Cantonese roasted duck
Ingredients: duck, sugar, maltose, apple cider vinegar, Chinese cooking wine · 240 min cook time · 800kcal · ₩36,900
Ingredients
1whole duck, 1tbsp sugar, 1tbsp maltose, 0.33cup apple cider vinegar, 0.75cup Chinese cooking wine, 1tsp black peppercorns, 1tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 0.5piece star anise, 2small bay leaves, 1small stick cinnamon stick, 1slice dried gancao (licorice root), 2slices dried sand ginger, 1small piece aged tangerine peel, 2tsp salt, 2tsp sugar, 1.5tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp hoisin sauce, 1tbsp Zhuhou paste, 2pieces fermented bean curd, to taste oil, to taste ginger slices, 2tbsp minced garlic, 1whole sweet onion, to taste cilantro, to taste scallions, to taste kitchen twine
Instructions
1. Defrost the duck in the refrigerator for 36 hours. If using a fresh duck, skip this step. For headless ducks, ensure the neck is kept for air-pumping. Remove the head, wings, and feet from the duck.
2. Rinse the duck thoroughly and set it aside.
3. In a saucepan, combine 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of maltose, ⅓ cup of apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar), and ¾ cup of Chinese cooking wine. Stir over medium heat until sugar and maltose are melted. Do not boil. Set aside.
4. Combine 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ½ star anise, 2 small bay leaves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 1 slice dried gancao, 2 slices dried sand ginger, and a small piece of aged tangerine peel (optional). Toast the spices in a wok over low heat for a couple of minutes.
5. Blend the toasted spices into a fine powder. Sieve the powder to remove any stubborn pieces. Set aside.
6. In a bowl, combine 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp Zhuhou paste, 2 pieces fermented bean curd, and the prepared spice mix. Mix thoroughly.
7. Pat the duck dry with paper towels, ensuring the inside cavity is also dry.
8. Pour all the seasoning mixture into the duck cavity and rub it nicely for a few minutes to infuse the flavor deeply into the flesh. Adjust seasoning based on duck weight (e.g., 4 lb duck used in video). Set the duck aside.
9. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok. Add ginger slices and 2 tbsp minced garlic. Add 1 finely diced sweet onion and stir over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
10. Stuff the sautéed onion into the duck cavity. Optionally, stuff in a little bit of cilantro and scallions.
11. Seal the duck cavity by sticking a metal skewer into the opening, twisting it over, and stitching it in again. Make it as tight as possible to prevent leaking. Continue until there is no more opening, then stick the tip into the cavity.
12. Fill a large pot with water and heat it over medium heat until it comes to a boil (10-15 minutes).
13. While the water heats, pump air into the duck using a portable tire inflator with a nozzle adaptor. Wrap the tube with plastic film. Stick the nozzle into the neck under the skin and hold tightly to seal. Pump air until the whole duck is inflated, ensuring air fills the chest and separates the skin and fat. Tie the neck with kitchen twine to retain the air.
14. Immediately blanch the duck skin. Place the duck breast-side up in the sink. Use a large cup to pour hot water from the boiling pot onto the skin to stabilize its shape.
Source: Watch the original video