difficult to roll thinly. Cover the bowl during its rest and keep unused pieces beneath a damp—not dripping—clean towel. If a round springs back as you roll it, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
Watch the thermometer, not just the clock. Oven times vary with the duck’s shape and starting temperature. Use a thermometer in both the breast and thigh, and do not rely on skin color or clear juices to determine doneness. For a less sweet finish, brush on only half the honey mixture or leave it off.

Serving Suggestions

Set out the fillings separately so everyone can assemble pancakes to taste. A thin swipe of hoisin is usually enough; too much sauce can overpower the duck and make the wrapper soggy. Add cucumber and scallion for freshness and crunch. Shredded carrot, a few cilantro leaves, or thinly sliced radish also work, but keep the pieces narrow so the pancake can fold without tearing.

For a fuller meal, serve the wraps with steamed jasmine rice, a simple stir-fried green vegetable, or a light cabbage salad dressed with rice vinegar. If you want to put the duck on the table as a whole bird, carve it shortly before serving and keep the carved meat covered loosely with foil while the pancakes finish. Put out small plates for bones and napkins, since these wraps are best eaten by hand.

Variations

Use a prepared roast duck: To shorten the project, buy a fully cooked roast duck from a shop or market and make the pancakes and accompaniments at home. Follow the supplier’s handling instructions, remove the meat from the bones, and reheat it until it reaches 165°F (74°C). The meat may be less crisp after reheating, so warm skin separately in a skillet if you want to restore some crispness.

Change the pancake flour: Replace up to ½ cup (60 g) of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour for a nuttier taste and slightly sturdier wrapper. The dough may need an extra teaspoon or two of hot tea. For a more traditional neutral flavor, make the same dough with hot water instead of jasmine tea.

Make the sauce less sweet: Serve hoisin alongside a small bowl of soy sauce mixed with a splash of rice vinegar, or add a little vinegar to the hoisin. Maltose is sometimes used to glaze roast duck; it can be hard to find, and honey is a convenient substitute that gives a more pronounced floral sweetness. The recipe’s thin honey-soy glaze is optional.

Use the meat in another format: If you prefer not to wrap the fillings, serve carved duck over rice with cucumber, scallions, and hoisin on the side. The tea pancakes are also pleasant with leftover duck, but make the pancakes fresh when possible for the softest texture.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked duck, pancakes, and cut vegetables within 2 hours of cooking, storing them separately in covered containers. Cooked duck keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; pancakes are best within 2 days, though they can be kept for up to 3 days if well wrapped. Keep cucumber and scallions separate because their moisture can soften the pancakes. Freeze leftover carved duck for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat duck in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F (165°C) with a spoonful of water or stock until the meat reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. For crisper skin, uncover it for the last few minutes or warm skin pieces in a skillet. Heat pancakes one at a time in a dry skillet for about 15 seconds per side, or stack them, cover with a barely damp paper towel, and microwave in short bursts until warm. Do not repeatedly reheat the whole batch; warm only what you plan to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the pancakes ahead? Yes. Cook and separate them, cool completely, then stack with small pieces of parchment between them and seal in a container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen pancakes in the refrigerator and rewarm them covered so they do not dry out.

Can I roast the duck on the same day without the 12-hour rest? Yes. The rest is mainly for drier skin, not a required cooking step. Pat the duck thoroughly dry, season it, and roast it right away. The skin may not become as crisp, so make sure the oven is fully heated and avoid pouring liquid over the bird while it cooks.

Why cook two pancakes together and peel them apart? A thin film of oil between the paired dough discs lets them cook as one round without sticking together permanently. Peeling them apart while warm creates two very thin wrappers with less rolling and less chance of tearing. If they resist separating, cook them for another 10 seconds and try again while warm.

Can I use store-bought pancakes? Yes. Ready-made Mandarin-style pancakes are a convenient substitute; steam or warm them according to the package directions. They will not have the jasmine aroma, but they pair well with the duck. Check the package quantity, since sizes vary, and provide enough for about three pancakes per person.

How do I know the duck is done if the skin is already brown? Color is not a safe doneness check. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh without touching bone. The duck must reach 165°F (74°C) in both locations; if it has browned before reaching that temperature, loosely tent the skin with foil and continue roasting.

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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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