How to cook Peking duck in the oven. Peking duck - five recipes for cooking at home. Roasting in the oven: tender meat and crispy crust

In search of wuxianmian seasoning, I walked around the market for a long time and tortured smiling Tajiks or Azerbaijanis (who can tell them?) to see if they had an important component of Peking duck. Good-natured guests of the city gaped in surprise, but a moment later, with a specific southern accent, they offered to buy a mixture of five peppers. I, of course, tried to explain that I needed a bouquet of CHINESE spices, and not ground pepper-peas. But the sellers, who speak little Russian, happily nodded and said that I was lucky! After all, their seasoning is made in CHINA. In the end, I didn't buy anything. But that's a completely different story (c).

Due to the complexity of preparation, it is almost impossible to bake duck meat the way it is cooked in Beijing and other Chinese cities in a conventional oven. The carcass of a very well-fed, large bird was prepared for several days. Using special bellows, the space between the skin and meat was filled with air. The abdominal cavity was pumped with water. Lubricate with marinade and hang in the open air until the skin dries. The dish was baked in special ovens at high temperatures. Of course, it is difficult to achieve an authentic taste, but you can try. I suggest you find out what Peking duck is. The first recipe at home is step-by-step, with photos and tips, and quite easy to follow. The second is a little more complicated, but closer to the classics. Choose!

Homemade duck, baked Peking style, with honey and ginger


Ingredients:

Basic:

Sauce:

How to bake a duck in Beijing style (step-by-step recipe with photos):

Take a fatty, large carcass and prepare it for baking. Shorten a neck that is too long with a hatchet. Cut off the “tail” where the scent glands are concentrated. If it is not removed, the baked bird will have a specific aroma. Pluck out any tough feather stumps. Cut off the first phalanx of the wings as desired. Or wrap them before putting them in the oven. aluminum foil so as not to get charred. If the duck is not gutted, remove the entrails. Wash the carcass well. Place in slightly boiling water for 2-3 minutes or pour boiling water over the sink.

Dry with paper towels outside and inside. Add salt to sherry (do not stir until dissolved). Rub the mixture onto the skin and interior of the duck. Place the bird on the grill. Place a baking sheet under them. Place in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.

Then brush the duck with honey or thick sugar syrup. Place in a cold place again for 8-12 hours.

To prevent the bird from absorbing foreign odors, carefully wrap it in cling film.

Preheat the oven to 180-190 degrees. Turn on steam cooking mode. For conventional ovens: Fill a baking tray with clean water and place on the lowest rack in the oven. The liquid will gradually evaporate, providing the necessary conditions roasting duck in Peking style. Wrap the marinated carcass in several layers of foil. Place on the grill, breast side up. Cook for 80-90 minutes.

Mix pepper and ginger powder. Pour in the oil and 1 spoon (!) of soy sauce. Stir.

On a note:

You can use fresh root instead of ground ginger. Peel a small piece (approximately 4-6 cm long). Grate it on a fine grater. Add to the rest of the sauce ingredients.

Remove the duck. Open it up. Turn off the steam (remove the pan with water). Brush the bird with sauce. Place on a metal rack (back side down). Send to bake again. Cooking time: 20-30 minutes. Under the roasting duck, be sure to place an empty heat-resistant container into which the rendered fat will drain.

Honey (syrup) and remaining soy sauce mix until smooth. Take out the duck. Apply the mixture to the duck skin with a pastry brush. Place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes. If there is a grill mode (top heat), turn it on a quarter of an hour before cooking.

Cut the finished bird into portions. Serve Beijing style with homemade onion pancakes, plum sauce, fresh herbs and vegetables. Duck baked according to this recipe turns out juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, aromatic, spicy and tender. You can store the rendered fat in a closed container in the refrigerator and use it for cooking.

Cooking almost classic Peking duck (adapted Chinese recipe)


Required Products:

How to cook Peking duck meat (simple step-by-step instructions with photos):

Chinese seasoning wuxianmian consists of five types of spices. It can be purchased ready-made or made independently at home. Classic version consists of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, Szechuan pepper and star anise. The components are mixed in equal quantities (by weight). And they are crushed. Store the seasoning in a sealed bag.

Mix the syrup with pepper, seasoning, vinegar (wine), soy sauce. Stir. The result will be a not too thick aromatic mixture.

It is advisable to cook chilled duck rather than frozen. But if you have no choice, defrost the carcass in the most gentle way possible - in the main compartment of the refrigerator. This will take about 12-18 hours. Wash in cold water. Dry the bird. Process - remove the tips of the wings, remnants of plumage, rump.

Brush the duck on all sides with the thick sauce.

Add salt to starch. Stir. Sprinkle over the duck and rub lightly into the skin. “Place” the carcass on a tall glass or small jar. This is necessary so that the sauce dries thoroughly everywhere. Place in the refrigerator for 1-1.5 days.

This is how your skin will dry out after 36 hours of “rest.” It is important not to cover the bird with anything, otherwise the marinade will not form a crust. Avoid placing foods with strong odors in the refrigerator compartment at the same time as the duck.

Fill a large saucepan with 5-6 liters of drinking water. Bring to a boil. Scald the duck. After the liquid has drained, place it on a wire rack or skewer. Preheat the oven to 210-220 degrees. Turn on top and bottom heat (if equipped). Cook for about 75 minutes. If the skin on top starts to burn, cover it with a sheet of foil. Then reduce the temperature to 150-160 degrees. Bake until done (about half an hour).

Let the duck rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve as a main dish with rice and sour, sweet and sour sauces on the side The classic Chinese serving also includes thin Mandarin pancakes.

