Peking Duck With Steamed Buns: A Complete Home Recipe

Peking duck is a Beijing-style roast duck served with savory sauce and crisp, fresh accompaniments; here, it is wrapped in soft steamed buns with hoisin, cucumber, and scallions. Traditional preparations can involve specialized ovens and lengthy drying, while this home version uses a refrigerator-dried duck and a hot oven for crisp skin with manageable steps.

Ingredients

1 whole duck, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), thawed if frozen, with giblets removed
2 tsp kosher salt (10 g)
8 cups boiling water (1.9 L), for loosening the skin
2 scallions, cut into short lengths (about 30 g), for the cavity
1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 in (2.5 cm), sliced, for the cavity
2 tbsp honey (42 g)
1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
1 tbsp light soy sauce (15 ml)
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (2 g)
12 small steamed buns, fresh or frozen, about 1 lb 5 oz (600 g)
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (120 g)
1 tbsp water (15 ml), to thin the hoisin if needed
1 English cucumber, about 12 oz (340 g), cut into thin matchsticks
6 scallions (about 90 g), cut into thin strips
1 tbsp neutral oil (15 ml), only if needed to lightly oil the roasting rack

Instructions

Prepare the duck and refrigerator-dry it. Pat the duck dry, remove any loose fat from the cavity, and use the tip of a small knife or a skewer to prick the skin all over, especially around the thighs and breast. Pierce only the skin and fat, not the meat. Set the duck on a rack over a rimmed tray in the sink. Carefully pour the 8 cups (1.9 L) boiling water over the skin, turning the duck so all sides are exposed. This brief scald helps tighten the skin; it does not cook the duck. Pat it thoroughly dry, rub the salt over the skin and inside the cavity, then set the scallions and ginger inside. Refrigerate uncovered on the rack for 8 hours. Keep the tray below it to catch drips, and keep raw poultry and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Mix the glaze and prepare the accompaniments. Stir the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and five-spice together until smooth. Cut the cucumber and remaining scallions into thin strips, keeping them covered and refrigerated until serving. Stir the hoisin with the tablespoon of water if you want a looser sauce for spreading. These finishing jobs take about 25 minutes altogether; the long refrigerator rest is what dries the duck skin.
Heat the oven and glaze. Take the duck from the refrigerator while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven and set a roasting rack in a roasting pan. If the rack tends to stick, wipe it with a little neutral oil. Brush a thin layer of glaze over the duck, taking care not to leave thick, sugary pools that may darken too quickly. Place the duck breast-side up on the rack. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan if needed to keep drippings from smoking, but do not let the duck sit in the liquid.
Roast until crisp and safely cooked. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting for about 1 hour 45 minutes, checking the pan occasionally and adding a little water to the pan if the drippings begin to smoke. If one side browns faster, rotate the pan. Begin checking the thickest part of the breast and the inner thigh, without touching bone, near the end of roasting. USDA FSIS guidance sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for duck; check with a food thermometer and continue roasting in 10- to 15-minute increments until both areas reach that temperature. The skin should look deeply golden and feel crisp. Allow about 2 hours 10 minutes of roasting in total, but use the thermometer rather than the clock to decide when the duck is done.
Rest and carve. Transfer the duck to a clean cutting board and rest it for 20 minutes. This gives the juices time to settle and makes carving easier. Remove the cavity aromatics and discard them. Separate the legs at the joints, then slice the breast meat across the grain. If you like the traditional contrast of crisp skin and tender meat, cut some skin into small pieces and serve it alongside slices of meat rather than trying to keep every piece attached. Pour hot fat from the roasting pan into a heat-safe container to cool; do not pour it down the sink.
Steam the buns and serve. During the duck’s rest, steam the buns according to their package directions, usually for about 8 to 10 minutes if frozen or a few minutes if already thawed. Keep them covered after steaming so they stay soft. Arrange the duck, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin at the table. Let everyone spread a little hoisin inside a bun, add duck and vegetables, and fold the bun around the filling.

