Cantonese Roast Duck
A stunning whole duck glazed with a soy-honey mixture and roasted until the skin is mahogany-brown and crispy. Served with steamed rice and simple greens for an impressive dinner.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 618
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 1 duck (about 5–6 lb) Whole duck, fresh or thawed
- 5 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 2 tablespoons Rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon, minced Ginger, fresh
- 3 cloves, minced Garlic cloves
- 2 whole Star anise
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- 1
Remove the duck from its packaging and place it breast-side up on a clean cutting board. Pat the entire surface—top, bottom, and sides—completely dry with paper towels, pressing gently but firmly.
- 2
Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut off the wing tips at the joints and discard them. Then trim away any excess loose skin hanging from the tail or cavity opening.
- 3
Prick the duck all over the breast and thigh areas—not the wings or back—with a fork, making shallow holes about the size of a pencil tip, spaced roughly 1 inch apart. This allows fat to escape.
- 4
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced ginger, minced garlic, and star anise until the honey is fully dissolved and no sugar grains are visible.
- 5
Set the oven to 425°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10–12 minutes.
- 6
Place the duck breast-side up on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan, leaving 2 inches of space between the duck and all sides of the pan so heat circulates evenly.
- 7
Pour the soy-honey mixture evenly over the entire duck, using a basting brush or spoon to coat the breast, legs, thighs, and as much of the back as you can reach without tipping it.
- 8
Pour the water into the bottom of the roasting pan (not over the duck), which will steam the meat inside while the skin roasts outside.
- 9
Place the pan on the center rack of the 425°F oven. Roast for 20 minutes without opening the door.
- 10
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue roasting for 40–50 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through, until the skin is the color of rich mahogany and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 165°F.
- 11
Remove the pan from the oven and let the duck rest on the rack in the pan, untouched, for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute inside the meat and stay moist when you carve.
- 12
Transfer the duck to a clean cutting board. Using a sharp chef's knife, cut down between the left leg and the breast, then pop the thigh backward to separate the entire left leg from the body.
- 13
Repeat on the right side to remove the right leg. Then cut through the joints between the thighs and drumsticks, separating each leg into two pieces.
- 14
Cut down along one side of the breastbone, sliding the knife between the meat and bone, then repeat on the other side to remove both breasts. Slice each breast crosswise into strips about 1/4-inch thick.
- 15
Arrange the duck pieces—legs, thighs, and sliced breast—on a serving platter, placing them skin-side up and slightly overlapping. Drizzle the pan juices from the roasting pan over the duck.
Tools you’ll need
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
- Kitchen shears or chef's knife
- Fork
- Small mixing bowl
- Spoon or small whisk
- Roasting pan (13 × 9 inch minimum)
- Roasting rack
- Basting brush (optional)
- Meat thermometer
- Oven
- Tongs or kitchen fork
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