Peking Crispy Roast Duck

Peking Crispy Roast Duck

First, marinate the whole duck in spiced brine and air dry it. Quickly deep-fry to crisp the skin, then roast in the oven, brushing with honey and soy sauce for color. The result is crispy skin and juicy meat.

By CookbookSocial

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czT-UYziyi0 — Yevhen Klopotenko

Ingredients

  • Whole duck (about 2.5 kg) — 1 pcs
  • Coriander seeds — 2 tbsp
  • Cinnamon sticks — 2 pcs
  • Star anise — 5 pcs
  • Salt — 180 g
  • Honey — 2 tbsp
  • Soy sauce — 4.5 tbsp
  • Vegetable oil for frying — 2 l
  • Water — 3 l

Steps

  1. Carefully insert your hand between the duck skin and meat to separate them (demonstrated on the breast side), loosening the skin all over the body without tearing it.
  2. In a large pot, heat 3 liters of water to about 80°C, add 180g of salt to dissolve and create brine. Place the duck in a large basin, pour in the brine, add 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 5 star anise. Marinate and refrigerate or leave at room temperature for 10–12 hours (overnight is recommended).
  3. After marinating, thoroughly pat the duck dry inside and out with paper towels, ensuring no visible moisture to prevent splattering during frying.
  4. Pour about 2 liters of oil into a very large, deep pot and heat until small ripples appear on the surface (this is used in the video to determine if the oil is ready for frying). You can test by gently touching the oil surface with a clamped duck leg or wing; if it sizzles noticeably, it's ready.
  5. Carefully place the whole duck into the hot oil for deep-frying. While holding the neck with heat-resistant tongs or a thick cloth, continuously ladle hot oil over the duck to ensure even heating and browning. Continue for about 15 minutes until the duck skin turns a light golden brown.
  6. Remove the fried duck and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the surface with a layer of honey (about 2 tablespoons). Preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat with convection) and roast the duck for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the duck, brush about 4–5 tablespoons of soy sauce evenly over its body. Switch the oven to grill/broil mode and continue to roast until the skin reaches the desired depth of color (the video does not specify a fixed duration; adjust based on browning).
  8. After removing from the oven, let it rest briefly before slicing and serving.

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