Five Spice Roasted Duck (Printable)
Aromatic duck with crispy skin, seasoned with Chinese five-spice and roasted to golden perfection.
# Ingredient List:
→ Duck
01 - 1 whole duck (about 4.5 lbs), cleaned and patted dry
→ Marinade & Rub
02 - 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
03 - 2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
05 - 2 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
06 - 1 tbsp honey
07 - 1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
10 - 2 green onions, chopped
→ For Roasting
11 - 1 orange, quartered
12 - 1 cup water
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine five-spice powder, salt, pepper, soy sauce, honey, rice wine, garlic, ginger, and green onions to form a paste.
03 - Rub the marinade all over the duck, inside and out, massaging well.
04 - Stuff the cavity of the duck with the orange quarters.
05 - Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body.
06 - Place the duck breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water into the pan beneath the rack.
07 - Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices.
08 - Increase oven temperature to 425°F for the final 20-30 minutes to crisp the skin, watching carefully to avoid burning.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Discard orange quarters.
10 - Serve with steamed rice, stir-fried greens, or pancakes and hoisin sauce.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat stays impossibly tender
- Five-spice creates this warm aromatic flavor that feels festive without being fussy
- It looks impressive but actually does most of the work itself
02 -
- Dry that duck skin completely before applying any rub or the skin will steam instead of crisp
- The final high heat blast is nonnegotiable for that restaurant style crispy finish
03 -
- Trussing the duck helps it cook evenly and look more professional
- Use a roasting pan with a rack to keep the duck elevated and circulating heat