Peking Duck — Lacquered roast duck with crispy skin, served with pancakes and hoisin

Beijing's most celebrated dish, Peking Duck is prized for its paper-thin, crackling-crisp skin achieved through air-drying, glazing, and roasting. The duck is carved tableside and wrapped in thin pancakes with hoisin sauce and spring onion. This home version uses an oven and achieves excellent results.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep: 24 hrs (drying time) | Cook: 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck (about 2 kg), cleaned and patted dry
• 2 litres boiling water
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• Salt

For serving:

• Mandarin pancakes (store-bought or homemade)
• Hoisin sauce
• 6 spring onions, cut into thin strips
• 1 cucumber, cut into thin batons

Instructions

1. Separate the skin: Carefully slide your fingers between the skin and flesh of the duck breast to loosen the skin without tearing it. This allows fat to render and skin to crisp independently.
2. Scald the duck: Pour 2 litres boiling water slowly over the duck, rotating to coat evenly. This tightens the skin. Pat dry thoroughly.
3. Glaze and dry: Mix 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Brush the glaze over the entire duck. Rub the cavity with 1 tsp five-spice powder and salt. Place duck on a rack over a tray, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours to air-dry.
4. Roast the duck: Preheat oven to 220C (425F). Place duck breast-side up on a rack over a roasting pan with 2 cm of water. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce to 160C (325F) and roast 45-60 minutes more until skin is deep mahogany and crisp. Rest 15 minutes.
5. Carve and serve: Slice the skin into pieces, then carve the meat separately. Serve with warm pancakes, hoisin sauce, spring onion strips, and cucumber batons. Each guest wraps a piece of skin and meat in a pancake with condiments.

Tips

• The 24-hour drying step is non-negotiable for crispy skin; skipping it results in rubbery skin
• A fan pointed at the duck in the fridge speeds drying if time is short
• The rendered duck fat collected in the roasting pan is excellent for roasting potatoes