perfect roasted chinese duck

THIS IS DEFINITELY FOR A PARTY meal or a big Sunday dinner. It takes some effort, but it’s worth it. You must make the duck broth for the Duck Broth with Soba (here) the next day! Serve with Sesame Pancakes—or ready-made Chinese pancakes or flour tortillas—Red Miso Hoisin, cucumber matchsticks, and sliced scallions.

SERVES: 4
ACTIVE PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL PREPARATION TIME: 2½ hours plus overnight refrigeration

1 organic large duck, washed and dried (See Salt Scrubs for Poultry, here)

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 star anise

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ cup dark brown sugar (unrefined if possible)

Boiling water

1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks, for serving

1 bunch scallions, shredded, for serving

Sesame Pancakes (here), for serving

Red Miso Hoisin (here), for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Trim off excess skin from the opening to the cavity and from the back end of the duck (render it and save it for frying potatoes if you like). Use your fingers and the tip of a paring knife to slip underneath the skin covering the breast, loosening it and being careful not to tear it. Pierce the skin all over with the paring knife (approximately 50 times), but do not pierce the meat itself. This is to ensure that all the fat renders during cooking and you’ll be rewarded with delicious, crispy skin.

Put the duck in a large roasting pan. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over it, top to bottom, front and back. Stuff the cavity with the onion and star anise. Put the duck breast side up in the pan and sprinkle with ground cloves. Sprinkle the brown sugar all around the duck, not on it. Pour enough boiling water over the duck and into the pan to come up 1 inch (to tighten the skin).

Cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, flip it, cover it again with the foil, and bake for an additional hour. Transfer the duck to a plate and let it cool.

Meanwhile, put the roasting pan on your stovetop and boil the liquid over high heat for 20–30 minutes, or until reduced by about half. Cool slightly and pour it into a storage container. Wrap up both the duck and the liquid and refrigerate overnight.

To finish the duck, preheat the oven to 500°F.

Roast the duck for 25 minutes, or until crispy and browned. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, use your reserved pan juices. A significant amount of fat should be hardened on the top–scoop it off and discard. Put the dark brown juice in a small saucepan and warm it over medium heat. Carve the duck into thin slices. Pour the warm juice over the slices. Wrap up bits of duck, cucumbers, and scallions in Sesame Pancakes spread with Red Miso Hoisin sauce.