Peking Duck Chinatown Style With Crispy Skin and Pancakes

Peking duck is a Beijing-style roast duck known for lacquered, crisp skin, traditionally served with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. This home version uses a whole duck, an overnight air-dry, and a simple maltose glaze to recreate the glossy, savory-sweet Chinatown-style feast without specialized hanging equipment.

Ingredients

1 whole Pekin duck, 5–6 lb (2.3–2.7 kg), fully thawed, giblets removed
2 tsp kosher salt (10 g)
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (2 g)
½ small yellow onion, cut into chunks, about 2 oz (55 g)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced, about ½ oz (15 g)
2 scallions, cut into short lengths, about 1 oz (30 g), plus 6 scallions for serving, about 3 oz (90 g)
¼ cup maltose (about 85 g); if unavailable, use 3 tbsp honey (about 60 g), which gives a more floral, less traditional flavor and can brown faster
¼ cup boiling water (60 ml)
2 tbsp rice vinegar (30 ml)
½ cup hoisin sauce (about 135 g)
1 tbsp warm water (15 ml), plus more if needed to loosen the hoisin
1 medium cucumber, about 10 oz (280 g), cut into thin matchsticks
24 frozen Mandarin-style pancakes, about 21 oz (600 g), or the amount in one package
Boiling water, about 8 cups (1.9 L), for scalding the duck skin

Instructions

Thaw and prepare the duck. Start with a fully thawed duck; a frozen bird usually needs 24–48 hours to thaw in the refrigerator, so plan that time before beginning this recipe. Remove the giblets and any large pockets of fat from the cavity. Pat the duck very dry with paper towels, then use a skewer or the tip of a small knife to prick the skin all over, especially around the thighs and breast. Pierce the skin only, not the meat. This lets some fat render and helps the skin crisp rather than steam.
Scald and season. Set the duck on a rack over a clean sink or a deep, heatproof pan. Carefully pour the measured boiling water evenly over the skin to tighten it, turning the duck with tongs so the whole surface is scalded. Let excess water drain, then pat the bird thoroughly dry again. Rub the salt and five-spice powder inside the cavity and lightly over the skin. Put the onion, ginger, and the first 2 scallions in the cavity; do not pack it tightly, because air needs to circulate.
Make the glaze and air-dry. Stir the maltose, boiling water, and rice vinegar together until the maltose dissolves. Brush a thin, even coat over the duck, including the sides and legs. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a rimmed tray and refrigerate uncovered for 12 hours. Keep it on the lowest refrigerator shelf, away from ready-to-eat foods. The skin should feel dry rather than sticky. Cover and refrigerate any unused glaze; do not reuse glaze that has touched raw duck unless you boil it thoroughly.
Heat the oven. Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 350°F (177°C). Put a rack in the middle of the oven. Pour about 1 cup (240 ml) of hot water into the bottom of a deep roasting pan and place the duck, still on its rack, above the water. The water helps catch fat and reduces smoking; the duck must remain above the liquid. If your pan is shallow, use a sturdy rimmed roasting pan and check it during cooking.
Roast slowly, then brown. Roast breast-side up at 350°F (177°C) for 1 hour 50 minutes. If the bird is browning unevenly, rotate the pan once, taking care not to splash hot fat. Raise the oven to 425°F (218°C) and roast for about 30 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Cooking time varies with the duck and oven, so use temperature rather than appearance alone: insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh without touching bone. USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for duck and other poultry; if either reading is below that, continue roasting and check again every 10 minutes. If the skin is already dark, loosely shield it with foil while the meat finishes.
Rest and prepare the accompaniments. Transfer the duck to a clean carving board and rest it for 20 minutes. While it rests, stir the hoisin sauce with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) warm water; add another teaspoon at a time if you prefer a thinner dipping consistency. Slice the cucumber into slender matchsticks and cut the remaining scallions lengthwise into thin strips. Warm the frozen pancakes according to the package directions, usually by steaming briefly or heating one at a time in a dry pan. Keep warmed pancakes covered with a clean towel so they stay pliable.
Carve and serve. Use a sharp knife to separate the legs and wings, then slice the breast meat and skin into bite-size pieces. If you prefer the classic presentation, remove the crisp skin in broad pieces first and slice the meat separately. Set out the duck, warm pancakes, hoisin, cucumber, and scallions together. Each person can spread a little sauce on a pancake, add duck and vegetables, fold it closed, and eat it while warm.

