I’m excited to share one of the most famous Chinese dishes—the Best Peking Duck! This meal is a special occasion favorite, and it’s not hard to see why.
Imagine crispy, golden-brown skin and tender meat bursting with flavor. Then along comes a delicate mandarin pancake or peking duck wrapper. If you’re not familiar with these flavors, the best Peking Duck is going to be a treat!
Mmm…sounds Heavenly, doesn’t it? You might think this dish is too complicated to make at home but guess what? With a little prep and patience, you can create your very own Peking Duck feast.
Trust me; if I can do it, so can you! I like to keep things as simple as possible. This recipe isn’t complicated. Just follow the steps, and you’re going to create an Asian dish to remember!
How about a little history lesson? This is a centuries-old dish that started somewhere around the 13th century! Crazy, right? I think it’s amazing to have the opportunity to create something with such a past, of course this is not the original version but my take on it.
Roast duck was one of the foods that was cooked and sold door-to-door by street vendors. It became a specialty of Nanjing, the first capital of the Ming dynasty.
Whew! If this style of cooking has lasted this long, it has to be amazing, right? We even made this at the Chinese restaurant I worked at long ago!
Let’s do our best to honor this part of Chinese cuisine. I’m going to take you through a recipe for Best Peking Duck that will satisfy any crowd. Onward!
Some of our other favorite asian inspired recipes we have on our site include: Asian Marinated Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Chinese Chicken Recipe, and Easy Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles Recipe.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Crispy Skin: This recipe shows you the best way to get that perfect, golden-brown, crispy skin. That duck skin will be one of the tastiest parts of the whole dish, I promise you!
- Balanced Flavors: The mix of honey, soy sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder creates a delicious taste that’s out of this world!
- Easy to Find Ingredients: You can find most of the ingredients like soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and even whole duck at your local grocery store.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Whole duck
- Shaoxing wine
- Raw honey
- Reduced sodium soy sauce
- Chinese five-spice powder
- Persian cucumbers
- Scallions
- Peking duck wrappers (also known as Mandarin pancakes)
- Hoisin sauce
HOW TO MAKE BEST PEKING DUCK:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pat the duck dry with paper towels, and make sure it is completely dry.
- Mix your Shaoxing wine, honey, soy sauce, five spice powder and whisk until well combined in a small bowl. Then, brush or rub it on the duck on both sides, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinade. Save about ¼ of the marinade to baste during the cooking.
- Place a wired rack over a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. The duck will lose a lot of its fat, so you need something to catch it.
- Place the duck with its breast side up on the baking rack and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, baste your duck with the remaining marinade and flip over. Make sure to baste both sides. Put back for an additional 45 minutes.
- After the 1.5 hours, lower your heat to 250°F and put it back for another 30 minutes.
- Check your duck’s temperature and ensure it has reached at 165°F. The best way to check this is to poke your temperature reader in the thickest part of your duck, like the middle of the leg.
- Remove your duck from the oven. Let it rest and cool off for 15 minutes on the wire rack.
- While your duck is resting, chop your Persian cucumbers and scallions lengthwise as fine as possible. The size of match sticks.
- Start carving your duck by cutting the legs off first, then make sure you cut into the breast and slice towards the wings, following the ribs. Slice the duck breast into even slices.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PEKING DUCK?
Peking Duck is great with white rice, steamed vegetables, or even some French fries for a fusion twist. You don’t have to stick with tradition too tightly!
I also love roasted carrot sticks or stir-fried veggies, to me these are the best side dishes.
Mashed potatoes would be another great addition to the plate, because, why not?!
You could also consider Asian noodles, as these are also a tradition in China.
Of course, we are serving it with peking duck pancakes, cucumber, and scallions.
WHAT DUCK IS BEST FOR PEKING DUCK?
Pekin duck is the best choice for making Peking Duck because it has tender meat and the right amount of fat for a delicious taste.
And yes, the name is very similar. The American Pekin duck originally came from China!
ANY ADDITIONS?
I’ve got a few ideas for you. Check these out! You’ll have to experiment a bit with the amounts.
- Sweet bean sauce
- Green onion
- Plum sauce
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Thin slices of carrot
- Bell peppers
- Fresh herbs like cilantro or mint
- Black pepper for extra kick
- Red chili flakes for some heat
- Stuff with spring onions
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
You better believe it!
- Use chicken as a meat alternative
- Dry cherry wine can replace Shaoxing wine
- Maple syrup for raw honey
- Teriyaki sauce instead of soy sauce
- Corn tortillas if you can’t find Mandarin pancakes
HOW TO STORE:
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. That is, if you have any left. It’s pretty tasty stuff!
Freezer: Freeze the duck slices and pancakes separately in zip-lock bags for up to a month.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Make sure to pat the duck dry with paper towels for the crunchiest skin.
- For best results, let the marinade sit on the duck for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Use a wire rack over your roasting pan to catch the excess fat.
- If you’re not sure the duck is done, check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F.
- Cut the cucumbers and scallions into thin matchstick pieces for a fancier presentation.
- You can warm the Mandarin pancakes in a large skillet over low heat before serving.
The Best Peking Duck is more than just a dish; it’s an experience. It’s a great way to bring the family together for a special occasion or just because!
The crispy skin, tender meat, and flavorful accompaniments make it a meal to remember. On top of all that, you can know that this dish is a tradition going back centuries. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this BEST PEKING DUCK, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Best Peking Duck Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for the duck:
- 1 whole duck mine was exactly 6 lbs.
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine you can also use dry cherry wine
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
Ingredients for serving:
- 2 Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers)
- 3 scallions
- 1 pack of Peking duck wrappers also known as Peking duck pancakes, thawed
- Hoisin sauce to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pat the duck dry with paper towels, and make sure it is completely dry.1 whole duck
- Mix your Shaoxing wine, honey, soy sauce, five spice powder and whisk until well combined in a small bowl. Then, brush or rub it on the duck on both sides, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinade. Save about ¼ of the marinade to baste during the cooking.3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 3 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- Place a wired rack over a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. The duck will lose a lot of its fat, so you need something to catch it.
- Place the duck with its breast side up on the baking rack and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, baste your duck with the remaining marinade and flip over. Make sure to baste both sides. Put back for an additional 45 minutes.
- After the 1.5 hours, lower your heat to 250°F and put it back for another 30 minutes.
- Check your duck’s temperature and ensure it has reached at 165°F. The best way to check this is to poke your temperature reader in the thickest part of your duck, like the middle of the leg.
- Remove your duck from the oven. Let it rest and cool off for 15 minutes on the wire rack.
- While your duck is resting, chop your Persian cucumbers and scallions lengthwise as fine as possible. The size of match sticks.2 Persian cucumbers, 3 scallions
- Start carving your duck by cutting the legs off first, then make sure you cut into the breast and slice towards the wings, following the ribs. Slice the duck breast into even slices.
- To make a Peking duck pancake, put some cucumber, scallions, and a few pieces of duck on your pancake and dip in hoisin sauce.1 pack of Peking duck wrappers, Hoisin sauce
Notes
- Make sure to pat the duck dry with paper towels for the crunchiest skin.
- For best results, let the marinade sit on the duck for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Use a wire rack over your roasting pan to catch the excess fat.
- If you’re not sure the duck is done, check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F.
- Cut the cucumbers and scallions into thin matchstick pieces for a fancier presentation.
- You can warm the Mandarin pancakes in a large skillet over low heat before serving.
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