Elena 12/29/2018 8 2k.

Today we will talk about a dish that has long been a delicacy among the Chinese aristocracy. It was then that they began to cook it in restaurants and people learned about it in other countries. Peking duck is a rather unusual recipe and it is considered impossible to cook it at home.

Yes, there is some truth in this, because according to the original recipe, the bird is fried in special ovens on wood exclusively from dates, apples or pears. It is these trees that do not produce much smoke when burned and give the duck a special aroma.

The meat turns out tender, juicy, and the main highlight of the dish is the shiny dark brown crispy crust, its sugar color evenly covering the entire carcass.

Do you really need to go to China to try such a delicacy? It's not obligatory. There is no need to look for a Chinese restaurant in the hope that such a dish is prepared there either. It can be done at home.

Of course, you can bake a bird in another way, for example. But let’s still try to make Peking duck at home. Yes, original recipe We can’t repeat it, but there are methods that are adapted to our conditions.

Peking duck - a classic recipe at home

Since we don’t have special wood-burning stoves, we will use what we have - an oven. Why is the recipe classic, you ask, since we are already deviating from the rules. Not only the moment of baking is important here, but also the preparatory process.


I’ll say right away that this method is not a quick one, so it’s important to know that before the Peking duck gets to your table, you’ll have to pay attention to it for a couple of days.

Don’t be alarmed in advance, you won’t have to stand over it all this time. Read on and you will learn all the secrets.

Ingredients:

  • duck - 2 kg.
  • honey - 2 tbsp. l.
  • dry white wine - 1 glass
  • 3 tbsp. l. rice vinegar
  • cane sugar - 1.5 tbsp. l.
  • Teriyaki sauce - 1.5 tbsp. l.
  • carnation
  • fennel
  • cinnamon
  • pepper mixture

By the way, Peking is not only a cooking recipe, it is also a breed of bird. They are less fatty than regular ducks, meatier and have thin skin. But this does not mean that cooking using this method can only be done from birds of this breed. They say that some Chinese honestly admit that in Russia this dish is more tender and tasty.

We conclude that you can cook from our ordinary ducks, the main thing is not to buy large specimens. The optimal weight is 2-2.5 kilograms, they are not so fatty and they have enough meat.

Step-by-step recipe with photos:

1. Wash the bird well, especially paying attention to the inside. Although ducks are sold already gutted, they often leave the lung inside, so you need to take it out and then rinse the inside well.

2. You also need to trim off excess fat and sebaceous glands on the tail. In principle, this procedure does not need to be done; this is, as a rule, at the request of the cook.

There is no harm from the sebaceous glands, but in some breeds they give the finished meat a slight musky aroma.

3. Pour water into a saucepan, add a little cloves, fennel, cinnamon, add a mixture of peppers, and bring to a boil. Place an oven rack on the sink and place the duck. Pour boiling water with aromatic seasonings into a ladle and pour over the carcass 4-5 times, then turn it over and do the same on the other side.

Why do you need to arrange a “bathhouse” for the bird? Thanks to this procedure, the pores on the skin expand and the carcass marinates better.

4. While the pores are open, use tweezers to remove, if necessary, stumps and hairs so that the skin becomes even and smooth. Let the duck rest.

5. Prepare the marinade: mix honey, dry wine, rice vinegar, sugar in a bowl. Heat it a little until the sugar dissolves.

6. Dry the bird with paper towels, coat the outside with sauce, and salt well inside. Place the carcass on the bottle and apply more sauce. Place the bottle with the carcass on some container, as the juice will drain from it. Send this structure to a cool place for 12 hours.

This is another secret to cooking Peking duck - drying the skin for a long time. Chinese chefs hang carcasses in rooms with running fans. This procedure is necessary so that the skin stretches, dries, and then when baked you get a golden, crispy crust.

7. The dish is baked on a wire rack; it must be greased with vegetable oil and placed on the second level. Place a deep baking tray on the first level and pour water into it. Place the duck on the grill breast side down, cover the top with foil and bake for 50 minutes at 180 degrees.

8. Remove the foil, turn the bird breast side up and cook for another 50 minutes.

9. Cut the finished bird in portioned pieces, place on a plate.


Step-by-step recipe for Peking duck in orange sauce

They say that Chinese chefs do not disclose the original recipe for the marinade. Perhaps for this reason there are different versions of it. The main thing is to ensure that the duck is cooked properly and the skin turns out tasty and beautiful. So try making an orange-flavored marinade.


Required Products:

  • duck - 1.8-2 kg
  • zest of one orange
  • cognac - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • honey - 2 tbsp. spoons of honey
  • orange juice - 1 tbsp.
  • soy sauce - 3 tbsp. l.
  • ground ginger - 1 tsp.
  • ground black pepper - 1 tsp.
  • orange juice - 1 tbsp.
  • duck fat - 3 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:


Peking duck - recipe for cooking at home in the oven

Another recipe using citrus fruits. Here they are used not for marinating, but for stuffing poultry. Although the classic recipe does not make Peking duck with stuffing, we cook it at home, so why not try it as an experiment.

Product composition:

  • duck - 1.5 kg.
  • sea ​​salt
  • sweet grape or rice wine - 2 tbsp. l.
  • honey - 2 tbsp. l.
  • lemons - 3 pcs.
  • grapefruits - 2 pcs.

Step-by-step cooking recipe:


A simple homemade recipe for Peking duck up your sleeve

Supermarkets now sell many different products Chinese cuisine. Various sauces are very popular. They can be used not only as a savory addition to ready meals, but also used in the process of their preparation. The recipes above have already used soy sauce, this recipe uses Unagi sauce.

