Peking duck

One of the oldest and most famous recipes to come out of the north of China and Beijing is Peking duck. It is prized for its thin, crispy skin.

Credit: Lee Chan's World Food Tour

• makes

  1

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1:35 hour

• difficulty

  Ace

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck
• 1 tbsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Stuffing

• 5 shallots
• 3 large slices ginger
• 5 garlic cloves
• 4 spring onions, green part only
• ¼ bunch coriander
• 3 star anise
• ½ cup (125 ml) shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp sesame oil

Marinade

• ¼ cup (60 ml) vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tbsp sugar

To serve

• pancakes
• spring onions
• cucumber sticks
• hoisin or sweet bean sauce

Marinating time: 4 hours

Hanging time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Rinse duck inside and out. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Season duck with Chinese five spice, salt and sugar, and rub to completely cover cavity of duck.
3. Stuff duck with shallots, ginger, garlic, spring onions, coriander and star anise. Add shaoxing wine and sesame oil.
4. In a threading motion, skewer duck shut. Chill for 4 hours, to marinate.
5. Combine marinade ingredients in a wok over medium heat, until simmering. Holding the duck over wok, ladle boiling marinade over duck skin. Leave hanging above wok for 1–2 hours, or until skin has dried out.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C. Roast in oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced with a skewer.
7. Finely slice duck meat. Serve with pancakes, spring onion, cucumber and sauce.

 

This recipe is from Lee Chan's World Food Tour on SBS Food (Channel 33). Stream episodes via SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.