This roasted braised duck recipe is so good. With a few special ingredients and a little time, you’ll have an amazing, special dinner on your hands.
After living in Beijing for three years, I’ve had many versions of Peking Duck, and I can honestly say that I’m not that crazy about it. How can I say that, you ask? How could I not love the pride and joy of the Beijing?
Well, the thing about Peking duck is…it doesn’t really have a lot of flavor. There, I said it. Everyone tells me that the duck is roasted in an oven fueled by fruit wood, which is supposed to infuse the meat with fruit flavor that I can never smell or taste. If it weren’t for the sauce and the fixings, it would be way to boring. Yeah, the duck is crispy. But where’s the flavor?
In my opinion, Cantonese roast duck is the best but how to cook duck like that at home? While it’s almost impossible to do that dish justice at home, here’s a recipe that comes pretty close and show you how to cook a duck that is super tasty.
Roasted Braised Duck: Recipe Instructions
Rinse the duck inside and out and thoroughly pat dry. Remove the tail. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat, and swirl it around to coat the wok.
Lower the duck into the wok breast side down, and let the skin brown and crisp up slightly.
Spoon the oil over the parts of the duck that aren’t touching the oil. You will end up with a lot more oil than you started with, as the fat renders out of the duck. Turn off the heat.
In a large pot (big enough to accommodate the duck laying flat) over medium heat, add a tablespoon of the fat from the wok, and cook the ginger and garlic for about 1 minute. Stir in the rock sugar until it’s melted.
Add the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, star anise, cloves, bay leaves, whole peppercorns, dried orange peel, 3 cups water and the duck. The liquid should come up about halfway up the duck. Add a little more water as needed.
Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 50-60 minutes, flipping the bird every 15 minutes to make sure it cooks evenly.
Carefully lift the duck out and drain all the liquid from the cavity, Place the duck on a V-rack or roasting rack set on a baking sheet. breast side up. Brush the duck all over with honey water. Set aside and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Roast the duck for 12-15 minutes, until the skin is crispy. Watch it closely to prevent burning. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. You can serve it just like that, or with some of the sauce left over in the pot.
I actually cooked another dish using the sauce the next day: napa cabbage and cellophane noodles. Just cut the cabbage into strips and stir-fry in a bit of oil. Add the softened cellophane noodles and stir. Then add the leftover sauce, cover, and cook for a couple minutes. Season with salt to taste, and serve. Yum.’
Roasted Braised Duck
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb. duck (innards removed)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 5 slices fresh ginger
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar (or regular sugar)
- ½ cup Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
- 1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 star anise
- 6 cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 12 whole peppercorns
- 4-5 pieces dried orange peel
- 3-4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon honey (mixed with 1 teaspoon warm water)
Instructions
- Rinse the duck inside and out and thoroughly pat dry. Remove the tail. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat, and swirl it around to coat the wok.
- Lower the duck into the wok breast side down, and let the skin brown and crisp up slightly. Spoon the oil over the parts of the duck that aren’t touching the oil. You will end up with a lot more oil than you started with, as the fat renders out of the duck. Turn off the heat.
- In a large pot (big enough to accommodate the duck laying flat) over medium heat, add a tablespoon of the fat from the wok, and cook the ginger and garlic for about 1 minute. Stir in the sugar until it’s melted.
- Add the cooking wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, anise, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, dried orange peels, 3 cups water and the duck. The liquid should come up about halfway up the duck. Add a little more water as needed.
- Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 50-60 minutes, flipping the bird every 15 minutes to make sure it cooks evenly.
- Carefully lift the duck out and drain all the liquid from the cavity, Place the duck on a V-rack set on a baking sheet. breast side up. Brush the duck all over with honey water. Set aside and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Roast the duck for 12-15 minutes, until the skin is crispy. Watch it closely to prevent burning. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. You can serve it just like that, or with some of the sauce leftover in the pot.
Hi Judy,
Thank you very much for the detailed instructions. The duck turned out very fragrant and delicious and was just the right amount for 4 adults with rice and bak choi for lunch. I followed all the instructions, but the skin did not crisp up. The cooking time of 1 and 1/2 h produced succulent and tender meat.
Rosalie
Noted, Rosalie, we will improve ;-)
I made this, but I marinaded it in the fridge for 40 hours beforehand (using a marinade for Cantonese Roast Duck). I think the marinade was super important, because it came out being flavorful all the way through. Thank you for this recipe! It was my first time making duck and I’m super happy with how it turned out.
I am so glad that you’re super happy with the results, Justin. Thank you for trying our recipe.
Hey Justin! Do you mind telling me more about marinading the duck beforehand? This marinading was done before any cooking right? What marinade did you use and where do I find it? Thanks!
Made this today. It wasn’t as photogenic as yours. Still very tasty.
Great! I am glad.
Hey there
When we are simmering should it be in a covered pot (then removing the lid every 15mins to turn?)
Also would this benefit from doing up to the simmering step then leaving in the fridge overnight to dry out before the oven to help crisp up or will it be just as good as in the recipe!
Hi Tasha, the answer is yes to your 1st question. As for your suggestion, just know that chicken meat as well as duck meat dries out once cooled, so it’s not a good idea.
I’m making this tomorrow and was wondering if I should separate the skin like one would typically do with Peking duck. Also what kind of rice vinegar did you use. I have white, black and shanxi. Thanks in advance!
Hi Kai, no need to separate the skin in this case. As for the rice vinegar, please use a light colored rice vinegar so it’s not overpowering.
Hi there!
I’m planning on making this tomorrow but what if I don’t own a pot long enough to fit the duck horizontally? Can I place the duck vertically and flip it every so often? Thanks!
Hi Stephanie, that’s tough. You might want to cut the duck into 4 quarters and cook it that way.
Really excited to try this recipe!! Making it tonight for an early Lunar New Year treat.
What’s your favourite thing to do with any leftovers? I see you mention noodle/rice bowls below, which I’m super keen to try. Any other recipes on your site you think I can use the leftover duck with?
Try it with homemade wraps.
Going to make this tomorrow night! Taking my cooking game to the next level.
WOOO!!! Go Annie!
Oh and do u sear both sides? Or just the breast part only?
It should be both sides if you are cooking a duck, Lilian.
Can the duck be substituted with chicken instead? And would maltose be better than honey for brushing on tbe skin? I read that Maltose is often used to crisp up the skin much like in chinese roast chicken or duck. Thanks if u can reply ASAP! Recipe sounds great btw.
Hi Lilian, if you want to cook a chicken, please try Bill’s soy sauce chicken for now. We hope to do a crispy skin chicken recipe very soon, but chicken will not be a good substitute for this recipe.