IN classic composition unagi includes: soy sauce, sugar, leeks, mirin, carrots, mitsukana, yeast extract, honey and starch. All ingredients are mixed, boiled for a long time and the result is a honey-salty twist of Japanese cuisine.

Agree, many of the ingredients of this sauce are familiar to us and are perfect as a marinade for Peking duck.


Products for the recipe:

  • duck - 2 -2.5 kg.
  • brown sugar - 1 tbsp. l.
  • Unagi sauce - 3 tbsp. l.

How to cook:


Important point! Baking times and temperatures indicated in recipes may vary slightly due to the fact that everyone's oven is different. Therefore, watch the cooking process, especially if you are doing it for the first time.

Peking duck breast in a frying pan

The author of this recipe does not claim to be the chef of the famous dish, but you can pay attention to his method. The main thing is that to prepare it you will need no more than half an hour and this includes the preparatory process. So if you want to surprise your friends with a new original dish, step by step recipe with photos to help you.

Why does this recipe have the name “Beijing style”? It's all about Coca-Cola. Dark color sweet drink flavored with vanillin, cinnamon oil, lemon and clove oils, it may well be suitable as a sauce for poultry. Read on to learn how to use this drink.

Required Products:

  • duck breast - 1-2 pcs.
  • salt pepper
  • Coca-Cola - 0.5 cups

How to do:


Do you know that duck fat, when consumed in moderation, is beneficial for the human body. It removes carcinogens, improves metabolism, strengthens the immune system, and gives energy.

Video on how to cook Peking duck with apples at home

A classic of the genre is stuffing a bird with apples, so why not make this option with Peking duck. True, the author of the video uses them not only for taste, but also to stretch the skin of the bird as best as possible so that it turns out tasty and crispy. See the video for details.

How to serve a dish and how to eat it correctly

The history of the dish is long and takes us back to 1330, when the cook and nutritionist of one Chinese emperor published the recipe in his works. Over the years, changes have been made to the recipe, the presentation of the dish has changed, and over time it has turned into a real ritual.


The Chinese even joke that the tale about the ugly duckling is a tale about the Peking duck, when an ordinary bird became a national treasure.

How is the dish served in expensive Chinese restaurants?

  • first, the client is shown the whole cooked bird;
  • then it is cut into thin slices. When slicing, each piece of meat should have skin on it. It is believed that one duck should yield 108 pieces;
  • Customers are offered to cook something from the leftover carcass, most often preparing a delicious soup;
  • poultry meat is served complete with flatbreads (usually rice), thinly sliced ​​cucumber, young green onions and sauce;
  • They eat this dish, unlike others, with their hands, without using chopsticks. You need to take a flatbread, put a slice of meat, cucumber, onion, pour over the sauce and wrap it in the flatbread in the form of an envelope or a tube. If you don't know how to do it correctly, the waiters will always help you.
  • Peking duck is usually washed down with drinks such as white duck broth, tea, beer, Chinese vodka or red rice wine.

How to serve poultry at home? You can do it in the same way as tradition requires, but you can also do it in our usual way, by placing the whole beautiful duck on a dish.

Have you met different recipes cooking Peking duck at home. An interesting way to bake and serve it, it's worthy of a place in your family meal collection. Be sure to try cooking the bird this way.

Good luck with your experiments and bon appetit.

Peking duck is a classic of Chinese cuisine. According to an Eastern saying, you haven't been to Beijing if you haven't seen the Great Wall of China and tried Peking duck. Prepare unusual dish, following all the traditions is difficult, but there are adapted recipes that are quite doable at home.

When choosing duck, it is important to remember that the meat of any bird is evaluated not only according to individual criteria, but also in accordance with general rules. Fresh poultry always has uniformly colored skin, and there should be no remaining feathers on it. If there is even the slightest suspicion that the duck is not fresh, then it is better to spend time looking for a quality product.


What kind of duck can you buy:

  • the skin should be free of any damage, including bruises, bruises, dents or tears;
  • the coloring of the skin and meat of the duck should be uniform (there should be no sharp contrasts in any case);
  • Duck meat, regardless of whether the bird is sold whole or cut, should always be slightly moist and sufficiently elastic;
  • the elasticity of the duck is determined by simply pressing your finger (fresh meat should not be deformed);
  • muscle tissue has a slightly reddish tint (this is a sign of freshness of the duck);
  • if the duck is bought whole, then special attention should be paid to the beak (it should be shiny and clean);
  • the webbed feet of a whole duck should not be damaged or appear dried out;
  • the skin should not be sticky;
  • the carcass should be moderately well-fed;
  • the young duck has yellow legs and transparent fat;
  • the duck's toes should move apart easily (the membranes should not be damaged);
  • if the beak is flexible, and when pressed you feel a slight softness, then such a bird is young (its meat will be the most tender and juicy).

