Peking Duck House NYC Reservations and Menu Tips

“Peking Duck House NYC reservations” is a restaurant-planning search, not a recipe name: Peking Duck House is a New York City restaurant known for serving Peking duck, a Chinese dish of crisp-skinned roast duck with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. This practical home recipe recreates that style of meal; it takes time to dry the duck properly, but the hands-on work is manageable and the platter is designed for sharing.

Ingredients

1 whole Pekin duck, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), giblets removed
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chinese rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
1 tsp (5 g) fine salt
1 tsp (2 g) five-spice powder
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water, for loosening the skin
12 Chinese wheat-flour pancakes, about 8 oz (225 g), store-bought or homemade
½ cup (120 g) hoisin sauce or sweet bean sauce
4 scallions (60 g), cut into thin 3-inch (7.5 cm) strips
1 English cucumber, about 10 oz (280 g), seeded if watery and cut into thin matchsticks
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, only if warming pancakes in a skillet

Instructions

Dry the duck (15 minutes active, then 12–18 hours unattended). Remove any pinfeathers and pat the duck very dry inside and out. Use a small metal skewer or the tip of a paring knife to prick the skin all over without piercing the meat. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a rimmed tray. Refrigerate uncovered for 12–18 hours; this dries the skin for better browning. Keep raw poultry and its drippings away from ready-to-eat foods.
Prepare the glaze (5 minutes). Stir together the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, five-spice, and sesame oil. Set aside. This is a home-friendly glaze rather than the traditional restaurant method of inflating the duck and applying a maltose-based coating.
Heat the oven and loosen the skin (15 minutes). Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C). Put the duck on its rack over the roasting pan. Carefully pour the boiling water over the skin, turning the duck as needed; avoid splashing yourself. Pat dry again. Brush all over with the glaze, including the sides, but do not pour excess into the cavity.
Roast (about 2 hours). Roast breast-side up for 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C). Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and roast for about 1 hour 40 minutes more. If the breast darkens too quickly, tent it loosely with foil; if the pan smokes, carefully add a little hot water to the pan, not over the duck. Start checking the temperature near the end. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh without touching bone. USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature for duck is 165°F (74°C); check more than one spot and return the duck to the oven if needed. Time varies with the bird and oven, so temperature, not the clock, determines doneness.
Rest and carve (15 minutes active plus 15 minutes resting). Transfer the duck to a clean cutting board and rest for 15 minutes. Pour off and discard the pan drippings safely, or refrigerate them promptly for another use. Remove the legs and wings, then slice the breast meat and cut or pull remaining meat into bite-size pieces. The skin can be served in crisp pieces alongside the meat.
Warm the pancakes and arrange the platter (10 minutes). Warm pancakes according to their package directions, usually by steaming briefly or heating in a covered basket. For a skillet, brush lightly with neutral oil and warm each pancake for about 20 seconds per side. Serve the duck with pancakes, hoisin or sweet bean sauce, scallions, and cucumber.

Tips

Uncovered refrigeration is important for crisp skin. Leave space around the bird, place it over a rimmed tray, and don’t rinse raw poultry; rinsing can spread splashes around the sink.
Use a thermometer rather than relying on color or a fixed roasting time. If you have a convection oven, check early because it may roast faster.
Chinese wheat-flour pancakes are sometimes labeled Mandarin pancakes. If unavailable, small flour tortillas work, though they are thicker and less delicate. Hoisin is widely available; sweet bean sauce has a less sweet, more savory flavor.
Keep the duck’s raw tray and utensils separate from the cooked platter. Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw poultry, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Serving Suggestions

Set everything out family-style so diners can assemble their own wraps: spread a little sauce on a pancake, add duck, then top with scallion and cucumber. Keep the fillings in separate bowls and offer extra sauce at the table. Steamed rice, stir-fried greens, or a light cucumber salad make useful sides, especially if the duck is the centerpiece of a larger meal. For a more classic presentation, serve some crisp skin separately so it stays crisp rather than getting softened by sauce.

Variations

For a simpler weekday version, roast duck legs instead of a whole bird, reducing the amount of glaze proportionally and cooking until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Cooking time will be shorter and depends on their size. For a less sweet glaze, reduce the honey to 1 tablespoon (15 ml); the skin will still brown, but with less sweetness. If you can find maltose, replace the honey with 2 tablespoons (40 g) dissolved in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) hot water for a more traditional-style coating. Do not expect the same result as a restaurant’s specialized hanging-oven method, which is difficult to reproduce in a home oven.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate carved duck and pancakes separately within 2 hours, in shallow airtight containers. Cooked duck keeps 3–4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. For longer storage, freeze the meat for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat duck in a covered oven-safe dish with a spoonful of water or stock at 325°F (165°C) until it reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature for leftovers. Re-crisp skin separately in a hot skillet or under the broiler, watching closely. Warm pancakes just before serving; refrigerated pancakes can dry out, so wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat briefly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should I make this duck?
Allow 12–18 hours for uncovered drying, about 2 hours for roasting, and 15 minutes to rest. You can prepare the scallions, cucumber, and sauce earlier, but keep them refrigerated and warm the pancakes shortly before serving.

Can I skip the overnight drying?
You can roast the duck without it, but the skin is less likely to become crisp. If time is short, dry it thoroughly with paper towels and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours; that helps, though it does not match an overnight dry.

Do I need to prick the duck?
Pricking the skin helps fat render, but avoid piercing the meat. Deep punctures let juices escape and can make the meat drier. Work especially carefully around the breast.

Is Peking duck the same as roast duck?
Peking duck is a particular Chinese preparation associated with dried skin, roasting, and serving with pancakes and condiments. Home versions vary, and this oven method is an adaptation rather than a claim to reproduce every regional or restaurant technique.

How do I keep the pancakes from tearing?
Warm them until pliable, keep the stack covered with a clean towel, and avoid overfilling. If using frozen pancakes, thaw and heat them according to the package directions.

Can I use leftover duck in another meal?
Yes. Add promptly chilled meat to fried rice, noodles, or a salad, and reheat it to 165°F (74°C) when serving it hot. Keep cold leftovers refrigerated and use them within the 3–4 day storage window.

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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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