Peking Duck

Peking duck is a Chinese roasted duck with crispy, shatteringly thin skin and tender meat underneath. The bird is air-dried before roasting so the skin renders out and browns to deep mahogany while the meat stays moist. This recipe uses a home oven and yields restaurant-quality results.

Ingredients for Peking Duck

A whole duck (5 to 6 pounds) is the only protein you need. Water blanches the skin so it pulls away from the fat layer beneath and crisps up in the oven. Honey brushed on before roasting caramelizes and deepens the color. Soy sauce, five-spice powder, garlic, and ginger season the cavity and the skin. Salt and white pepper finish the seasoning. Hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar make a glaze for serving.

Why This Peking Duck Works

The key to Peking duck is separating the skin from the fat layer underneath so it can dry out and crisp. Blanching the duck in boiling water tightens the skin and opens the pores, which lets moisture escape during the long air-dry. The longer the duck sits uncovered in the refrigerator, the drier the skin becomes, and dry skin renders out and browns instead of steaming.

Roasting at high heat melts the fat layer under the skin and lets it drip away into the pan, leaving the skin paper-thin and shattering. A low-heat finish at the end makes sure the meat comes to temperature without the exterior darkening further. Brushing the duck with a honey glaze in the final minutes adds a burnished sheen and subtle sweetness.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the blanching step leaves the skin attached firmly to the fat layer underneath. When the skin is not loosened this way, it steams instead of crisping, and you end up with thick, rubbery skin and rendered fat still clinging to it.

Not air-drying the duck long enough means the skin never fully dries before roasting. A damp skin steams in the oven instead of browning, and the fat underneath does not render cleanly, leaving you with greasy, soft skin.

Roasting at too low a temperature the whole time prevents the skin from crisping and the fat from rendering. The meat may cook through, but the skin stays pale, thick, and flabby instead of mahogany and crisp.

Carving the duck while it is still hot tears the meat and makes it harder to separate the skin cleanly. Let the duck rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven so the meat firms up and carves in neat pieces.

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Ingredients

• 1 whole duck, 5 to 6 pounds
• 2 quarts water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Remove the duck from the refrigerator and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels. Trim any excess skin around the neck.
2. Bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Carefully lower the duck into the boiling water breast side down and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.
3. Mix the soy sauce, five-spice powder, minced garlic, and minced ginger in a small bowl. Rub this mixture inside the duck cavity and all over the outside of the skin.
4. Place the duck breast side up on a rack set over a roasting pan. Place uncovered in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours, ideally 12 to 18 hours, so the skin dries completely.
5. Remove the duck from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
6. Roast the duck breast side up for 45 minutes at 425°F (220°C) until the skin is deep golden brown and fat has rendered into the pan. The skin should look burnished and feel crisp when tapped.
7. Whisk together the honey, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Brush this glaze all over the duck.
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and roast for 15 to 20 minutes more until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C).
9. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes so the meat firms up.
10. Carve the duck by first removing the legs and thighs, then the wings, then carefully peeling away the skin in large sheets. Slice the breasts and serve the meat and skin separately if desired.