Summary: Authentic Peking Duck (北京烤鸭) featuring exceptionally crispy, golden-brown skin and tender, juicy meat. Prepared through traditional air-drying, maloseasoning, and roasting techniques, served with thin Mandarin pancakes, fresh scallions, cucumbers, and sweet hoisin sauce. Total preparation and cooking time is 26 hours (including 24 hours chilling), yielding 4 servings.
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Category: Main Dishes, Chinese Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Peking Duck (北京烤鸭)
- Category: Main Dishes, Chinese Cuisine
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Main ingredient: Whole duck, 5.0 lb (Grade A plump whole duck)
- Guide: 12 Most Popular Chinese Dishes: Favorite Recipes of Chinese Cuisine
- Total time: 1560 minutes (120 min prep + 1440 min drying/cooking)
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Servings: 4 servings (Serving weight: 450 g)
- Key technique: Scalding, maltose glazing, and air-drying for crisp skin
- Preparation types: Scalding, air drying, roasting
- Dietary info & Allergens: Contains wheat, soy
- Suitable for: Festive dinners, celebratory banquets, weekend culinary projects
- Nutritional values (per 1 serving): 680 kcal, Protein: 42.0 g, Fat: 45.0 g, Carbs: 28.0 g
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer
- Pairing: Tsingtao beer, dry Riesling, Jasmine green tea
- In a nutshell: The pinnacle of Chinese culinary heritage, delivering shatteringly crisp skin and succulent meat wrapped in delicate pancakes with hoisin sauce.
- Last updated: 2026-03-30
WAGUU says: “Achieving authentic Peking Duck requires patience; the secret to absolute perfection lies in separating the skin from the fat and ensuring complete air-drying.”
Key facts
| Prep time: | 120 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 90 minutes (plus 24 hours air-drying) |
| Temperature: | 375 °F (190 °C) |
| Number of servings: | 4 servings |
In a nutshell
Experience the legendary flavor of traditional Peking Duck (北京烤鸭) in your home kitchen. This masterful recipe walks you through inflating the skin, scalding with aromatic maltose syrup, 24-hour refrigeration drying, and roasting to ultimate crispiness. Served meticulously with homemade paper-thin pancakes, julienned scallions, cucumbers, and savory hoisin sauce.
Ingredients
Base servings: 4 servings • Serving weight: 450 g
| Ingredient | Quantity | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Whole duck | 5.0 lb | Grade A, plump, cleaned |
| Maltose syrup | 3.0 tbsp | Authentic Chinese maltose |
| Chinese five-spice powder | 1.0 tsp | Freshly ground aromatic |
| Soy sauce | 2.0 tbsp | Light fermented soy sauce |
| Shaoxing rice wine | 2.0 tbsp | Aged Shaoxing wine |
| Fresh ginger | 1.0 oz | Peeled and sliced |
| Scallions | 1.0 bunch | Fresh green onions |
| Hoisin sauce | ½ cup | Traditional sweet bean sauce |
| All-purpose flour | 2.0 cups | For Mandarin pancakes |
| Boiling water | ¾ cup | For pancake dough |
| Sesame oil | 1.0 tbsp | Toasted aromatic oil |
| Salt | 1½ tsp | Fine sea salt |
| Cucumber | 1.0 unit | Crisp English cucumber |
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Authentic Crunch: Achieves the legendary glass-like crispy skin characteristic of Beijing’s finest imperial kitchens.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meat: Proper roasting renders out excess subcutaneous fat while keeping the breast and thigh meat incredibly succulent.
- Complete Feast: Includes instructions for making traditional homemade Mandarin pancakes and accompaniments from scratch.
Success guaranteed: Follow the 24-hour drying period meticulously; moisture is the absolute enemy of crispy duck skin.
Recipe overview
Prep: 120 min | Cooking: 90 min | Difficulty: Advanced | Servings: 4 servings | Type: Main course | Origin: Chinese
Detailed instructions
Overall progress: 0% completed
Phase 1: Duck Preparation and Seasoning – 30 min
Appliances: Cutting board, chef knife, mixing bowl
1. Rinse the 5.0 lb whole duck thoroughly inside and out with cold running water. Pat completely dry using paper towels. Trim excess neck skin and tail fat. Rub the cavity with 1.0 tsp of fine sea salt and 1.0 tsp of five-spice powder. Stuff the cavity with sliced ginger and half the bunch of scallions to infuse aromatic flavor during roasting.
