Peking Duck

Peking Duck

A celebration of crisp, lacquered skin and tender meat, served with thin wheat pancakes, scallion, cucumber and hoisin sauce. The traditional Chinese method glazes the duck with maltose and air-dries it before roasting to achieve the signature glassy, mahogany crackling.

Prep

60 min

Cook

75 min

Total

135 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1.8 kg (4 lb) whole duck, reserve neck, giblets and excess fat for the optional stock
• •60 ml (¼ cup) maltose syrup, traditionally maltose; honey or a 50/50 sugar syrup may be substituted if maltose is unavailable
• •30 ml (2 Tbsp) Chinese rice vinegar
• •30 ml (2 Tbsp) Shaoxing wine
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) scallion, finely chopped, for the cavity
• •10 g (2 tsp) fresh ginger, sliced, for the cavity
• •3 g (1 star) star anise, for the cavity
• •1 L (4 cups) boiling water, to pour over the duck skin
• •300 g (10½ oz) plain wheat flour, for the pancakes; or use ready-made chun bing
• •180 ml (¾ cup) boiling water, for the pancake dough
• •60 ml (¼ cup) cold water
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, for the pancake dough
• •2 g (½ tsp) neutral oil, plus more for brushing pancakes
• •100 g (3½ oz) hoisin sauce
• •15 ml (1 Tbsp) warm water, to loosen the hoisin
• •4 stalks scallion, white and pale green parts only, julienned
• •Persian or English cucumber, ½, seedless, julienned

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the duck inside and out under cold running water. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Trim any loose skin and excess fat from the neck and cavity openings, reserving them for stock if you wish.
2. 2 Hang or set the duck on a rack over a tray, breast-side up. Pour about 1 L of boiling water slowly over the duck, starting at the neck and working down, to tighten the skin. Pat dry again thoroughly — the skin must be bone-dry before drying.
3. 3 Combine the maltose, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine and 5 g salt in a small saucepan. Warm gently, stirring, just until the maltose loosens and the mixture is smooth. Do not boil.
4. 4 Brush the warm glaze generously and evenly over the entire duck, including the back and underside. Place the duck uncovered on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24–36 hours to air-dry. The skin should feel taut and papery before roasting.
5. 5 About 1 hour before roasting, take the duck out of the fridge so it loses its chill. Stuff the cavity with the chopped scallion, sliced ginger and star anise.
6. 6 Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 190 °C (375 °F). Place a foil-lined tray on the rack below to catch drips. Place the duck breast-side up on a rack over a roasting pan.
7. 7 Roast at 190 °C (375 °F) for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 160 °C (320 °F) and roast for a further 45–60 minutes, basting once with any pan juices, until the skin is deep mahogany and crisp and the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 82 °C (180 °F) on an instant-read thermometer.
8. 8 Remove the duck from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 10–15 minutes. The resting skin will stay crisp and the juices will redistribute.
9. 9 Meanwhile, make the pancakes: in a bowl stir together the flour and salt. Add the boiling water and stir with chopsticks to a shaggy dough, then add the cold water and 2 g oil and knead briefly until smooth. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
10. 10 Roll the rested dough into 16 g balls (about the size of a walnut). Brush one ball with a thin film of oil, lay a second ball on top, and roll the pair out into a thin disc about 15 cm (6 in) across.
11. 11 Cook the stacked discs in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 90 seconds per side, until pale spots form and the layers puff slightly. Peel the two pancakes apart and keep them covered in a clean cloth to stay soft.
12. 12 Stir the hoisin sauce with the warm water to a spreadable consistency and transfer to a small serving bowl. Arrange the julienned scallion and cucumber on a separate plate.
13. 13 Carve the duck by slicing off the crisp skin first, then the breast meat, then the leg meat, aiming for pieces roughly 4–5 cm (1½–2 in) long and as thin as your knife allows. Traditionally the skin is presented on its own as the first course.
14. 14 To eat, smear a little hoisin on a warm pancake, lay on a few slices of duck, top with scallion and cucumber, roll up and eat with your hands.