Peking duck at home

Classic Peking duck recipe

Will need:

  • duck carcass weighing 2–2.5 kg;
  • 4 tbsp. l. honey;
  • salt to taste;
  • 1 tbsp. l. sesame oil;
  • 2 tbsp. l. soy sauce.
  1. Take a duck carcass, gut it, wash and dry it. For of this dish You should choose a young duck, it will turn out juicier and tastier.
  2. Rub the bird with salt and leave overnight. During this time it should be well salted. The actual preparation of the dish should only begin the next day.
  3. Prepare a “hot bath” for the duck. Pour boiling water into a large saucepan or bucket and dip the bird in it several times. You can just pour a good amount of water on it from the kettle. The bird's skin should turn white. Pat the duck dry.
  4. Take a syringe with a thick needle and, piercing the skin of the duck, drive air under it, separating the skin from the meat. There is no need to remove the skin! The syringe in this case acts as a kind of compressor. Generously coat the bird with honey and leave for one hour.
  5. Prepare the sauce for marinating the duck. To do this, mix 1 tbsp. l. honey and sesame oil. Instead of the latter, you can use vegetable oil. Add soy sauce and mix everything. Coat the poultry carcass with the resulting mixture, not only on the outside, but also on the inside. This must be done every half hour for four hours. Consequently, you will have to coat the duck eight to nine times.
  6. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Build a structure in it: pour water (about 2 cm) into a baking tray, place a grate on top on which to place the duck. The grate should be pre-greased with oil to prevent the bird from burning.
  7. Roast the dish for 40 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160 degrees and leave the bird in the oven for another hour. After this, the duck must be turned over and baked for at least another 30 minutes. The bird should acquire an appetizing golden crispy crust.
  8. The presentation of the dish deserves special attention. Chinese chefs cut one duck into 108 small thin pieces. This dish is served in different ways. So, meat can be wrapped in the thinnest pancakes, which can replace thin pita bread. It must first be coated with hoisin sauce.
  9. Then place two or three pieces of duck, leeks and slices of thinly sliced ​​cucumber. This entire structure must be carefully wrapped in a tube. Peking duck can also be eaten in a duet with rice pancakes.

Peking duck with hoisin sauce

Compound:

  • duck – 2–2.5 kg;
  • honey – 80 ml;
  • soy sauce – 100 ml;
  • Sesame oil– 40 ml;
  • garlic powder – 5 g;
  • wine vinegar (6 percent) – 5 ml;
  • ground chili pepper – 5 g;
  • seasoning of 5 Chinese spices (dill, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Ural licorice) – 5 g.

Cooking method:

  1. Wash the bird carcass, dry it, rub it with salt and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
  2. In the morning, pour boiling water over the duck.
  3. Dry with a kitchen towel.
  4. Using a regular syringe (medical), pierce the duck skin in several places and press air under it.
  5. Melt 3 tablespoons of honey and coat the duck with it on all sides.
  6. Place in the refrigerator for several hours. It should lie like this for at least an hour, and preferably 2-3 hours.
  7. Mix a tablespoon of melted honey with the same amount of sesame oil and two tablespoons of dark soy sauce.
  8. Coat the duck with this mixture and return to the refrigerator. Do not pour out the remaining marinade: you need to coat the carcass every half hour until it runs out.
  9. Preheat oven to 240 degrees. Place a baking tray filled with water in it. Place an oiled wire rack on top. Place the duck on it.
  10. After 40 minutes, reduce the temperature to 160 degrees.
  11. After half an hour, turn the carcass over and continue cooking for another hour.
  12. Combine a mixture of Chinese spices with garlic powder, hot pepper, stir.
  13. Mix the spices with a tablespoon of sesame oil and three tablespoons of soy sauce. Stir thoroughly until the hoisin sauce has a uniform consistency.


Serve Peking duck with homemade hoisin sauce. Following tradition, it would be nice to complement the dish with pancakes with green onions and fresh cucumbers, cut into strips.

Peking duck in the oven: recipe with oranges

Adapted simple recipe for cooking at home - Peking duck with orange, ingredients simple recipe includes orange juice, orange zest, honey, the duck itself, ginger and cognac.

Ingredients

  • whole duck carcass – 1.5–2 kg;
  • honey – 2–3 tbsp;
  • soy sauce – 3 tbsp;
  • zest of one orange;
  • cognac – 2 tbsp;
  • orange juice – 1 tbsp;
  • ground ginger – 0.5 tsp;
  • ground black pepper – 1 tsp;
  • salt.

Step-by-step cooking recipe

  1. We thoroughly wash the prepared duck, get rid of the water using paper towels, and cut off the outer phalanges of the wings.
  2. Coat thoroughly with salt outside and inside, before watering generously and rubbing with cognac.
  3. We move our duck into a suitable container and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Then we take it out, coat it with a mixture of honey and orange zest and again put it in a cool place for 3-4 hours.
  5. We pack the duck in foil (2 layers) and place it on a baking sheet.
  6. Cook in an oven preheated to 200 C, approximately 1.30 - 1.50. (drain excess fat during frying into a separate container).
  7. Combine orange juice, ginger, pepper, soy sauce in a cup and add a little rendered duck fat (2-3 tbsp). Mix everything or beat in a blender.
  8. We take out the duck, remove the foil (we cover only the edges of the legs and wings with it so as not to burn), pour the prepared marinade over the entire duck, including the belly, and put it back into the oven for 40 minutes at a temperature of 220–240°C, until it is browned.
  9. We check readiness like this: stick a sharp knife into the meatiest place (for example, the thigh), if the juice flows out clear without blood, then the bird is ready.
  10. We cut the finished Peking duck into slices and serve on a platter with savory pancakes from rice or wheat flour, thin Armenian lavash.

Separately, serve the finished Peking duck, cut into pieces, in a bowl with a sweet sauce (for example, a mixture of soy and honey), fresh cucumbers, cut into strips, onions.

Before eating Peking duck pieces duck meat with skin, cucumbers and onions are placed in thin pancakes or thin pita bread, smeared with sauce, and then rolled up.

Peking duck recipe in a slow cooker


Ingredients:

  • duck – 1 pc.

For the marinade:

  • filtered water – 2 l;
  • ginger root – 1 slice;
  • soy sauce – 60 ml;
  • rice vinegar – 60 ml;
  • seasoning “5 spices” – 1 tbsp. spoon;
  • honey - 3 tbsp. spoons;
  • star anise – 2 pcs.;
  • coarse salt - a pinch.