CP: Duck is thoroughly cleaned, seasoned inside, and patted dry.
Before moving to the next step:
Ensure the cavity is securely closed by skewering or sewing with kitchen twine to prevent internal juices from escaping.
Phase 2: Scalding and Maltose Glazing – 30 min
Appliances: Large stockpot, ladle
2. In a small saucepan, gently warm 3.0 tbsp of maltose syrup with 2.0 tbsp of light soy sauce and 2.0 tbsp of Shaoxing rice wine until liquefied. Bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil. Suspend the duck by its neck over the pot and carefully ladle the boiling water evenly over the entire exterior skin. The skin will instantly tighten and turn pale. Immediately brush the hot maltose glaze uniformly over every inch of the dampened skin.
CP: Skin is taut, pale yellow, and completely coated with the shiny maltose glaze.
Before moving to the next step:
Check that no bare spots exist on the duck skin; every part must receive the glaze for even browning.
Phase 3: Air Drying – 1440 min
Appliances: Refrigerator
3. Hang the glazed duck uncovered over a drip tray in a cold, well-ventilated refrigerator for 24 hours (1440 minutes). This crucial resting period dehydrates the outer layer of skin, which is the foundational secret to achieving the signature crackling texture during high-heat roasting.
CP: Skin feels completely dry, taut, and slightly leathery to the touch.
Before moving to the next step:
Verify the skin surface is completely dry and non-sticky before putting the duck into the hot oven.
Phase 4: Roasting the Duck – 90 min
Appliances: Oven, roasting rack, roasting pan
4. Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Place the air-dried duck breast-side up on a roasting rack set inside a deep roasting pan containing 1.0 cup of water. Roast for 45 minutes at 375 °F, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F (165 °C) and roast for another 45 minutes until the skin is deep golden-brown and ultra-crispy, and internal thigh temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C).
CP: Skin is uniformly mahogany-colored and crisp; internal meat is cooked through.
Before moving to the next step:
Let the roasted duck rest undisturbed for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Phase 5: Making Mandarin Pancakes – 30 min
Appliances: Mixing bowl, rolling pin, skillet
5. In a mixing bowl, combine 2.0 cups of all-purpose flour with 0.75 cup of boiling water, stirring until a dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces, roll into balls, flatten two pieces, brush sesame oil between them, and roll out together into a thin 6-inch circle. Dry-fry in a hot skillet for 30 seconds per side until bubbles appear, then peel the two pancakes apart.
CP: Pancakes are paper-thin, soft, pliable, and easily separated.
Before moving to the next step:
Keep cooked pancakes stacked inside a clean kitchen towel to retain steam and moisture.
Phase 6: Carving and Assembly – 30 min
Appliances: Carving knife, serving platter
6. Slice the rested duck into approximately 100 precise, bite-sized slices, ensuring each piece features both crispy skin and tender meat. Cut the remaining scallions and English cucumber into fine 2-inch julienne strips. Arrange the duck slices on a large platter alongside the warm Mandarin pancakes, julienned vegetables, and a bowl of sweet hoisin sauce.
CP: Beautiful presentation with uniform duck slices, fresh garnishes, and steaming pancakes.
Required equipment
| Utensil | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roasting pan | 12 × 16 inches | Deep baking dish | Grease overflow |
| Stockpot | 8-quart capacity | Large pasta pot | Water splashing |
| Carving knife | 8-inch slicer | Sharp chef’s knife | Tearing skin |
Shopping list
Nutrition profile
Values per 1 serving (excluding side dishes). Calculated from average ingredient nutrition values.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 serving | Per 4 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 151.1 kcal | 680.0 kcal | 2720.0 kcal |
| Fat | 10.0 g | 45.0 g | 180.0 g |
| of which saturates | 3.3 g | 15.0 g | 60.0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.2 g | 28.0 g | 112.0 g |
| of which sugars | 2.2 g | 10.0 g | 40.0 g |
| Protein | 9.3 g | 42.0 g | 168.0 g |
| Salt | 0.9 g | 4.0 g | 16.0 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with precise ratios and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 1: Use a bicycle pump or air compressor nozzle (sanitized) to inflate the duck skin from the neck before scalding, separating skin from fat for maximum crispiness.
- Tip 2: Ensure the duck is completely dry before roasting; any remaining water droplets will prevent the skin from blistering properly.
