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Learn how to make Peking duck with a cooking method and process suitable for a home kitchen. Step-by-step photo instructions and video tutorials are available.
What is Peking duck anyway?
Peking duck is a famous Chinese dish that originated in Beijing, China. It is known for its thin, crispy glistening skin and tender meat. Peking duck is usually served in a ceremonial way in a restaurant. The whole duck is usually presented at the table side. A skillful server carefully cuts the crispy skin from the breast and carves the juicy meat to be served with the chun bing (spring pancakes/Mandarin pancakes) along with hoisin sauce/sweet bean sauce, green onions, and cucumber. Some people like to dip the crispy skin in sugar and eat it. This practice may not be traditional, but some foodies indulge in that little treat.
Is it possible to make Peking duck at home?
The thought of roasting a duck at home can be daunting, let alone roasting a Peking duck. The most time-consuming part of preparing the duck is to let the skin air dry overnight or longer to achieve crispy skin. They are usually hung vertically to let it air dry. Some restaurants use a pump to blow air to separate the skin from the meat. This resulted in a crispy skin. But, yes, it’s possible to make Peking duck at home with some modifications to suit what we have at home.
Does the homemade version taste good?
I cannot say that it’s like those served at the restaurant, but we think that it’s still a tasty Peking duck with crispy skin and juicy meat, and the homemade chun bing turns out great too! The meat of the duck on its own doesn’t have a whole lot of flavor because it’s not heavily marinated. They are usually eaten with the pancakes, hoisin sauce, and veggies.
Easy Peking Duck
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck 4-5 lbs
- 1.5 litre boiling water
Solution to brush on the skin
- 50 g maltose or use honey
- 50 g warm water
- 20 g apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp rice wine
Seasonings:
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- ¼ cup honey
Stuffing:
- 2 medium apples seeded and diced
- 2 bulbs garlic cut in half horizontally
Serve with:
- Mandarin pancakes
- 1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into 3-4 inch sticks
- 6 stalks green onion white part, cut into 3-4 inch strands
- Hoisin sauce
Equipment you need:
- Tall wine bottle to prop the chicken cup
- Hair dryer to dry the skin
- Roasting rack
- Roasting pan
- Toothpicks
Instructions
Blanch the skin:
- Place the duck on a rack in the kitchen sink. Bring 1.5 litre of water to a boil. When the water comes to a rolling boil, carefully pour half of the boiling water all over the skin. Carefully flip the duck over and pour the rest of the boiling water. Use an absorbent paper towel to pat the skin dry
Marinade the duck:
- Whisk honey, five-spice powder, and salt to combine. Rub this mixture inside the cavity of the duck all over
Prepare maltose solution to brush on skin:
- Maltose is kinda hard to scoop when the temperature is cool. Simply warm it up a bit and it will loosen and easier to scoop. Combine maltose with warm water to help loosen the maltose. Add the apple cider vinegar and wine
- I use a tall wine bottle to prop the chicken up. You can actually use a cooling rack or roasting rack set on a roasting rack or rimmed baking pan to catch any juices
Apply 3 layers of maltose solution and air drying:
- Use a brush to apply the maltose solution all over the skin, including every nook and cranny. I use a hair dryer set on low heat to blow on the skin to accelerate the drying. You can just let it air dry if you have the time. Once it's dry, apply the second layer of maltose solution and let it dry again or use the hair dryer to dry it again. Repeat for one last time, the 3rd time and the let it air dry for 24 hours in the fridge (uncovered)
Stuff the duck with apples and garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 320 F (160 C) with the fan on. If you don't have the fan, increase the temperature to 350 F (180 C).
- Core the apples and discard the seed. Cut the apples into cubes. Remove the papery skin from the garlic bulb but don't need to separate into individual clove. Cut in half horizontally. Stuff the diced apples and garlic bulbs inside the cavity of the duck
- Use a toothpick to "close" the cavity by threading the toothpick through the skin. You will need 2-3 toothpicks to do this
- Wrap the wing tips and the tip of the drumsticks with foils. Those were the spots that usually got burnt easily
Roasting:
- I place the duck, breast side up on a roasting rack and place this directly on the middle rack inside the oven. I put the roasting pan on the rack below it to catch the drippings during roasting. This ensures great circulation all over for the duck and it roasts evenly.
