Authentic Chinese 5-Spice Peking Duck

An authentic Chinese roasted duck that will leave you pleasantly surprised. Crispy skin and subtle flavors make this a great introduction to an unfamiliar bird.

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 2-4
• Yields: 1 whole duck

Ingredients

• 1 (4 -6 lb)  frozen  whole duck
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 4  tablespoons  xiao xing  chinese rice wine (aka shao hsing)
• 2  tablespoons white vinegar
• 3  slices  of unpeeled fresh ginger
• 3  tablespoons cornstarch
• 3  tablespoons Chinese five spice powder, for rub
• 4  tablespoons soy sauce
• 8  cups water

Directions

1. thaw duck overnight in refrigerator.
2. remove giblets and trim excess fat from tail area or anywhere hanging.
3. pierce chopstick or skewer under wing and bring through to other side to pierce through under the other wing on the other side in order to give you a way to dunk and hang duck. wings may be removed if desired.
4. in large wok or pot bring water to a boil.
5. add in ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, xiao xing, and honey and stir to dissolve honey completely.
6. make a slurry with cornstarch (mix with water) then add to boiling mixture.
7. dunk duck into boiling mixture and spoon liquid over duck for a couple of minutes making sure you completely moisten duck and render some fat.
8. repeat process for another couple of minutes.
9. immediately hang duck in cool room with a fan on high pointed directly on duck. make sure you put a pot or similar under duck to catch drippings.
10. rotate duck to ensure even drying. should take about 5 hours. skin will become taunt and tight.
11. after 4-6 hours, rub duck with 5-spice powder to taste.
12. heat oven to 375 degrees.
13. place duck onto roasting or cooling rack on middle or top rack of oven with a large pan filled with about 2 inches of water on bottom rack of a 375 degree oven. this will catch any drippings, keep your oven clean, and keep duck moist.
14. roast uncovered for about 1-1 1/2 hours rotating it 2-3 times.
15. check internal temperature for doneness. mine was perfect at 175 degrees in the breast. note that convection ovens will cook duck quite fast.
16. remove duck and rest 10 minutes before serving whole or chopping Chinese style on the bone.