Peking Duck at home

I love Peking Duck and being shut in during the pandemic I tried to find a restaurant I could order it from. Carry out or get it delivered and found no where in the area was currently serving it.  So I decided to try and make it at home.  This was one of the most difficult things I have made. That is not to say it is not something everyone should try it. Be forewarned it is challenging but I enjoyed the effort and the results.  There are some things I am going to try little differently next time.  I combined several recipes techniques and think I need to cook it vertically next time.  I will update when I do the next one. Have fun making this at your house.

Peking Duck Recipe

Prep Time2 days
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 days 2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 2 People
Cost: $30.00

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbls Honey
  • 2 Tbls Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbls Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
  • 2 Tsp Sechuan Pepper Corns Divided
  • 1 Each Whole Duck 5-6 Pounds
  • 3 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp White Pepper
  • 1/2 Cup Hoisin
  • 1 Tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 5 Each Star Anise Cloves
  • 4 Each Bay LEaves
  • 1 Each Apple
  • 6 Each Green Onions
  • 4 Each Cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 Cup English Cucumber Julienned
  • 12 Each Mandarin Pancakes

Instructions

  • Combine Honey, Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Vinegar and Five Spice Powder in small sauce pan and heat until sugar dissolved remove from heat
  • Remove Giblets from Duck and trim excess fat off neck and tail. Using your hands carefully separate the skin from the breast, back bone, thighs and from legs. Leave the skin on the duck you just want it separated from the muscle.
  • In large pot or dutch oven add 4 quarts water, 2 Star anise, 2 bay leaves and 1 Tsp Sechuan Pepper corns. Bring to a Boil and simmer
  • Using a ladel or cup measure pour the seasoned boiling water over the whole duck blanching the skin. Then drain all the water from the cavilty and pat the entire duck dry.
  • Stand the duck vertically on a plate or baking pan. I used a spoon holder but a large beer can or empty wine bottle will work.
  • Brush the Honey Glaze over the enitre duck. Let dry for a few minutes and repeat unitl glaze gone. It took 5 applications for me. Place duck in Refrigerator for 24 hours. Do not cover you want the skin to dry out as much as possible
  • When ready to cook pre heat oven to 450 Degrees
  • Fill cavity of duck with cubed apple, 2 green onions, remaining pepper corns, bay leaves, and star anise
  • Put one oven rack in middle position and the other on lowest. Place a rimmed baking pan on bottom rack with some water. Cover Wing tips and leg tips with foil and place duck breast side up directly on middle rack.
  • Roast for 15 minutes and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Flip duck after 60 minutes and cook another 60 minutes. With 15 minutes left flip back so Breast on top for final 15 minutes.
  • When temp at thickest part of thigh is 160 degrees remove from oven and tent with foil breast side up on cutting board. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
  • Serve with warm Mandarin Panackes, hoisin sauce, julienne cucumbers and chopped green onions.

Notes

My skin did not come out as crispy as I would like.  I broiled it for a few minutes at the end. I think it needs to cook vertically so I will try that next time and post results. 

 

Mandarin Pancake Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
15 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4 People

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Flour plus 2 tbls plus more for dusting
  • 1/3 Cup Boiling water plus 2 Tbls
  • 1/3 Cup Cold Water plus 2 Tbls
  • 1/8th Cup Seasme

Instructions

  • Place flour in bowl and stream in boiling water stirring the entire time. Then stream in the cold water continue stirring.
  • Continue to stir until it becomes a ball. Then transfer to flour dusted cutting board and knead until it is a smooth ball.
  • Cover with damp dish towel and let rest a room temperature for 15 minutes
  • Roll out to about a foot long roll then cut in half. Place logs side by side and cut in halk again. Repeat until you have about 10 disks
  • Keeping the paired disks roll each pair out until about 3 inch pancake. Brush one side with oil and place paired pancake on oiled side. Then roll out to about 8 inches very thin. Do this for all pairs of disks.
  • Heat cast iron skillet to very hot and cook the joined pancakes flipping when slightly blistered then tranfer to plate or steamer basket.
  • When ready to serve pull paired pancake apart and steam or microwave to heat up

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