How to cook duck

So, take a fresh gutted duck, wash it thoroughly, dry it, trim off excess fat. Place the carcass on a rack with a tray and move on to the marinade. Pour water into a saucepan, add sliced ​​ginger, seasoning, star anise, add honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, simmer for several minutes. Scald the duck on all sides with hot marinade. Place a bottle filled with water in a large saucepan and place the bird on it. We put this structure in the refrigerator and leave it for a day. After that, place it breast side up in the multicooker, bake until done, selecting the “Baking” program. Cut the finished duck into slices and serve with sweet and sour Chinese sauce and flatbreads.

Rice pancakes for Peking duck


Ingredients

  • 500 g rice flour,
  • 2 eggs,
  • 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil,
  • 500 ml water,
  • 1 tsp. Sahara,
  • 1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Mix rice flour with eggs and warm water (20–30 °C), salt and add sugar. Mix. Add oil, mix until smooth. Fry pancakes in a dry frying pan for 1 minute on each side. Do not fry until golden brown - the pancakes should be white.

How to eat Peking duck correctly

Nobody forbids you to eat duck just like that - without sauces, pancakes, vegetables and seasonings. But, according to the Chinese, the merits of the dish can be fully appreciated if the pancake is wrapped and eaten according to all the rules.


First you need to take one pancake and put it on a plate. Then - several pieces of duck, which are dipped in the sauce and placed in the center of the pancake. Moreover, without a crust, which is first removed and placed along the edges of the plate. Place several strips of onion and cucumber on top of the meat, seasoning as desired. And cover it with a crust. It should not get wet in the sauce, otherwise it will not crisp!

The Chinese wrap pancakes with chopsticks; foreigners are allowed to do this with their hands. The pancake is folded like an envelope or parcel, after which it is “sealed” - pressed down on top. And they eat! A special chic thing is to prepare the filling for a pancake, wrap it and hold it to your mouth with chopsticks. But here, of course, training is needed. Delicious - nothing to say!

Drinks that are usually used to wash down Peking duck are white duck broth, tea, beer, Chinese vodka or red rice wine. Intoxicating drinks can accompany toast.

History of the dish

The history of this dish goes back many centuries, and the very first cookbooks tell how to cook Peking duck. Back during the Yuan Dynasty in 1330 AD, a famous nutritionist and personal physician to the emperor named Hu Sihui first published a recipe for Peking duck in his famous work “Essential Principles of Nutrition,” which can be considered the first book on healthy food, the basis of modern dietetics. This dish became a dish that was traditionally served to the highest aristocracy of China, and the cooks of each subsequent dynasty of Chinese emperors complicated the recipe for Peking duck, and the dish acquired legends and was improved to reach our time in a complex and original form.

On the table of the Chinese emperors there were many interesting, gourmet dishes, which could still surprise even the most demanding gourmets today with their luxury and exoticism, but it was Peking duck that became a favorite dish at the imperial court. It was this dish that over the several centuries of its existence became the cause of wars and became overgrown with legends; medicinal, even magical properties. And the Chinese Empress Ji-Xi believed that Peking duck had rejuvenating properties and regularly made masks from this dish to preserve her youth and beauty.

Cooking meat

Peking duck, without exaggeration, the most popular dish in, known far beyond its borders. Almost seven centuries ago, it was invented for the emperor by a court chef. Since then, the recipe has remained virtually unchanged. Besides necessary products, you will have to be patient and time. After all, we have a whole culinary action with many nuances ahead of us. For detailed instructions and important recommendations on how to cook Peking duck, read our article.

Technology first hand

To begin with, it would be a good idea to find out what Beijing means in China. Not every bird is suitable for this role. About 300 years ago, a special breed was bred, which is called the Peking duck. It is distinguished by its respectable size and brutal appetite by the standards of birds. Such birds are deliberately raised near rice fields. They are not interested in succulent shoots, but are always happy to feast on small vertebrates that pose a threat to the future harvest. It is not surprising that by the age of two months, ducklings gain a decent weight of up to 2-2.5 kg.

The Chinese cook Peking duck in two ways. In the first case, it is suspended over an open fire, which is lit from the branches of a peach, apple, date or any other fruit tree. As a result, the meat acquires characteristic fruity notes. The second way is to bake the bird in a special oven with a special thermal regime. The temperature is initially set to the maximum, and gradually reduced during the cooking process.

Natural selection

If the supply of real Peking ducks is delayed, a suitable candidate can be found on domestic shelves. Fresh birds always have a uniform pinkish skin tone. There should be no damage, hematomas, bruises or tears. Muscle tissue is distinguished by a reddish color, but without sharp transitions. High-quality fresh meat is always slightly moist and elastic to the touch. This is easy to check. Lightly press the carcass - it will quickly restore its shape and the dent will disappear.

If you are purchasing a whole duck, carefully inspect the eyes and beak. The eyes should be free of any cloudiness, and the beak should be clean and shiny. If it springs back slightly when pressed, you have a young bird. When cooked, it will be very tender, juicy and tasty. Also study the paws. A fresh carcass has intact elastic membranes of a yellowish color, without the slightest defect.

Without haste and fuss

Please note that preparation of the duck begins at least a day before it appears before the guests. Ideally, you need to take a chilled carcass. If you have a frozen bird, you should remove it from the freezer even earlier. It should defrost completely at room temperature.

The prepared carcass is thoroughly washed under running water at room temperature. Too hot or cold water at this stage can spoil the taste of the meat. Next, you need to chop off the phalanges of the wings and carefully remove the hairs. Using a sharp knife, cut off all the fat from the skin, otherwise you won’t get a crispy crust. Particular attention is paid to the neck and tail area.

