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Peking Duck is one of the most famous Chinese dishes in the world, and this recipe makes the crispy skinned, restaurant worthy version right in your own oven. I roasted my first whole duck for a special weekend dinner, and watching Maddie and Lizzie wrap their own pancakes with cucumber, scallion, and hoisin turned it into the most fun family meal we have had in ages. If you love impressive Chinese food at home, you will want our egg foo young recipe too.
With a simple five ingredient marinade and a low and slow roast, you get shatteringly crisp skin and tender meat, all served in soft pancakes with the classic fixings.
Peking Duck Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 2 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 853kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, sweet, and five spice fragrant with crispy skin
- ✋ Difficulty: Intermediate, a rewarding project like our sweet and sour chicken
Quick Answer
Pat a whole duck completely dry, then brush it with a marinade of Shaoxing wine, honey, soy sauce, and Chinese five spice and rest 30 minutes. Roast breast side up on a wire rack at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, baste and flip for another 45 minutes, then lower to 250 degrees F for 30 minutes until it reaches 165 degrees F. Rest, carve, and serve in pancakes with cucumber, scallion, and hoisin sauce.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Drying the skin makes it crispy. Patting the duck completely dry lets the skin crisp and lacquer in the oven instead of steaming.
- The five spice marinade does it all. Shaoxing wine, honey, soy, and Chinese five spice season the meat and help the skin caramelize to a deep mahogany.
- A wire rack renders the fat. Roasting on a rack over a lined sheet lets the duck fat drip away, so the skin gets crisp all the way around.
- Low and slow finishes it. Dropping the heat at the end gently cooks the duck through to a safe 165 degrees F without burning the glaze.
- Resting keeps it juicy. A 15 minute rest before carving lets the juices settle so every slice stays moist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It brings restaurant quality Peking duck to your own kitchen, no special equipment needed.
- The interactive pancake wrapping makes it a fun, memorable meal for guests and family.
- It is an impressive centerpiece for celebrations, right alongside our easy chow mein for a full Chinese feast.
Key Ingredients
A short list of ingredients delivers big, authentic flavor. Here is what each one does:
- Whole duck: A 5 to 6 pound duck is the star. Look for one in the freezer section and thaw it completely.
- Shaoxing wine: Chinese cooking wine adds depth. Dry sherry works as a substitute.
- Honey: Sweetens the marinade and helps the skin caramelize to a glossy mahogany.
- Chinese five spice: The signature warm, fragrant blend behind that classic Peking duck flavor.
- For serving: Peking duck pancakes, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin sauce are the traditional fixings.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this Peking duck your own with these easy swaps.
- No Shaoxing wine: Use dry sherry or a dry cooking wine instead.
- Crispier skin: Air dry the marinated duck uncovered in the fridge for a few hours before roasting.
- Add aromatics: Tuck ginger, garlic, or orange into the cavity for extra fragrance.
- Different wrappers: Use store bought mandarin pancakes, or serve with steamed bao buns.
- Extra sauce: Mix a little hoisin with a splash of soy and sesame oil for a richer dipping sauce.
How to Make Peking Duck
- Whisk together the Shaoxing wine, honey, soy sauce, and Chinese five spice until well combined.
- Pat the duck completely dry, then brush it all over with the marinade and rest at room temperature 30 minutes. Reserve about a quarter of the marinade to baste.
- Set the duck breast side up on a wire rack over a lined baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
- Baste with the reserved marinade and flip, roast another 45 minutes, then lower to 250 degrees F for 30 minutes until it reaches 165 degrees F. Rest 15 minutes.
- While the duck rests, slice the Persian cucumbers and scallions lengthwise into thin matchsticks.
- Carve the duck, cutting off the legs first, then slicing the breast into even pieces.
- Build each pancake with a few slices of duck, cucumber, and scallion, then dip in hoisin sauce and enjoy.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pat the duck very dry. The drier the skin, the crispier it gets, so really blot it with paper towels.
- Use a wire rack. Set the duck on a rack over a lined sheet to catch the fat and crisp the skin all over.
- Save marinade to baste. Reserve about a quarter of the marinade to brush on during roasting for color.
- Check the temperature. The duck is done at 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the leg.
