I’ve taken taking one of the most elaborate (and delicious) Chinese dishes and created a no-fuss, simple recipe that anyone can make! Read on for how to make this Roasted Duck Recipe with fluffy Chinese Steamed buns too!
Why This Chinese Roasted Duck Recipe Is So Good!
- It’s an easy take on the classic roasted duck dish.
- If you are tired of the same ol poultry, this is a great alternative to roast chicken.
- Perfect for kitchen novices.
- You can use your oven or a grill, so great for BBQ’s!
- This recipe creates delicious and fluffy steamed buns using a nifty trick!
Chinese Roasted Duck Ingredients
- Whole Duck
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Green Onion
- Cooking Oil: rice, vegetable, canola or peanut.
- Sourdough Biscuit Dough
- White Vinegar
- Chili or Plum Sauce
How To Make This Chinese Roasted Duck Recipe – Step By Step
Season duck with salt and pepper, inside and outside. Cut away and discard any extra fat. Stuff the duck with the ginger and garlic.
OVEN COOKING: Place duck, breast side up in roasting pan with rack. Roast duck at 300F for approximately 45 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature of duck is 160F. Turn up the heat to 450F and roast an additional 5-8 minutes to crisp up the skin.
GRILL COOKING: Prepare for indirect cooking at 300F. Have a drip pan as well – the duck is very fatty and you’ll want something to catch the fat. Roast until internal temperature of duck is 160F, approximately 45 minutes per pound. Turn up the heat to high and roast an additional 5-8 minutes to crisp up the skin.
While the duck is cooking, prepare the scallions and bun.
SCALLION OIL: Mince 4 stalks of green onion. Place in a large, heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
CURLY-CRUNCHY SCALLION: With the remaining 4 stalks of green onion, slice as thin as you can at a very steep angle. Place in a bowl of ice water.
BUN: Flour clean surface to work on. Roll each biscuit into a oval shape. Fold over in half and place on a square of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and set on counter until ready to cook.
BUN: In a large wok, bamboo steamer or large saute pan, add 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar. When boiling, steam the buns for 8 minutes on medium heat.
SCALLION OIL: While the buns are steaming, in a small pot or frying pan, heat up the 1/2 cup of cooking oil until the oil begins to smoke. Carefully pour the super-hot oil over the minced scallions and salt, mix well.
Carve the duck at the table, slice the duck breast into very thin slices to eat in between the steamed buns! Add a little Scallion Oil, Curly-Crunchy Scallion and Asian Sweet Chili Sauce.
An Easy Roasted Duck Recipe
Have you ever tried one of China’s most celebrated dishes – the sublime Roast Peking Duck with its crackling, crispy skin served in a fluffy Chinese steamed bun? It’s a complicated, multi-step recipe that involves air-drying the duck, blowing the duck to separate the skin from the body (essential to get the crackly-thin skin), pouring boiling water over the duck to tighten the skin, and roasting the duck while hanging (the duck, not you). If you’re interested, Serious Eats has an easier version.
I wasn’t interested in getting my version of the recipe to match Peking Duck, but rather to create a recipe that we could build on and that any kitchen novice to tackle. I distilled the dish to just 3 main ingredients.
1) duck
2) green onion (scallion)
3) bun made with a brilliant secret ingredient
Prep and hands-on cooking is less than 1 hour. (The duck will take longer in the oven, but it’s inactive, hands-off babysitting)
The Perfect Roasted Duck
The original Peking Duck is slathered and basted with a sweet/salty liquid of soy sauce and honey. I opted to simply season the duck with salt and pepper. Why make it any more complicated than than, when the duck itself has such incredible flavor?
I’m using our outdoor wood-fired grill from Memphis Grills, which acts as our outdoor oven. Yes, it’s wood-fired! We use 100% hardwood wood pellets that fuel the grill. It’s cleaner and healthier than charcoal and gives everything we cook a natural wood-fired taste.
You can roast your duck in your oven or out in your BBQ grill. The most foolproof method of cooking duck is low and slow to keep the meat moist and tender — and then finish off with a blast of high heat to crisp up the skin.
Green Onion Goodness
In Asian cookery, green onion (or scallion) is used more than just for garnish. Raw green onion, cut into very thin, long slivers and soaked in ice-cold water adds curly crunch texture! Plus, soaking it in water mellows out the spicy/harsh flavor of raw green onion. Give it a try. Here’s a more in-depth post on how to do this as a garnish.