- Roast the duck for 15 minutes and then flip over and roast for another 15 minutes. Increase the temperature to 350 F (180 C) with fan on or 375 F (190 C) if you don't have the fan. Roast for another 30 minutes or until a digital thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast read 165 F (74 C)
- I then turn off the oven and turn on the broiler on low, flip the duck to the breast side and let it broil to crisp up the skin further. Do not walk away during this time as we don't want to burn the skin. This may take just 2-3 minutes at most
- Remove from the oven and leave it on a rack, breast side up, and place on a roasting pan. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Do not carve into the duck right away as you will lose all the juices and the meat will be awfully dry
How to serve them:
- Use a very sharp knife to slice the crispy skin off the center of the breast and place it aside on a serving platter. Then carve the meat from one side of the breast, in one large piece and then cut into serving slices. Repeat with another side. Use your knife to cut at the joint that attaches the leg to the breast. Place all the leg pieces, sliced meat, and skin on a serving platter
- Place one Chinese pancake on a plate. Smear with 1 tsp (or more if you like) of hoisin sauce. Place some cucumbers and spring onions. Top with some slices of duck meat and some of the crispy skin. Fold the bottom towards the center and flip the two sides over enclosing the content and enjoy your labor of love
- The meat of the duck on its own doesn't have a whole lot of flavor because it's not heavily marinated. They are usually eaten with pancakes, hoisin sauce, and veggies.
Marv’s Recipe Notes
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to roast Peking duck at home
1. Place the duck on a rack in the kitchen sink. Bring 1.5 liter of water to a boil. When the water comes to a rolling boil, carefully pour half of the boiling water all over the skin. Carefully flip the duck over and pour the rest of the boiling water. Use an absorbent paper towel to pat the skin dry. The boiling water shrinks the skin and allows the moisture to evaporate and hence will crisp up the skin during the roasting process
2. Whisk honey, five-spice powder, and salt to combine. Rub this mixture inside the cavity of the duck all over
3. Maltose is kinda hard to scoop when the temperature is cool. Simply warm it up a bit and it will loosen and be easier to scoop. Combine maltose with warm water to help loosen the maltose. Add the apple cider vinegar and wine
4. I use a tall wine bottle to prop the chicken up. You can use a cooling rack or roasting rack set on a roasting rack or rimmed baking pan to catch any juices
5. Use a brush to apply the maltose solution all over the skin, including every nook and cranny. 
6. I use a hair dryer set on low heat to blow on the skin to accelerate the drying. You can just let it air dry if you have the time. Once it’s dry, apply the second layer of maltose solution and let it dry again, or use the hair dryer to dry it again. Repeat for one last time, the 3rd time and the let it air dry for 24 hours in the fridge (uncovered)
7. This was after air-dried for 24 hours in the fridge, uncovered
8. Preheat the oven to 320 F (160 C) with the fan on. If you don’t have the fan, increase the temperature to 350 F (180 C).Core the apples and discard the seed. Cut the apples into cubes. Remove the papery skin from the garlic bulb but don’t need to separate into individual clove. Cut in half horizontally. Stuff the diced apples and garlic bulbs inside the cavity of the duck
9. Use a toothpick to “close” the cavity by threading the toothpick through the skin. You will need 2-3 toothpicks to do this. Wrap the wing tips and the tip of the drumsticks with foils. Those were the spots that usually got burnt easily
10. I place the duck, breast side up on a roasting rack and place this directly on the middle rack inside the oven. I put the roasting pan on the rack below it to catch the drippings during roasting. This ensures great circulation all over for the duck and it roasts evenly.
11. Roast the duck for 15 minutes and then flip over and roast for another 15 minutes. Increase the temperature to 350 F (180 C) with fan on or 375 F (190 C) if you don’t have the fan. Roast for another 30 minutes or until a digital thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast read 165 F (74 C). I then turn off the oven and turn on the broiler on low, flip the duck to the breast side and let it broil to crisp up the skin further. Do not walk away during this time as we don’t want to burn the skin. This may take just 2-3 minutes at most
12. Remove from the oven and leave it on a rack, breast side up, and place on a roasting pan. 
13. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Do not carve into the duck right away as you will lose all the juices and the meat will be awfully dry
Did you make this easy Peking duck recipe?
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