- Slice into matchsticks. Thin cucumber and scallion strips make the prettiest, easiest to wrap pancakes.
- Warm the pancakes. A quick warm in a dry skillet keeps the pancakes soft and pliable.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Peking duck is traditionally served in soft pancakes with thin cucumber and scallion matchsticks and a smear of hoisin sauce, and that alone makes a stunning meal. But it really shines as part of a Chinese feast, so think about what to serve alongside it.
For sides, classic pairings include steamed jasmine rice, fried rice, or chow mein, plus a stir fried green vegetable like bok choy or green beans. We love it with our easy chow mein and sweet and sour chicken to round out a banquet.
Round out the spread with light starters and something sweet. Start with spring rolls or wonton soup, and serve our egg foo young for a true takeout style dinner at home. A pot of hot jasmine or oolong tea ties the whole meal together.
Peking Duck FAQs
Peking duck is classically served in thin pancakes with cucumber matchsticks, scallions, and hoisin sauce. Round out the meal with steamed rice, fried rice, chow mein, a stir fried green vegetable, and spring rolls or wonton soup to start.
Peking duck is a famous Chinese dish of whole roasted duck prized for its crispy, lacquered skin and tender meat. It is traditionally carved and served in soft pancakes with cucumber, scallion, and hoisin sauce.
The secret is very dry skin. Pat the duck thoroughly dry, roast it on a wire rack so the fat drains, and baste with the honey marinade for color. Air drying the duck in the fridge first makes it even crispier.
Roast the duck until the thickest part of the leg reaches 165 degrees F. This recipe roasts at 350 degrees F, then finishes at a lower 250 degrees F so the skin stays crisp without burning.
You can marinate the duck up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, which also helps dry the skin. Roast it the day you plan to serve for the crispiest skin, then carve just before serving.
A whole Pekin duck, usually 5 to 6 pounds and found in the freezer section, is ideal. Thaw it completely and pat it very dry before marinating for the best results.
Craving more Chinese takeout favorites? Try our egg foo young recipe next.
Best Peking Duck Recipe (What to Serve With It)
Ingredients
Ingredients for the duck:
- 1 whole duck mine was exactly 6 lbs.
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine you can also use dry cherry wine
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
Ingredients for serving:
- 2 Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers)
- 3 scallions
- 1 pack of Peking duck wrappers also known as Peking duck pancakes, thawed
- Hoisin sauce to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pat the duck dry with paper towels, and make sure it is completely dry.1 whole duck
- Mix your Shaoxing wine, honey, soy sauce, five spice powder and whisk until well combined in a small bowl. Then, brush or rub it on the duck on both sides, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinade. Save about ¼ of the marinade to baste during the cooking.3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 3 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- Place a wired rack over a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. The duck will lose a lot of its fat, so you need something to catch it.
- Place the duck with its breast side up on the baking rack and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, baste your duck with the remaining marinade and flip over. Make sure to baste both sides. Put back for an additional 45 minutes.
- After the 1.5 hours, lower your heat to 250°F and put it back for another 30 minutes.
- Check your duck’s temperature and ensure it has reached at 165°F. The best way to check this is to poke your temperature reader in the thickest part of your duck, like the middle of the leg.
- Remove your duck from the oven. Let it rest and cool off for 15 minutes on the wire rack.
- While your duck is resting, chop your Persian cucumbers and scallions lengthwise as fine as possible. The size of match sticks.2 Persian cucumbers , 3 scallions
- Start carving your duck by cutting the legs off first, then make sure you cut into the breast and slice towards the wings, following the ribs. Slice the duck breast into even slices.
- To make a Peking duck pancake, put some cucumber, scallions, and a few pieces of duck on your pancake and dip in hoisin sauce.1 pack of Peking duck wrappers, Hoisin sauce
Notes
- Make sure to pat the duck dry with paper towels for the crunchiest skin.
- For best results, let the marinade sit on the duck for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Use a wire rack over your roasting pan to catch the excess fat.
- If you’re not sure the duck is done, check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F.
- Cut the cucumbers and scallions into thin matchstick pieces for a fancier presentation.
- You can warm the Mandarin pancakes in a large skillet over low heat before serving.
Nutrition
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