In addition to curly-crunchies, I also minced some of the green onion with salt and flash-cooked with smoking-hot cooking oil to make “Scallion Oil.” It’s easy. It takes 5 minutes.
Easy Chinese Steamed Buns
Okay, get ready for my secret ingredient. Prepared dough! This is a trick I learned from my Mom. A can of prepared sourdough biscuit dough creates light, fluffy, pillowy steamed buns!
All you have to do is roll out the dough discs into ovals and fold over. Steam for 8 minutes. Done.
The only thing missing now is the Sweet Chili Sauce, which you can make yourself, purchase (try finding Mae Ploy brand) or use purchased sweet plum sauce.
Top Tips For This Chinese Roasted Duck Recipe
- Patience will reward you! Cook the duck low and slow for the most tender meat, then finish on high to crisp up.
- Sew up the duck cavity after stuffing with garlic and ginger, it really enhances the flavors.
- You can use the oven or an outdoor grill.
- Use prepared sourdough biscuit dough for your steamed buns – works a treat!
Check Out These Other Delicious Poultry Recipes
- Duck Breast with Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney Recipe
- Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings Recipe
- Slow Cooker Vietnamese Chicken Pho Recipe (Pho Ga)
- Thai Chicken Burgers with Quick Pickled Carrots
Roasted Duck with Chinese Steamed Buns Recipe Video
Chinese Roasted Duck Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 large bulb ginger sliced
- 1 whole garlic bulb cut in half
- 8 stalks green onion/scallion)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil rice, vegetable, canola or peanut
- 2-3 cans prepared sourdough biscuit dough
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Prepared Asian Sweet Chili Sauce or Plum Sauce
Instructions
- OVEN COOKING: Place duck, breast side up in roasting pan with rack. Roast duck at 300F for approximately 45 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature of duck is 160F. Turn up the heat to 450F and roast an additional 5-8 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- GRILL COOKING: Prepare for indirect cooking at 300F. Have a drip pan as well - the duck is very fatty and you'll want something to catch the fat. Roast until internal temperature of duck is 160F, approximately 45 minutes per pound. Turn up the heat to high and roast an additional 5-8 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- While the duck is cooking, let's prepare the scallions and bun.
- SCALLION OIL: Mince 4 stalks of green onion. Place in a large, heat-proof bowl (like Pyrex or Corningware). Set aside.
- CURLY-CRUNCHY SCALLION: With the remaining 4 stalks of green onion, slice as thin as you can at a very steep angle. Place in a bowl of ice water.
- BUN: Flour clean surface to work on. Roll each biscuit into a oval shape. Fold over in half and place on a square of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and set on counter until ready to cook.
- Once the duck is cooked, remove from grill or oven and let rest while we steam the bun and make the Scallion oil.
- BUN: In a large wok, bamboo steamer or large saute pan, add 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar. When boiling, steam the buns for 8 minutes on medium heat.
- SCALLION OIL: While the buns are steaming, in a small pot or frying pan, heat up the 1/2 cup of cooking oil until the oil begins to smoke. Carefully pour the super-hot oil over the minced scallions and salt, mix well.
- Carve the duck at the table, slice the duck breast into very thin slices to eat in between the steamed buns! Add a little Scallion Oil, Curly-Crunchy Scallion and Asian Sweet Chili Sauce.
Notes
Sew up the duck cavity after stuffing with garlic and ginger, it really enhances the flavors.
You can use the oven or an outdoor grill.
Use prepared sourdough biscuit dough for your steamed buns - works a treat!
Love Beijing Duck! You used the buns, did you ever try the traditional wrapper style?
I’ve made this roasted duck a couple of times and my whole family loved it! The only change I made is to replace the regular black pepper with Sichuan Peppercorn. It adds a unique flavor to the duck and eliminates offensive smells.
I used to make a roasted duck in a smoky chamber in the oven, but with your recipe, I am able to save the duck fat for making Chinese pancakes.
Brilliant recipe-thank you!
Do you think that wild duck would work for this? My husband is an avid hunter, and I’m always trying to find ways to prepare the ducks he brings home. I usually just end up making them into duck jerky, because they are VERY gamey tasting. I have always wondered if farm raised duck is somewhat more mild.
Oh that would be perfect!
These look amazing, have to give them a try. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Nice! peking duck is an all-time favorite of mine. I tried this recipe yesterday I think I did a good job. Mott 32’s peking duck is still the best for me but I think this is now a close second. haha.