Tips

Dry skin is the shortcut that matters. Blot the duck well before its uncovered refrigerator rest, and do not skip that rest if crisp skin is important. If your refrigerator cannot fit the duck uncovered, place it on a rack in a tray and loosely tent it with parchment rather than sealing it in plastic; the skin will dry less efficiently, so it may not crisp as evenly.
Keep the glaze thin. Honey and soy can darken before the meat is ready. A light coat is enough, and you can brush on a little more during the last 20 minutes only if the skin still looks pale. If the skin is already dark, loosely shield the darkest spots with foil while the duck finishes cooking.
Maltose is optional. Some traditional Peking-style methods use maltose for a glossy coating. It can be difficult to find, so this recipe uses honey, rice vinegar, and soy instead. Honey is easier to brush on and brings a more noticeable floral sweetness; it will not make the duck identical to a restaurant-style lacquered roast.
Choose buns that suit your schedule. Frozen plain mantou-style buns or bao buns both work. Follow their package instructions rather than guessing at steaming time, and keep the lid on the steamer while they warm. If the steamer basket has wide gaps, line it with perforated parchment so the buns do not stick or sag.

Serving Suggestions

Set out the duck and toppings separately so the buns stay fluffy and each person can assemble a portion just before eating. A good starting point is one or two buns per person, with a few slices of duck, a pinch of cucumber and scallion, and a small amount of hoisin in each. The sweet-salty sauce is flavorful, so spread it thinly at first; extra sauce can be added at the table.

For a more complete meal, serve the buns with a simple stir-fried green vegetable, such as bok choy, or a bowl of lightly dressed greens. Steamed rice is also useful if you have extra duck or toppings. If serving a group, keep the sliced duck loosely covered on a warm platter and bring out the buns in batches rather than letting them sit uncovered and dry out.

Variations

Use thin pancakes instead of buns. Small wheat pancakes are a familiar way to serve Peking duck. Warm them according to their package directions and fill them with duck, hoisin, cucumber, and scallions. They make a thinner, less bread-like wrap than steamed buns, so you may want to offer more pancakes per person.

Adjust the sauce and aromatics. If hoisin is unavailable, use plum sauce mixed with a little soy sauce. Plum sauce is fruitier and usually less savory, so taste it before serving and add soy gradually. For a sharper, less sweet filling, use a little less hoisin and add extra scallions or a few thin strips of fresh ginger. Avoid adding a lot of salt to the duck if your soy sauce is particularly salty.

Make smaller portions. For a smaller gathering, roast duck legs instead of a whole bird and scale the glaze down. The cooking time will be shorter and depends on the size of the pieces, so check each leg with a thermometer; duck must reach 165°F (74°C). The skin-drying step still helps, though a few hours uncovered in the refrigerator is more practical for separated pieces.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked duck, buns, and cut vegetables within 2 hours of serving. Store the duck in a shallow, airtight container, with the buns and vegetables in separate containers. Cooked duck keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; use the vegetables sooner if they become wet or limp. Hoisin can be refrigerated according to its label. For longer storage, freeze cooked duck in a well-sealed container for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

For safe reheating, warm duck in a 350°F (175°C) oven in a covered baking dish with a spoonful of water or stock until the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C), checked with a thermometer. For crisper skin, uncover it for the last few minutes, watching carefully so it does not burn. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. Steam buns separately according to their package directions, and add fresh cucumber and scallions after reheating rather than warming them with the duck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe without drying the duck overnight?

You can roast it after a shorter uncovered refrigerator rest, but the skin is likely to be less crisp. Aim for at least 4 hours if you are short on time, and pat the skin thoroughly dry first. Do not leave raw duck out at room temperature to speed up drying; keep it refrigerated throughout the rest.

Do I need to pour boiling water over the duck?

The brief pour helps tighten the skin before drying, but it is not a substitute for cooking and it is not essential if you cannot do it safely. Use a stable rack over a sink, pour carefully, then sanitize the sink and nearby surfaces. If you skip it, dry the duck particularly well and expect the skin texture to be a little different.

How do I know when the duck is done?

Use an instant-read food thermometer, checking the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh without touching bone. Both should reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry. Color and clear juices are not reliable substitutes for a temperature reading, and the exact roasting time varies with the bird and oven.

Can I use a frozen duck?

Yes, but thaw it safely in the refrigerator before preparing it. A whole duck often needs about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg), and a larger bird can take longer. Keep it on a tray as it thaws, remove the giblets once the cavity is accessible, and begin the 8-hour uncovered drying period only after it is fully thawed.

Can I prepare the components ahead?

The duck needs its refrigerator drying time, so it is well suited to advance planning: start it the day before serving. You can cut the cucumber and scallions a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Roast the duck close to mealtime for the best skin, or roast it earlier and reheat leftovers safely to 165°F (74°C); reheated skin may be less crisp than freshly roasted skin.

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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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