To the desired condition

Now the duck needs to be hung on a hook. A steelyard is quite suitable - an ordinary lever scale with a hook. This will make it convenient to scald the carcass with boiling water. This needs to be done thoroughly and from all sides so that the skin brightens. After this, the bird is wiped, allowed to dry and marinating begins.

There are many ways, here is one of the most popular. First, the carcass is doused on all sides with sherry or fortified white wine. You can pour a little inside the duck. When the wine is absorbed, it is “sat” on the bottle and rubbed with coarse salt. The carcass is left in this position for 12 hours, periodically draining the released liquid.

After the allotted period, the duck, without removing it from the bottle, is smeared with liquid honey and left for another 12 hours in a cool place. This is the simplest option. Honey can be mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil. If you like spices, add star anise, cloves, cinnamon or pepper. They will organically complement the duck.

Classic combination

A day later, when the duck meat has been saturated with the aroma and taste of the marinade, you can begin cooking. We present to you a classic step-by-step recipe for Peking duck.

Ingredients:

  • duck carcass - 2-2.5 kg
  • honey - 4 tbsp. l.
  • sesame oil - 1 tbsp. l.
  • soy sauce - 2 tbsp. l.
  • salt - to taste
  • ground cloves, fennel, black pepper, star anise, cinnamon - optional

Cooking method:

1. Prepare the duck carcass for baking as described above.

2. Mix the marinade of sesame oil, honey and soy sauce. If necessary, add salt and spices to taste.

3. Rub the carcass with marinade on all sides and coat the inside well.

4. Preheat oven to 250°C.

5. While the oven is preheating, pour about 2-3 cm of water into a tall baking dish. Place a greased rack on top.

6. Place the carcass on this structure with its back down and place in the oven at 250 °C for 40-45 minutes.

7. Now turn the duck onto its breast, reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for an hour.

8. After this, bake the bird on each side at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes.

9. Remove the duck from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

In all the sparkle of citrus

There is a fairly popular variation of the dish for cooking in the oven - baked duck in orange glaze. For this recipe you will definitely need freshly squeezed orange juice. Store-bought juice from a package will not allow you to achieve such a bright aroma and taste.

Ingredients:

  • duck carcass - 1.5-2 kg
  • honey - 2-3 tbsp. l.
  • soy sauce - 3 tbsp. l.
  • orange juice - 200 ml + zest of 1 orange
  • cognac - 2 tbsp. l.
  • ground ginger - 0.5 tsp.
  • salt, black pepper - 1 tsp each.

Lubricate the prepared carcass with cognac, rub with salt and black pepper on all sides, as well as inside. In this form, put it in the refrigerator overnight. Then brush the bird with a mixture of honey and orange zest and put it back for another 3-4 hours.

Now wrap the carcass in two layers of foil and place in an oven preheated to 200 °C for about 1.5 hours. All this time, periodically drain the rendered fat. Measure out 2-3 tbsp. l. fat, mix with orange juice and soy sauce, season with salt and spices. Then remove the foil from the duck, pour the resulting sauce over it and continue baking in the oven for another 40 minutes, increasing the temperature to 220 °C.

A good addition

The serving of Peking duck deserves special attention. On New Year In China, the carcass is cut into exactly 108 parts. It is believed that this number attracts prosperity and success in all matters.

On ordinary days, duck is served like this. Place a rice pancake on a plate. They are fried exactly like regular pancakes, only rice flour is used instead of wheat flour. Place several slices of baked duck on the pancake, after removing the skin. In this case, the meat is dipped in hoisin sauce. Next to it are placed cucumber straws and several green onions. The filling is covered with duck skin and the pancake is folded into an envelope. The Chinese cleverly do all this with chopsticks. If you want to repeat the experiment, here is the recipe for hoisin sauce.

They say that if you were in Beijing and did not try Peking duck, then you can assume that you were not there. This omission can be corrected by preparing such a dish right at home. Of course, you won’t be able to follow all Chinese traditions, but you will definitely achieve exquisite taste poultry and you can enjoy this juicy and soft meat. Our recipes will tell you how to prepare the most delicious duck Peking style at home, which the whole family and guests will happily eat.

Peking duck recipe at home

Cooking time – 26-27 hours.

Servings – 8-10 pcs.

Try cooking Peking duck using this classic recipe. Follow all the described steps correctly, and you will get a bright red, aromatic bird with a crispy crust, the meat of which will melt in your mouth. Although the preparation process is labor-intensive, the result will definitely please you and pleasantly surprise you with its unusual taste. To experience true nature Chinese dish, pour the sauce onto the pancake, and place the duck, onion and cucumber on it.

Ingredients

Servings: – + 8

  • Duck 2 kg
  • Honey 4 tbsp
  • Dry white wine ½ cup
  • Sesame oil 1 tbsp.
  • White pepper 1 tbsp.
  • Ground ginger 1 tbsp.
  • Soy sauce 5 tbsp.
  • Water 1 glass
  • Sea salt - to taste
  • For pancakes:
  • Milk 2/3
  • Cold water 2/3 cup
  • Flour 1 glass
  • Eggs 1 PC.
  • Sesame oil 2 tbsp.
  • Green onions 1 bunch
  • Cucumber - to taste
  • Hoisin sauce - to taste

26 min. Seal

    If frozen duck is used for cooking, then first of all it needs to be defrosted naturally. First, we place it in the refrigerator for a day, and then take it out and leave it at room temperature for 6-8 hours.

