Cooking Lesson #972: Roasted Peking-Style Duck

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Peking duck is a dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the Imperial era. The meat is characterized by its thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the chef.
 
Ducks bred especially for this dish are harvested after 65 days. They are blanched, pumped (with a bicycle pump), dry hung and seasoned before being deep fried. It is a massive undertaking. My recipe cuts the time and mess down considerably. Instead of 3 days’ work you can do the home version in just a few short hours.
 
The meat is often eaten with spring onions, cucumber, and hoisin or duck sauce, with pancakes rolled around the fillings.
 
Prep time:  45 minutes
Passive time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 (5-1/2 pounds each) large roasting ducks, innards and wing tips removed
6 quarts of chicken broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice (I prefer The Spice House 5-spice mix)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon 5-spice seasoning
 
Directions

1. Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2.  With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.
3. Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot that can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of 5-spice seasoning until it boils.
4. Add the whole ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn’t enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover.
5. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed.
6.  When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.
7. When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 X 18 X 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast.
8. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Be careful not to break the skin.
9. Place the ducks in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of 5-spice inside and out.
10. Allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.
11. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500⁰ F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!)
12. Roast the ducks for 30 minutes until the skin starts to get crisp. The interior temperature should be a minimum of 165˚  F.
13. Remove the ducks from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes.
14. Carve and serve warm.

ChefSecret: This classic Chinese Five Spice mix unites the five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Based on the traditional philosophy of balancing yin and yang, Chinese Five Spice complements fatty meats like pork belly, goose and older, large fatty chickens.

Quip of the Day:  I work with a Chinese guy called Kim and one time at a work function, we were having a drink, and I said to him, “Kim, do you ever get fed up with us Westerners saying that all Chinese people look the same?”  He replied, “Kim’s at the bar getting drinks, I’m his wife.”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
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                                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

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