Tips

Dry skin is the key. Pat the duck dry after scalding and allow the full 12-hour uncovered refrigerator rest. If your refrigerator is humid or the skin still feels tacky, another few hours of drying can help; keep the duck chilled and add that time to your schedule.
Use maltose if you can find it. It is a thick, mildly sweet syrup commonly sold in Asian markets. Honey is a workable substitute, but it colors more quickly, so watch the final high-heat stage and shield the skin if it darkens before the duck reaches a safe temperature.
Protect the skin while pricking. A skewer is useful for making many small holes, but avoid stabbing deeply into the breast or thigh. Holes in the meat let juices escape and can make the finished slices drier.
Keep raw-duck tools separate. Wash hands, the sink area, rack, and utensils that contact raw poultry with hot, soapy water before handling the vegetables or serving pancakes. Use a clean board and platter for the cooked duck.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the duck family-style as soon as it has been carved, with the pancakes covered until the last moment. A good pancake has enough room for a few slices of duck, a little crisp skin, cucumber, and scallion; too much filling makes it difficult to fold. Hoisin is the familiar sweet-savory sauce for this style of service. Some regional and restaurant versions use a sweeter wheat-based bean sauce or add a little sesame oil, so adjust the dip to suit your table rather than treating one combination as the only correct one.

For a fuller meal, add steamed rice, simply stir-fried greens, or a light soup served before the duck. Since the duck and sauce are rich, plain vegetables with modest seasoning make a useful contrast. If you are serving a group, carve the duck in the kitchen and arrange skin and meat together on a warm platter, or bring out the whole rested bird for presentation before carving. Set out extra pancakes and vegetables separately so diners can build smaller wraps.

Variations

Make the glaze without maltose: Use the listed honey substitute, or use light corn syrup in the same amount as the maltose. Either option helps the skin shine, though the sweetness and flavor differ from maltose. Brush on a thin coat; a thick layer can become sticky or burn during the final hot roast.

Use a different sauce: If hoisin is unavailable, mix ¼ cup (60 ml) smooth plum sauce with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil. The result is fruitier and less bean-forward than hoisin. For a more traditional pantry alternative, look for sweet bean sauce at an Asian grocery and thin it with warm water to taste.

Serve with steamed buns: Soft steamed buns can replace the pancakes, although the meal becomes less like the thin-pancake presentation associated with Peking duck. Split the buns and fill them with duck, cucumber, scallion, and sauce just before serving. Do not overfill, or the crisp skin will soften quickly.

Roast duck pieces instead: If a whole duck is too much, use duck legs or breasts, but the timing and presentation change substantially. Pieces will not provide the same broad sheets of crisp skin, and they should be checked individually with a thermometer. Follow a recipe designed for the cut rather than applying the whole-duck roasting times to smaller pieces.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover duck, pancakes, and cut vegetables within 2 hours of cooking, storing them separately in covered containers. Cooked duck keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator; pancakes and vegetables are best within a few days, though cucumber may soften. Store hoisin separately. Remove the aromatics from the duck cavity before storing, and discard any sauce or glaze that has been in contact with raw poultry unless it was boiled thoroughly.

For crispier leftovers, separate the meat and skin and reheat them on a rack or tray in a 350°F (177°C) oven until hot throughout. Check with a food thermometer: leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C). A microwave is quicker but softens the skin; use short bursts and cover loosely to reduce splatter. Warm pancakes separately according to their package directions. Freeze cooked duck in airtight portions for up to 2–3 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating to 165°F (74°C).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Peking duck without drying it overnight?
Yes, but the skin is less likely to become crisp and lacquered. The uncovered refrigerator rest removes surface moisture, which is why this recipe builds in 12 hours. If you have less time, dry the duck thoroughly and chill it uncovered for as long as your schedule allows; do not leave raw duck at room temperature to speed the process.

Do I need to hang the duck?
No. Hanging is used in some specialist preparations to expose the skin to air, but a rack set over a rimmed tray works for a home oven. Make sure air can circulate around the bird and that the duck is not sitting in its drippings while it dries or roasts.

How do I know when a whole duck is done?
Check more than one place with an instant-read food thermometer: the thickest part of the breast and the inner thigh, without touching bone. Both should reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry. Skin color and clear juices are not reliable substitutes for a thermometer.

Why did my skin turn soft?
Common causes are damp skin before roasting, crowding the duck against a pan, or covering it tightly while it rests. Dry the skin well, use an elevated rack, and rest the bird uncovered or with only a very loose foil tent. Carve close to serving time because steam from meat and pancakes gradually softens crisp skin.

Can I prepare the duck a day ahead?
You can scald, season, glaze, and air-dry it in the refrigerator for up to about 24 hours before roasting, provided the refrigerator stays at 40°F (4°C) or colder and the duck is protected from other foods. Roast it on serving day. Do not roast it in advance and leave it out; refrigerate cooked duck promptly and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).

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).