Chinese Roast Duck
There is nothing more hunger-inducing than walking past a Chinese BBQ restaurant and seeing the rows of Chinese Roast Duck hanging in the windows. This easy roast duck recipe produces the perfect brown and crispy skin with juicy meat underneath. The secret is to air-dry the duck for 24-72 hours in the fridge.
Ingredients
- whole duck (about 5-6 pounds, see notes)
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Filings
- 5 slices ginger
- 2 scallions (chopped into 2-inch pieces)
- 4 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons maltose (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Then, fill the pan with either ½ inch of water or 2 cups of salt. This is to prevent fat drippings from burning and creating smoke. I usually use salt over water because it doesn't produce any steam which can make the skin less crispy.
- Rinse the duck under cold water. Use a sharp knife to remove the neck and excess fat from the neck and stomach openings. Pat the duck dry inside and out with paper towels and place it on a roasting rack, breast side up.
- In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Chinese 5-spice powder. Pour this into the duck and rub it all over. Add ginger, scallions, star anise, and cinnamon to the duck cavity, and close the stomach and neck openings with a bamboo skewer.
- Transfer the roasting pan and duck to the fridge and refrigerate for 24-72 hours. Make sure to rotate the duck every 8-12 hours so it dries evenly. Once you are ready to roast the duck, remove it from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for one hour.
- In a small bowl, combine the maltose, salt, rice vinegar, and water. Brush all over the duck, front and back. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies like between the wings and breast.
- Roast the duck in a 400℉ oven on the upper-middle rack for 40 minutes until the skin is golden brown. After 15 minutes, cover the wings with foil to prevent overcooking.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350℉. Use a pair of oven mitts and several pieces of paper towel to grip the duck and flip it over. Roast for another 40-50 minutes until it reaches 160℉ at the thigh's meatiest part.
- Remove the duck and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
Notes
Duck: You can use a fresh or frozen duck. If your duck is frozen, let it defrost in its packaging in the fridge for 24 hours before starting the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 1085kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 30gFat: 99gSaturated Fat: 33gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 47gCholesterol: 190mgSodium: 1123mgPotassium: 603mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 488IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 7mg
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Did you make this?Let me know how it was!