- Tip 3: Serve immediately upon carving while the skin is piping hot and shatteringly crisp.
- Tip 4: Save the duck carcass to make a nourishing, flavorful duck bone soup with Chinese cabbage and tofu.
Scientific background
The exceptional crispiness of Peking Duck is a triumph of food science. Scalding the duck with boiling water denatures surface proteins and melts subcutaneous fat, while brushing with maltose (a disaccharide) provides reducing sugars essential for the Maillard reaction. The 24-hour refrigeration step dehydrates the outer stratum corneum of the skin. During oven roasting, the dehydrated skin dehydrates further and fries in its own rendered fat, resulting in a glass-like, crispy exterior shell.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Present the carved duck on an ornate porcelain platter with skin slices arranged separately from meat slices.
- Texture contrasts: Combine crispy skin, tender succulent meat, crunchy raw cucumber, and soft steamed pancakes.
- Temperature contrast: Serve piping hot freshly carved duck alongside chilled crisp julienned vegetables.
- Aromatic garnishes: Garnish with intricately carved scallion brushes and fresh cilantro sprigs.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Deep mahogany-brown, glossy, ultra-crispy skin with neatly arranged slices.
- Aroma: Rich roasted poultry aroma infused with five-spice, maltose, and toasted sesame.
- Taste: Savory, sweet-umami balance with rich fatty notes complemented by fresh scallions.
- Texture: Shattering crisp skin contrasting with tender juicy meat and soft pancake wrap.
Pairing
- BEER: Crisp Chinese Tsingtao lager to cut through the rich duck fat.
- WINE: Off-dry German Riesling with subtle sweetness and high acidity.
- NON-ALCOHOLIC: Chilled iced jasmine green tea with subtle floral notes.
Various preparation methods
- Traditional Hanging Oven: Roasted over hanging fruitwood embers in a specialized barrel oven for smoky depth.
- Electric Rotisserie: Roasted on a motorized rotisserie spit inside a home convection oven for even browning.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Gluten, Soy • Gluten: Contains gluten from wheat flour pancakes • Not suitable for: Celiac disease, soy allergies
Suitable for
Festive dinners, celebratory banquets, weekend culinary projects
Substitution guide
- Maltose syrup: Honey or corn syrup can be substituted, though maltose provides the authentic traditional lacquer.
- Mandarin pancakes: Store-bought Asian spring roll wrappers or moo shu pancakes can be used if short on time.
FAQ
Why is air-drying the duck for 24 hours mandatory?
Air-drying removes surface moisture from the maltose-coated skin. Without this step, the skin will steam in the oven instead of crisping up into a glass-like shell.
Can I use honey instead of maltose syrup?
Yes, honey mixed with a little warm water works well as a substitute, but maltose delivers the authentic deep color and glossy crunch.
How do I properly eat Peking Duck?
Take a warm pancake, spread a little hoisin sauce, add slices of duck skin and meat, top with julienned scallions and cucumber, then wrap tightly and enjoy.
What should I do with the leftover duck carcass?
Never discard the bones! Simmer them with ginger, scallions, and Chinese cabbage for a rich, comforting soup.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 12 or more people?
12–16 people: Prepare 3 whole ducks and double the pancake recipe, roasting the ducks in batches using two convection ovens. • 20+ people: Consider catering or preparing the ducks across multiple days, storing air-dried ducks in a dedicated refrigerator until roasting time.
Sides and serving
- Pickled daikon radish – Tangy palate cleanser (not included in the recipe)
- Garlic stir-fried bok choy – Fresh green vegetable side (not included in the recipe)
Serving: Serve family-style on a large platter with warm pancakes, hoisin sauce, and fresh vegetable garnishes.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 2 months • Reheating: Reheat sliced duck in a 350 °F (175 °C) oven for 10 minutes on a wire rack to crisp the skin back up; avoid microwaving.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 30 Oct 2026
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Common mistakes
- Skipping the Air-Drying Step – Failing to refrigerate the duck uncovered for 24 hours results in soggy skin that will not crisp up.
- Inadequate Scalding – Not pouring enough boiling water over the duck prevents the skin from tightening and taking on the glaze properly.
- Roasting at Too Low a Temperature – Cooking at insufficient heat fails to render out subcutaneous fat, leading to rubbery skin.
- Overcooking the Meat – Leaving the duck in the oven too long dries out the internal breast meat.