Peking Duck Ingredients and a Crisp-Skin Home Recipe

Peking duck is a Beijing specialty of roast duck with lacquered, crisp skin, tender meat, thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and hoisin sauce. This home-oven version uses a hot-water blanch, a light maltose glaze, and an overnight refrigerator dry to help the skin crisp without special equipment.

Ingredients

1 whole Pekin duck, giblets removed, 5 to 6 lb (2.3 to 2.7 kg)
1 tablespoon fine salt (18 g)
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (2 g)
2 tablespoons maltose (42 g), or mild honey (42 g)
2 tablespoons boiling water (30 ml)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (15 ml)
2 scallions, cut into short lengths (about 30 g), for the cavity
1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced (15 g), for the cavity
1 cup water (240 ml), for the roasting pan
18 to 24 thin Chinese pancakes (about 450 g), warmed before serving
1 medium cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks (about 250 g)
6 scallions, cut into fine strips (about 90 g)
½ cup hoisin sauce (120 ml), for serving

Instructions

Prepare the duck. Remove any remaining giblets and excess fat from the cavity, then pat the duck very dry with paper towels. Trim loose skin around the cavity if needed. Use the tip of a skewer or a sharp paring knife to prick the skin all over, especially around the thighs and breast, making small holes through the skin but not into the meat. This gives rendered fat a way to escape and helps the skin dry evenly.
Blanch the skin. Put the duck breast-side up on a rack set over a clean sink or deep roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water over the skin, turning the bird with tongs to wet all sides. The skin should tighten and look smoother. Let the duck drain for a few minutes, then pat it dry again. Avoid splashing yourself; handle the hot water slowly and keep the duck stable on its rack.
Season and glaze. Stir together the salt and five-spice. Sprinkle the mixture inside the cavity, then add the cavity scallions and ginger; do not pack the cavity tightly. In a small bowl, dissolve the maltose in the boiling water and stir in the rice vinegar. If using honey, simply stir it with the hot water and vinegar. Brush a thin, even layer of glaze over the skin, including the sides and legs.
Dry the duck in the refrigerator. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a rimmed tray and refrigerate it uncovered for 18 hours. Keep it on the lowest shelf, away from ready-to-eat food, and make sure it cannot drip onto anything. The skin should feel dry and slightly taut before roasting. If it still feels damp, give it more time rather than covering it.
Set up the oven. Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C). Put a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1 cup (240 ml) water into the pan beneath it; the duck must sit above the water, not in it. The water helps keep fat drippings from smoking, and the rack lets hot air circulate around the bird. Tie the legs loosely with kitchen twine if they are splayed.
Roast until safely cooked. Roast breast-side up for 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C). Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and roast for about 85 minutes, checking the pan occasionally and adding a little hot water if it dries out. Turn the pan if your oven browns unevenly. Check with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh without touching bone; the USDA FSIS safe minimum for duck and all poultry is 165°F (74°C). If it has not reached that temperature, continue roasting and check every 10 minutes. For extra blistered skin, raise the oven to 425°F (220°C) for the final 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely so the glaze does not burn.
Rest and carve. Transfer the duck to a clean carving board and rest it for 20 minutes. Remove the cavity aromatics, then carve or pull off the skin and meat. For the classic table presentation, slice the crisp skin and meat into bite-size pieces and arrange them separately or together on a platter. Warm the pancakes according to their package directions and serve promptly.

Tips

Plan for thawing separately. If your duck is frozen, thaw it in its packaging on a tray in the refrigerator, allowing roughly 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg). A partly frozen bird will not dry or roast evenly. This thawing time is not included in the recipe schedule.
Use maltose if you can find it. Maltose is a traditional, thick, less-sweet syrup that gives the skin a delicate glaze. Honey is a practical substitute, but it tastes sweeter and can darken more quickly, so watch the final high-heat stage closely. Do not apply a thick coat of either syrup.
Keep the meat unpunctured. Pricking only the skin is important: holes through to the flesh let juices escape and can dry the duck. A small skewer gives better control than repeatedly stabbing with a large fork.
Use a thermometer, not color alone. Roasting time varies with the bird’s shape, starting temperature, and oven. If the skin is already well browned before the center reaches 165°F (74°C), tent the dark areas loosely with foil and continue cooking until the safe temperature is reached.