    We remove excess fat from the bird, which is located in the neck and tail area, and also trim the upper phalanges of the wings.

    Bring the water to a boil, and then scald the duck with boiling water, the skin of which should become whiter.

    Then drain the water and remove the remaining moisture using napkins or paper towels.

    Pour the required amount of dry white wine and rub the duck with it, then let it stand for 15-20 minutes.

    Rub the duck sea ​​salt inside and out.

    Take a clean one glass bottle, on the neck of which we sit a duck. We place a bowl under the glass container where the blood will drain. Place the structure in the refrigerator and leave for 12 hours.

    After the time has passed, we take out the bird and coat it evenly with honey. Then we put it on the bottle and put it in the refrigerator again for 12 hours.

    When the time is right, remove the duck from the bottle and turn it over onto the grill with its back.

    Pour into the tray that is lower cold water. Wrap the duck itself tightly with foil. Preheat the oven to 190 C and cook the bird in it for about 60 minutes.

    Meanwhile, in a clean and dry bowl, mix soy sauce, ground ginger, sesame oil and pepper.

    When the duck is ready, remove the foil from it and remove the tray.

    Lubricate the duck well with the prepared spicy mixture using a silicone brush. Once again, place the bird in the oven for 20-25 minutes and cook at maximum temperature, making sure that the meat does not burn.

    For now, you can mix honey and soy sauce.

    When we take the duck out of the oven, you need to brush it with the honey mixture again using a silicone brush. Turn off the oven and send the duck to grill, placing it in the lowest position. Cook until a crispy crust forms on the bird.

    While we prepare the duck, let's start with the pancakes. Mix milk, eggs, flour, water and sesame oil well.

    Shred green onions and add it to the pancake dough.

    Fry the pancakes in a preheated frying pan without using oil.

    Let's move on to complementing the dish: wash the cucumber, peel it and slice it thinly, divide the onion feathers into several parts.

    When the duck is cooked, take it apart and cut it into thin pieces, leaving the skin on each.

Serve the finished Peking duck with ready-made pancakes, cucumber, onion and hoi sin sauce. Eat for your health!

Peking duck at home


Cooking Peking duck is a whole ceremony. First you need to inflate the skin, then scald it with boiling water, leave the bird to dry for a long time, and only then start baking in a very hot oven. Since all these procedures are quite difficult to follow at home, our recipe offers a more simplified cooking option, but no less tasty duck with golden brown crust. To ensure the dish turns out the way you want, take only Peking duck.

Ingredients:

  • Gutted duck – 1 pc.
  • Fresh ginger root – 4 cm.
  • Honey - 3 tbsp. l.
  • Rice vinegar – 60 ml.
  • Soy sauce – 50 ml.
  • Star anise – 2 pcs.
  • Spice mixture – 1 tbsp. l.
  • Sichuan pepper – 1 tsp.
  • Green onions – ½ bunch.
  • Cucumber – 2 pcs.
  • Mandarin pancakes – to taste.
  • Hoisin sauce - to taste.
  • Chinese sweet and sour plum sauce - to taste.

Cooking method:

  1. Pour water into a large saucepan. To it we add honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, star anise, hot peppers and Szechuan pepper. We wash the ginger root, dry it and cut it into slices, which we also put into the pan.
  2. Place the pan on the fire and bring the liquid to a boil, then cook for a couple of minutes and turn off.
  3. Place the processed and cleaned duck on a wire rack or on a plate in the washbasin.
  4. Pour the hot prepared marinade over the bird, being careful not to miss even small areas. First, water the entire surface on one side, then turn the duck over and water on the other. After this, the skin should darken a little and tighten.
  5. We tie the duck with culinary thread so that it can be hung in some cold place. If you have a cellar or storage room, you can place it there; if not, then a glazed balcony will do in the cold season. As a last resort, you can put the duck in the refrigerator directly on the wire rack. Let the bird stand for 24 hours.

Tip: it is very important that air flows freely into the place where you left the duck. This way, the skin will dry out better, which means the crust will be very crispy.

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 C. One hour before putting the duck in the oven, take it out of a cold place and let it stand at room temperature.
  2. Place the duck in the oven on a wire rack or in a heatproof dish. Cook for about 40-45 minutes. To check that the duck is cooked, pierce its thigh. Clear juice should flow out of this place.
  3. While cooking the duck, you can make tangerine pancakes. If you don’t have the time or opportunity to cook, you can buy them at the store.
  4. Place the cucumbers in a bowl of cold water and let them sit there for a while. The vegetables will be very crispy, which will make the dish even tastier.
  5. Pour the sauces into gravy boats.
  6. When the duck is ready, leave it in the switched off oven for another 10 minutes.
  7. While the bird is “resting,” chop the green onions.
  8. We cut the finished duck into pieces and place it on the dish in which we will serve it.

Juicy, appetizing and crispy Peking duck is ready! Serve the dish with tangerine pancakes, cucumber, sauces and green onions. Eat with pleasure and appetite!

Peking duck with oranges in the oven


This simple recipe for Peking duck with oranges will help you prepare amazing dish, which is distinguished by its unusual flavor notes. An interesting combination of orange zest, cognac and ginger allows you to achieve an unusual aroma. Juicy and tasty duck should be served with sweet sauce, chopped onion, cucumber and thin pancakes, which can be replaced with pita bread.

