A traditional Chinese dish featuring a whole duck, maltose syrup and soy sauce, served with scallions and cucumber.
Peking Duck with Mandarin Pancakes and Plum Sauce
For best results, use a Pekin breed duck. Maltose syrup can be found in most Chinese supermarkets. If you can’t find it, honey can be used in its place. To handle maltose, keep your hands and measuring equipment wet at all times, and work quickly.
Ingredients
For the Duck:
- 1 whole duck, about 4 pounds
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tbsp five-spice powder
- 1/4 cup maltose syrup, agave syrup, or honey
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tsp soy sauce
To Serve:
- Peking duck pancakes
- 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely sliced lengthwise
- 1 small cucumber, seeded and cut into 4-inch long matchsticks
Directions
- Mix the salt and five-spice powder in a bowl.
- Dry duck carefully with paper towels.
- Coat the inside of the duck cavity with the salt mixture. Shake out any excess and wipe off any that has made it onto the skin.
- Skewer the cavity shut. If able, use an air pump to separate the skin from the meat (see videos online). Otherwise, use your fingers to carefully separate the skin from the meat, especially in the breast area. Do not tear the skin!
- Chop off the head and excess neck, as well as the wingtips.
- Let the duck rest for 2 hours in the fridge, uncovered.
- Heat a few quarts of water to boiling in a large, shallow pot.
- Using S-hooks under each wing of the duck, hold the duck over the water and ladle hot water over the skin until it tightens.
- Combine maltose, soy sauce and vinegar with 1 tablespoon water in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until maltose is softened, about 20 seconds. Stir together mixture with spoon until homogeneous. Spoon/bush mixture over entire duck, making sure to coat all exposed skin. Stand duck vertically if possible on a cookie sheet (if you have a vertical roasting rack), otherwise put on a wire rack.
- Refrigerate duck, uncovered, at least 24 and up to 78 hours until surface is completely dry with leathery appearance.
- If possible, it’s best to roast it vertically in a barrel smoker. If not, use a regular grill, with a rotisserie. You are aiming for a temperature of about 320F. Place a shallow pan of water underneath to catch the drippings, as there will be a lot of fat released.
- Grill until breast reaches a temp of 165F.
- For best results, use a Pekin breed duck.
- Maltose syrup can be found in most Chinese supermarkets. If you can’t find it, honey can be used in its place.
- To handle maltose, keep your hands and measuring equipment wet at all times, and work quickly.
- In the future, we’ll try this version.