Serving Suggestions

Set out warm pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallion strips so everyone can assemble their own wraps. Spread a little hoisin down the center of a pancake, add a few pieces of duck and crisp skin, then finish with cucumber and scallion. Roll the bottom edge up and fold in the sides to catch the filling. Keep the pancakes covered with a clean towel while serving so they stay soft.

For a fuller meal, serve the wraps with steamed rice, simply cooked greens, or a light vegetable soup. A platter of pickled vegetables can cut through the richness, but the core accompaniments are enough to make a satisfying meal. If you have extra rendered duck fat in the roasting pan, let it cool slightly and strain it into a heat-safe container for refrigerated use in cooking; do not pour hot fat down the drain.

Variations

For a close-to-classic flavor, use maltose, rice vinegar, and Chinese five-spice as written. If maltose is unavailable, honey works; maple syrup can also glaze the duck, though it brings a noticeable maple flavor and may brown quickly. Distilled white vinegar can replace rice vinegar in the glaze, but use the same amount and expect a sharper tang.

Thin Chinese pancakes are sometimes sold as Mandarin pancakes or duck pancakes in Asian groceries. If you cannot find them, use small flour tortillas warmed until pliable; they are thicker and less delicate, but work well for wraps. For a different aromatic note, replace the ginger in the cavity with two star anise pods or add one small piece of cassia cinnamon. These are optional accents rather than a required seasoning, and keeping the cavity lightly filled allows heat to circulate.

You can also serve the carved duck as a rice bowl instead of making wraps. Add rice, cucumber, scallions, and a spoonful of hoisin, or use leftover meat in noodles. The duck itself remains the same; only the way it is served changes.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked duck within 2 hours, separated from the pancakes and fresh vegetables, in a shallow airtight container. Properly chilled cooked duck keeps for 3 to 4 days. Store hoisin sauce and uncooked garnishes separately, and follow the pancake package directions after opening. For longer storage, freeze the meat and skin in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 to 3 months; the texture of the skin will soften after freezing.

Reheat duck pieces in a 350°F (175°C) oven, loosely covered at first to limit drying, until the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C). Remove the cover for the final few minutes if you want to crisp the skin again. You can also reheat small portions in a skillet over medium-low heat, turning the pieces and checking the center with a thermometer. Reheat pancakes separately according to their package instructions; do not leave cooked duck at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as restaurant-style Peking duck?
It follows the familiar Beijing-style idea of lacquered duck served with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and hoisin, but it is adapted for a home oven. Restaurant preparations may use specialized ovens, air-drying equipment, or techniques that are difficult to reproduce at home. Regional and household versions also differ in seasoning and presentation.

Can I make the duck without drying it overnight?
The uncovered refrigerator dry is one of the most useful steps for crisp skin. If you are short on time, dry it for at least 8 hours, but expect a less crisp result than after 18 hours. Do not leave raw duck uncovered at room temperature to speed up drying; keep it refrigerated on a tray.

Why is my duck skin not crisp?
Common causes are damp skin, a crowded roasting pan, too much glaze, or a duck that sits in its rendered fat. Pat the bird thoroughly dry, leave space around it, and make sure it rests on a rack above the pan. If the meat is safely cooked but the skin needs more color, use the brief high-heat finish and watch carefully.

Can I prepare the duck a day ahead?
Yes. Blanch, season, glaze, and refrigerate it uncovered on its rack for up to about 24 hours before roasting. Once cooked, cool and refrigerate it within 2 hours. For best crispness, roasting and serving on the same day is preferable, but leftover meat can still be reheated safely.

What can I use instead of hoisin sauce?
Hoisin is the usual sweet-savory accompaniment, but plum sauce is a reasonable substitute and tastes fruitier and less deeply savory. You can also serve a little soy sauce mixed with a small amount of honey, though it will be thinner and saltier. Offer any substitute on the side so diners can adjust the amount.

How do I know when the duck is done?
Use an instant-read food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh, taking care not to touch bone. Poultry is safely cooked when it reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS minimum. A particular roasting time or the appearance of browned skin cannot confirm the temperature on its own.

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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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