Chinese
👍 Beginner Friendly
15 mineasy
ChineseLunch
Recipe Story
origins & traditionsThis stunning Crispy Duck with Plum Glaze brings restaurant-quality Chinese cuisine to your home kitchen. The duck is carefully prepared and roasted to achieve impossibly crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy and flavorful. The plum glaze adds layers of complexity with its balance of sweet, tart, and savory notes enhanced by ginger, star anise, and a touch of five-spice. The rendering process ensures excess fat drips away, leaving you with perfectly cooked duck that pairs beautifully with steamed vegetables and jasmine rice. This dish showcases the Chinese mastery of balancing textures and flavors, making it perfect for special lunches or whenever you want to impress your guests. The glaze can be made ahead and the technique, while requiring attention, is straightforward enough for intermediate home cooks to master.
Instructions
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Remove duck from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Prick the skin all over with a fork, being careful not to pierce the meat.
Score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern, then rub with salt and black pepper inside and out. Place duck breast-side up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Roast duck for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue roasting for 45 minutes.
While duck roasts, make the plum glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped plums, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and a pinch of five-spice. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine mesh to remove solids.
After duck has roasted for 75 minutes total, brush generously with plum glaze. Return to oven for final 15 minutes, basting twice more with glaze.
Remove duck from oven when skin is deep golden and crispy. Internal temperature should reach 165°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Carve duck into portions, arrange on serving platter, and drizzle with remaining warm plum glaze. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve immediately.
Crispy Duck with Plum Glaze
4.4 (34)
Succulent roasted duck with a tangy-sweet plum glaze, featuring crispy golden skin and tender meat. This classic technique combines traditional Chinese flavors with modern cooking methods for an impressive yet achievable dish.
medium
2h
4 servings
Ingredients
0 of 9 checked
Main Protein
- 1800 grams duck, whole duck
Glaze
- 6 pieces plum, pitted and chopped
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons soy-sauce
- 2 teaspoons ginger, fresh minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vinegar-apple-cider
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black-pepper, freshly ground
Chef Tips
expert advice•The key to crispy skin is thoroughly drying the duck and pricking the skin to allow fat to render.
•For extra crispy results, you can air-dry the duck uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
•If plums are not in season, substitute with 1 cup plum preserves mixed with rice vinegar.
•The glaze also works beautifully with chicken or pork.
•Save the rendered duck fat for roasting potatoes or stir-frying vegetables.
•For a more intense flavor, marinate the duck with the spice rub overnight.
•You can also add orange zest to the glaze for a citrus variation.
•Serve with steamed bok choy and jasmine rice to complete the meal.