Ingredients:

  • Duck – 1.5-2 kg.
  • Soy sauce – 3 tbsp. l.
  • Honey – 2-3 tbsp. l.
  • Orange – 1 pc.
  • Orange juice – 1 tbsp.
  • Cognac – 2 tbsp. l.
  • Ground black pepper – 1 tsp.
  • Ground ginger – 0.5 tsp.
  • Salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

  1. We treat the duck well by rinsing it under water. Then dry it with paper towels and trim off the tips of the wings.
  2. Rub the bird with salt inside and out, and then pour cognac over it.
  3. Place the duck in the refrigerator in a large saucepan or bowl. Let it sit in a cold place for one night.
  4. We get the zest from the orange, and then we make a mixture from it, adding honey. We coat the duck with the resulting mixture, which has already stood in the refrigerator for quite some time, and then send it back for 3-4 hours.
  5. After the time has passed, place the duck on a prepared sheet of foil, wrap it and move it to a baking sheet.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200 C in advance and send the bird there for an hour and a half. During cooking, excess fat will be released, which should be constantly drained into a container.
  7. While the duck is being prepared, mix orange juice, soy sauce, ground ginger, pepper and 2-3 tbsp in a separate bowl. l. duck fat, which we collected in a separate container. Mix everything very thoroughly with a whisk or blender.
  8. When the duck is ready, remove the foil and pour the prepared marinade over the duck. orange juice. Place in the oven again for 40 minutes, increasing the temperature to 220-240 C. The duck will be ready when it is browned. You can also check with a knife: if clear juice flows out when pierced, then the bird is ready.

Tip: To prevent the duck wings and legs from burning when re-baking, leave foil on their tips.

  1. Cut the cooked duck into medium-sized slices and place in a beautiful dish.

Ruddy, soft and juicy duck Peking style with orange is ready! Experience the amazing taste of this Chinese dish! Bon appetit!

Peking duck with apples


To diversify the usual taste of Peking duck, add some apples to it, thanks to which the dish will sparkle with new colors. The slight sourness makes the duck incredibly tasty, and if you decorate the bird with whole apples, then any table can become festive.

Ingredients:

  • Duck – 1 pc.
  • Liquid honey – 4 tbsp. l.
  • Sour apples– 4-5 pcs.
  • Star anise – 2 stars.
  • Ginger - a small piece.
  • Water – 2 l.
  • Soy sauce – 1 tbsp. l.
  • Sesame oil – 1 tbsp. l.
  • Chinese Five Spice Seasoning - 1 tbsp. l.
  • Coarse salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

  1. First you need to prepare the duck. It needs to be thoroughly washed under water, small feathers removed, fat removed, and the tips of the legs and feathers trimmed.
  2. Rub the duck with coarse salt inside and out, send it to a cold place and leave it there overnight.
  3. The next day we prepare the marinade. Add Chinese seasoning, star anise, ginger to boiling water and pour the resulting mixture over the duck several times.
  4. Then we thoroughly coat the duck with honey, sit it on a clean jar or bottle that we prepared in advance, and leave it for 3 hours to allow all the excess liquid to drain.
  5. At this time, wash the apples, cut them into slices, removing the core and seeds. We put as many of them into the duck as possible, compacting them tightly. At the very end, we sew up the belly using a needle and thread.
  6. Brush the duck with honey again, place it on a baking sheet and cover with foil. We make sure that there are no gaps in the foil and send it to an oven preheated to 200 C. Cook the duck for about an hour.
  7. At this time, mix sesame oil, 2 tbsp. l. honey and soy sauce. When the duck is slightly cooked, remove it from oven, remove the foil, carefully spread the prepared mixture on all sides and send it back, but without foil. So, the duck will turn out to be a beautiful red color. Cook the duck for the remaining 30 minutes.

Cut the finished duck into small slices, decorate with apples and serve. Eat for your health!

Special Peking duck recipe


The peculiarity of the recipe for cooked Peking duck is that its ingredients include unusual products that make the taste of the dish unique. To prepare, you will need two marinades: for the skin and for the inside of the bird. This variety makes the dish juicy and especially tasty. And serving in the form of envelopes will amaze all the guests at the table!

Ingredients:

  • Duck – 2-2.5 kg.
  • Leek – 1 stalk.
  • Steamed wheat pancakes – 16 pcs.
  • bell pepper- 1 PC.
  • Cucumber – 1 pc.
  • Hoisin sauce - to taste.

For the marinade that is poured inside:

  • Star anise – 5 g.
  • Ground ginger – 5 g.
  • White pepper – 5 g.
  • Salt – 5 g.
  • Sugar – 5 g.
  • Leek – 1 stalk.
  • Chinese vodka – 200 ml.

For the skin marinade:

  • Honey – 1 tbsp. l.
  • Lemon juice - half of 1 pc.
  • Red vinegar – 100 ml.

Cooking method:

  1. We prepare the marinade with which we will soak the duck from the inside. To do this, mix the necessary spices, chopped onion and Chinese vodka in a deep bowl. Pour the prepared mixture into the inside of the bird, sew up the bird culinary thread and let it stand for 6-8 hours in a cold place.
  2. We prepare another marinade with which we will lubricate the skin. Mix lemon juice, honey and vinegar, and then heat the mass a little over low heat.
  3. We drain the first marinade from the duck, and pour the second over the bird, after which we hang it on a hook. We leave the bird in this state in a cold place for 8 hours.
  4. Place the duck in a preheated oven at 128 C and cook it for 1-1.5 hours.
  5. During this time, wash the cucumbers and Bell pepper, thinly cut the vegetables into strips.
  6. When the duck is cooked, cut it into small pieces.
  7. Spread the wheat pancake with hoisin sauce, place chopped onion, pepper, cucumber and a piece of duck in the center. Pour the sauce over the top again and fold the pancake into a square shape.

We serve Peking duck and surprise our guests with a juicy and special dish. Eat with pleasure!