Peking roast duck sounds complicated to make, but it is not. It just takes time to prep. I usually start preparing the duck early in the morning, then finally roast the duck for dinner. It’s always a success. The key to a good Chinese roast duck is to get a crispy skin while keeping the meat moist and sweet. The duck is first brined, them boiled and finally roasted and basted with a dark sweet and salty mixture.
1. Info for Homemade Peking Crispy Roast Duck
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 2 hrs
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 556 kcal
2. Ingredients for Homemade Peking Crispy Roast Duck
- 1 whole duck, about 3 1/2 lbs
- 1 large yellow onion, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 drops red food coloring
- 2 tsp five spice powder, check the tip section
- 1 Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 Tbs papaya seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp candied ginger, finely chopped, + 2 Tbs for infuser
- 1 Tbs peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 1 Tbs ginger garlic paste
- 1 Tbs fleur de sel, + 1 tsp
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, or dark honey
- 2 Tbs rice vinegar
- 2 Tbs dark molasse, + extra for the infuser
- 1 Tbs butter, soft at room temperature
- 2 tsp soy sauce
3. Directions:
- First, make sure the skin of the duck is not punctured. Clean the duck throughly. Get rid of the fat chunks near the bottom of the duck. Leave the skin on.
- Insert an air pump hose into the neck hole. Close the cavity at the bottom to get the skin to separate from the flesh.
- Combine the crushed black pepper and candied ginger in a sauce pan. Add about 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Place some iced water in a bucket. Add the papaya seeds, lemon juice, the ginger/pepper mixture and a few drops of red food coloring in a bucket. Add the duck and fill up the bucket with iced water. Make sure the brine covers the duck. Set aside in a cool area for at least 3 hours. Stir frequently and add ice when necessary. Remove the duck from its liquid. Discard the brine.
- In a medium-sized non-stick pan, caramelized the onion for about 10-15 minutes. Drain the oil. Keep the oil aside though.
- Fill a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil. Add the caramelized onions. Add the duck. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the stove. Drain and discard the water. Pat dry the duck with paper towels.
- In a bowl, add the five spice powder, salt, 1 tablespoon of the onion oil, ginger garlic paste, salt and 4 tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Wearing gloves, score the bird using a fork. Spread all the mixture in the cavity and on the outside of the bird. Rub evenly. Place the duck on a vertical stand (without the infuser) and plastic-wrap the duck. Chill in top shelf of the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Remove the duck. Discard the liquid at the bottom of the vertical stand. Wash the stand in soapy water.
- Preheat the oven at 350°F.
- In a bowl, mix the rest of the maple syrup with rice vinegar and soy sauce. Brush the duck with the vinegar mixture using a silicone brush. Drizzle with a little onion oil, then sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt on the bird. Cover just the tip and shoulders with foil so that they don’t burn.
- Place on the rotisserie of your oven or simply in a roaster. I used a vertical stand with an integrated infuser. Place a little citrus juice and molasse in the cup, stuff it with the remnant quarters of citrus and 2 tablespoons of candied ginger, and then seal the infuser. Place the duck on top and place the whole thing on a tray.
- Roast 350°F for 30 min. Then lower the heat to 325°F for another 10 minutes. Remove the foil.
- In the microwave, melt some butter and the molasses. Baste the bird with the butter mix using a silicone brush. Increase the temperature to 425°F for 10 min to brown the duck.
- Get the bird out of the oven. Cover with foil (don’t entirely wrap it, the skin won’t be crispy otherwise).
- Let the meat rest for a least 10 minutes. Be patient .
- The thermometer should register 165°F in the thickest part of the bird or the juice should run clear when you crack around the thighs.