Crispy Duck Flavorful Skin (Printable)

Tender duck with crispy skin, infused with five-spice, garlic, and honey-soy glaze for bold flavors.

# What's Needed:

→ Duck

01 - 1 whole duck (approximately 4.4 lbs), cleaned and patted dry
02 - 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
03 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
04 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Aromatics & Flavor

05 - 3 cloves garlic, crushed
06 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
07 - 3 scallions, cut into large pieces
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if required)
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

→ For Serving

11 - 16 Mandarin pancakes or steamed buns (optional)
12 - ½ cucumber, julienned
13 - 4 scallions, julienned
14 - Hoisin sauce or plum sauce (gluten-free if needed)

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 320°F (160°C).
02 - Remove excess fat from inside the duck cavity and pat dry with paper towels.
03 - Combine five-spice powder, sea salt, and black pepper; rub evenly over the entire duck, including the cavity interior.
04 - Fill the duck cavity with crushed garlic, sliced ginger, and scallion pieces.
05 - Place the duck breast-side up on a wire rack set inside a roasting pan and roast for 60 minutes.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.
07 - Raise oven temperature to 430°F (220°C). Brush the duck with the honey-soy glaze.
08 - Return duck to oven and roast an additional 20 to 30 minutes, brushing once more halfway through until skin is deep golden and crisp.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
10 - Slice duck and serve with Mandarin pancakes or steamed buns, julienned cucumber, scallions, and hoisin or plum sauce.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The skin achieves that impossible crispness while the meat stays tender and juicy inside, no special equipment required.
  • It feels luxurious enough for impressing guests but the actual technique is straightforward and forgiving once you know the one critical trick.
  • Leftovers transform into the best sandwiches, and the rendered fat is liquid gold for future cooking adventures.
02 -
  • Patting the duck completely dry before seasoning is the single most important step for achieving truly crispy skin; moisture is the enemy of crispness, so don't rush this part.
  • Pricking the skin all over with a fine skewer before roasting (being careful not to pierce the flesh) helps render additional fat and creates even more crispiness, something I learned after my first slightly-less-perfect attempt.
03 -
  • A wire rack is essential; it lifts the duck away from pooling fat so air circulates underneath and the skin gets crispy all over rather than steaming on one side.
  • If the skin starts browning too quickly before you hit that high-heat finish, tent it loosely with foil for part of the cooking time, then remove the foil for the final blast to crisp everything up.

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