Peking Duck, An Easy Home Version (北京烤鸭)

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Pat the raw duck (1) dry with kitchen paper. Rub the 2 tbsp fine salt over its skin and inside the cavity. Set it on a wire rack over a tray to catch drips, and rest in the refrigerator at 4°C or colder for 1 hour.

   Rest salted duck · 60 minUses 1 raw whole duck, about 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) · 2 tbsp fine salt

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring the separate approximately 1½ litres of scalding water to a boil. Set the salted duck over a deep tray and gently pour the boiling water over all its skin, turning it to reach both sides. Let the water drain away and discard it; remove any exposed feather ends with tweezers. Clean surfaces and utensils that contact raw-duck drips.

   Uses Salted raw duck after its cold rest · About 1½ litres water for scalding the duck skin

3. 3

   Step 3: In a bowl, dissolve the 2 tbsp maltose in the separate 120 ml hot glaze water and 1 tsp vinegar. Stir until smooth.

   Uses 2 tbsp maltose · 120 ml hot water for the maltose glaze · 1 tsp vinegar for the maltose glaze

4. 4

   Step 4: Brush a thin layer of the prepared maltose glaze over the scalded duck skin. Refrigerate the duck on its rack and tray at 4°C or colder for 1 hour. Keep the remaining glaze refrigerated for the second coat.

   Chill first glaze coat · 60 minUses Scalded raw duck, discarded water excluded · Enough prepared glaze for a thin first coat

5. 5

   Step 5: Brush another thin layer over the duck skin using the remaining refrigerated glaze. Discard any unused glaze and keep the duck over its rack and tray.

   Uses First-coated raw duck · Enough remaining prepared glaze for the second coat

6. 6

   Step 6: Keep the glazed duck uncovered on its rack and tray in the refrigerator at 4°C or colder for 24–48 hours, separated from ready-to-eat foods. Check after 24 hours; the skin should be dry before roasting.

   Cold air-dry duck · 1440 minUses Twice-glazed raw duck, unused glaze excluded

7. 7

   Step 7: About 1 hour before roasting, take the cold-dried duck out of the refrigerator in a cool kitchen. Put the 2 cavity scallion stalks, 1 head garlic, 2 quartered apples, 4 star anise, 4 bay leaves and 2 cassia pieces into its cavity. Close the openings with toothpicks or skewers. Keep this tempering period within 1 hour; shorten it in heat above 32°C and proceed promptly to roasting.

   Temper stuffed duck · 60 minUses Cold-dried glazed raw duck · 2 stalks scallions for the duck cavity · 1 head garlic for the duck cavity · 2 apples, quartered, for the duck cavity · 4 star anise for the duck cavity · 4 bay leaves for the duck cavity · 2 pieces cassia cinnamon for the duck cavity

8. 8

   Step 8: During the tempering period, preheat a fan-assisted oven to 200°C (390°F), or a conventional oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the duck breast-side up on the middle oven rack, with a large roasting tray below to catch rendered fat. Roast for 15 minutes, starting the timer once the duck is in the fully heated oven.

   First duck roast · 15 minUses Tempered raw duck with cavity aromatics

9. 9

   Step 9: Reduce the oven to 180°C fan (350°F), or 200°C conventional (390°F). Cover the wing tips and leg ends with foil. Roast for about another 60 minutes, checking the bird and adjusting for its size and your oven. Keep the rendered fat in the tray for the serving sauce.

   Finish duck roast · 60 minUses Duck after the first roast phase, with its rendered drippings

10. 10

    Step 10: Measure the duck in the thickest inner thigh near the breast, without touching bone. The duck and the centre of the cavity stuffing must reach at least 74°C (165°F). Continue roasting if needed. If the skin already has enough colour, turn off the fan if available and loosely tent the duck with foil while it finishes. Ventilate the kitchen when opening the oven.

    Uses Roasting duck, cavity stuffing and collected rendered fat

11. 11

    Step 11: Transfer the cooked duck to a clean board or plate and rest for 15 minutes. Keep the collected rendered fat aside. Prepare the sauce and warm the pancakes while the duck rests.

    Rest cooked duck · 15 minUses Cooked duck removed from the roasting tray

12. 12

    Step 12: During the rest, measure ½ tbsp of the rendered duck fat into a small pan. Add the 3 tbsp sweet bean sauce and 1 tsp sugar. Mix and simmer gently until tiny bubbles appear, then transfer to a serving dish and whisk until the fat is incorporated.

    Uses ½ tbsp rendered fat from the roast · 3 tbsp sweet bean sauce (Tian Mian Jiang/甜面酱) · 1 tsp sugar for the serving sauce

13. 13

    Step 13: If the ready Peking duck pancakes are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator beforehand. If cold, place the pancakes in a steamer over the separate steamer water, bring it to steady steam, then steam for 3 minutes to warm through. Skip this warming step if the pancakes are already warm.

    Warm cold pancakes · 3 minUses Ready Peking duck pancakes, enough to serve · Water for steaming cold pancakes, only if needed

14. 14

    Step 14: After the duck has rested for 15 minutes, remove the toothpicks or skewers and lift out the cavity aromatics. Carve the meat and crisp skin into small pieces with a sharp knife, leaving the bones and carcass aside.

    Uses Rested cooked duck with cavity aromatics

15. 15

    Step 15: To make each roll, spread a little prepared sauce over a warm pancake. Add a few pieces of carved duck with skin, some julienned serving scallions and cucumber sticks. Fold the bottom up and the sides inward, then eat promptly. Refrigerate leftover duck, sauce and any saved carcass promptly at 4°C or colder, using shallow containers and keeping within 2 hours of serving, or 1 hour in temperatures above 32°C.

    Uses Warm ready pancakes for wrapping, steamer water excluded · A few slices of carved duck and skin per roll, bones/carcass excluded · A little prepared sauce per pancake · Scallions, julienned, for serving · Cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into sticks, for serving