Peking Duck: What It Is and How to Make It

Peking duck is a famous Beijing roast duck, known for crisp, lacquered skin and tender meat served in thin pancakes with scallions, cucumber, and savory-sweet sauce. This home version uses a refrigerator-drying step and a hot oven to approximate the contrast in texture, while keeping the method manageable without a specialized roasting oven.

Ingredients

1 whole duck, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), giblets removed
8 cups (1.9 L) boiling water, for scalding the skin
1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
1 tsp (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder
2 tbsp (42 g) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar, plus extra for serving if desired
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) water, for thinning the glaze
12 thin Chinese wheat-flour pancakes, about 12 oz (340 g), warmed according to package directions
½ cup (120 g) hoisin sauce, for serving
4 scallions, about 2 oz (60 g), cut into thin matchsticks
1 medium cucumber, about 10 oz (280 g), cut into thin matchsticks

Instructions

Prepare the duck. Remove any giblets from the cavity and pat the duck thoroughly dry with paper towels. Trim loose excess fat around the cavity opening, but leave the skin intact. With a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife, prick the skin all over, especially around the breast and thighs, without piercing the meat. This gives some of the fat a route to escape as it renders. Avoid deep cuts: exposed meat can dry out before the skin crisps.
Scald and season. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a clean, heatproof tray in the sink. Carefully pour the boiling water evenly over the skin; work slowly and avoid splashing. Transfer the duck to a clean rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Blot away any pooled water, then season the cavity and exterior with the salt, pepper, and five-spice. Wash hands and any surfaces that contacted raw poultry.
Air-dry in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the duck uncovered on its rack for 12 hours. Keep it on the lowest shelf so it cannot drip onto other food, and leave space around it for air to circulate. The surface should feel dry rather than tacky before roasting. This step is important for crisp skin; do not leave raw duck out at room temperature to dry.
Heat the oven and make the glaze. Near the end of the drying time, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Stir together the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl. If the honey is firm, warm the mixture briefly until pourable, then let it cool enough to brush on. Set a clean roasting rack over a roasting pan; the pan will catch the rendered fat.
Glaze and begin roasting. Brush a thin, even layer of glaze over the duck, including the sides. Place it breast-side up on the rack and roast for 25 minutes at 425°F (220°C). If the glaze begins to darken quickly, lower the oven temperature sooner rather than letting the honey burn. Keep the duck away from the oven’s top heating element.
Finish roasting. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and roast for about 1 hour 50 minutes more, checking the duck as it cooks. Carefully pour off accumulated fat when needed, taking care not to splash it; reserve it only if you plan to use it promptly or refrigerate it safely. Start checking the temperature before the estimated finish time. 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); continue roasting if either area has not reached it. If the skin is already deeply browned, tent that area loosely with foil while the meat finishes.
Rest and carve. Transfer the cooked duck to a clean carving board and rest it for 20 minutes. Separate the legs and wings, then slice the breast meat. For the classic table presentation, serve the crisp skin and meat together in small pieces; a home roast may not have the same paper-thin skin-and-meat slices made by specialist carving. Warm the pancakes and arrange them with the hoisin, scallions, and cucumber.

Tips

Dry skin is the key to browning. Pat the duck thoroughly dry before chilling, and do not cover it in the refrigerator. If your refrigerator is crowded or humid, the skin may need longer to dry; use its dry feel as a guide, while keeping raw poultry refrigerated.
Use a thermometer, not color alone. Duck can look browned before it is safely cooked. Check both the thick breast and thigh, avoiding bone, and return it to the oven if either is below 165°F (74°C).
Substitute the glaze ingredients thoughtfully. Maltose is sometimes used for a traditional glossy coating but can be difficult to find. Honey is a practical substitute and browns readily, so watch the skin near the end. Rice vinegar can be replaced with mild white vinegar, though its flavor is sharper.
Protect the skin from moisture. Keep sauce and cut vegetables separate until serving, and avoid covering the rested duck tightly. Trapped steam softens crisp skin.

Serving Suggestions

Put the warm pancakes, sliced duck, crisp skin, hoisin, scallions, and cucumber on the table so everyone can assemble their own. Spread a small amount of sauce over a pancake, add a few strips of duck and skin, then finish with scallion and cucumber. Fold or roll the pancake around the filling; too much sauce or too many fillings can make it tear.

For a fuller meal, serve with plain rice, lightly dressed greens, or a simple vegetable stir-fry. If you collect the rendered duck fat, chill it promptly and use a little to roast potatoes or sauté vegetables another day. Its savory flavor is rich, so a small amount is usually enough.

Variations

Make a simplified pancake wrap. If Chinese wheat pancakes are unavailable, use small flour tortillas warmed until soft. They are thicker and less delicate than traditional pancakes, but work well as a practical substitute. Thin scallion pancakes can also be used, though their own flavor and texture make the wraps more substantial.

Adjust the sauce. Hoisin is a convenient, widely available choice. Sweet bean sauce, sometimes labeled tian mian jiang, is closer to a traditional accompaniment and is generally less sweet and more savory. If you use it, taste first and offer it as a separate condiment; a little sugar can balance it if needed.

Use the meat in other meals. Leftover sliced duck can go into rice bowls, noodle soup, or lettuce wraps with cucumber and scallions. These are serving variations rather than substitutes for the whole roasted duck method, and the meat should still be reheated safely.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover duck within 2 hours of cooking. Remove the meat from the bones if convenient, place it in a shallow airtight container, and keep it refrigerated for 3–4 days. Store pancakes and cut vegetables separately; follow package directions for any opened sauce. Refrigerate rendered duck fat in a clean covered container and use it within a few days, or freeze it for longer storage.

For longer storage, freeze cooked duck meat in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw it in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. Reheat meat covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven with a spoonful of water or broth until it reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. The meat will heat more evenly in small portions. Reheated skin will not be as crisp as freshly roasted skin; warm it separately on a rack in a hot oven for a few minutes if you want to revive some crispness, watching closely so it does not burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Peking duck? Peking duck is a Beijing-style roast duck valued for crisp skin and tender meat. It is commonly served with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and a savory-sweet sauce. Restaurants using specialized ovens may prepare and carve it differently from this practical home-roasted version.

Is this the same as restaurant Peking duck? It shares the familiar flavors and pancake presentation, but it is a home adaptation, not a replica of every restaurant method. Traditional preparation often involves air-drying and roasting in equipment designed to produce an especially crisp skin. Oven shape, duck size, and drying conditions all affect the result.

Can I skip the overnight drying? You can roast the duck without it, but the skin is more likely to remain soft. If time is short, dry the skin as thoroughly as possible and refrigerate uncovered for as long as you safely can. Do not speed the process by leaving raw duck at room temperature.

Why prick the skin, and how do I avoid piercing the meat? Small holes let rendered fat escape from beneath the skin, helping it crisp. Use a thin skewer and angle it shallowly, aiming only through the skin and surface fat. Deep punctures let juices escape from the meat and can make the breast dry.

Can I make the duck ahead? You can complete the refrigerator-drying step the day before, then roast shortly before serving for the best skin texture. You can also roast the duck ahead and refrigerate the carved meat, but reheating is more likely to soften the skin. Keep cooked duck chilled and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).

What should I do with the duck bones and leftover fat? Once the meat is removed, bones can be refrigerated promptly and used to make stock within a few days, or frozen. Strain rendered fat into a clean container, refrigerate it within 2 hours, and use it within a few days or freeze it. Discard fat that has been left out too long or smells off.

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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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