Hi, can’t find the Sourdough package from Pillsbury. The Buttermilk didn’t turn out very well when I steamed it. Do they still make the Sourdough? I’m trying to google it and the picture for the packaging doesn’t even come up. Thank you!
Hi Carla,
I had great results with the buttermilk biscuits….read very bottom of this post on Pork Belly Buns https://steamykitchen.com/22252-pork-belly-buns-recipe.html
I like that scallion oil and the steamed buns is a great idea. Will go great with my fetish for kau yuk with steamed buns and condiments.
Mahalo…
Absolutely delish looking!
Thanks for the inspiration! I’m excited about making this. I was wondering though if you could recommend a good side (preferably vegetable) to go with these. I was thinking glazed carrots or roasted bok choy?
Thank for this recipe, its delicious
Hello. A friend of mine told me about your blog and “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook. I now have two favorites. Keep up the great work. Denise
This looks divine! Thank you for the recipe and the video!
I so agree with you on the chicken, chicken, chicken! A little choice would be welcome at the grocery store. Years ago I looked up a recipe for Peking duck and it scared the s**t outta me! We really love duck and have only had it out. We have had Peking duck out a few times and my husband would always say ” This doesn’t look so hard. Give it a shot.” I finally showed him a recipe for the process and he was just gobsmacked. Would love to start cooking this tasty bird at home. This looks right up our alley.
Made it tonight, and the salt and peppered skin roasted in the grill was great! I picked up buttery flaky biscuits instead of buttermilk (whoops!) but the texture was the same. The buns ended up being very yellow and maybe a bit more buttery flavored. Still delicious! Thank you!
Hello, Someone told me to check out your blog and also “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook. I look forward to looking through your blog. Denise
The bun was genius Jaden! Although the skin can’t be as crispy as restaurant Peking duck, but the combination of bun, curly scallion and tasty meat made up for the skin. And to be able to make that at home, that’s a bonus! BTW, I used Pilllsbury flaky biscuit and it worked well too!
Thank you so much Yeni!
Looks heavenly – gorgeous photos and the recipe sounds wonderful.
This is ridiculous! It’s 7:46 in the morning and my mouth is watering for duck. 🙂 We moved from Seattle about 3 years ago and the duck filled buns from Wild Ginger are one of the foods I’ve missed the most. Now I can make them myself. Whee!! Thank you…
This looks absolutely amazing Jaden. This will be one attempt we’ll be happy to make…..and hoping it looks just as good as yours. I’m sure not! HAHA
I have purchased a lot of cans biscuits in my day and have never seen ones labeled sourdough. Am I missing something? So glad you are not munching your duckies!
I love that you are bringing duck to the easy dinner table! Peking duck is my favorite meal and you are doing no dis-service to the tradition by your simplification. I hope more people can revel in it’s pleasures!
For more duck recipes, your readers might want to check out Working a Duck, written by myself and Sean McElroy.
Your duck looks delicious!
Thanks for sharing the Peking Duck recipe..
Lost mine years ago & this is the closest, of the way, I learned to cook a Peking duck..
What brand of biscuit dough. I don’t think I have seen sourdough biscuit dough at the store. What about sourdough
I used Pillsbury. Use Buttermilk if you can’t find sourdough.
do you recommend a specific brand of biscuit dough to use? Our stores only carry Pillsbury, but Trader Joe’s has recently selling a brand of their own…. Thanks!
Headed to TJ on Thurs. I’ll try it with their brand. I’ve used the store generic band as well as Pillsbury.
@Patrick – the vinegar is optional; it producers “whiter” buns
@Jayden – Does refrigerated biscuit dough really mimic Chinese steamed buns?
David- yes! I was surprised 🙂 But don’t do it with croissant dough – oops 🙂 Sourdough biscuits seem to work the best.
I found that the refrigerated biscuits dough (namely the Pillsbury brand) too salty for me. I like the buns slightly sweet to offset the savory flavor of the roasted ducks. Can you recommend a brand that is not salty?
Hi,
I’m curious about adding the white vinegar to the steaming water for the buns.
What does the vinegar do?
Thanks.
This sounds delicious! I may try this for Canadian Thanksgiving! I have an electric steamer – is it necessary to add the vinegar to the water when steaming the buns?
Hi Judy – the vinegar will help keep the buns white.
Are these your ducks? How can you keep pet ducks and eat ducks?
It says right up there that it’s not the pet ducks being used for this recipe.