Five-Spice Roast Ducks (Printable)

Aromatic duck with Chinese five-spice, honey, and orange. Crispy skin, tender meat for two servings.

# What you need:

→ Duck

01 - 1 whole duck (3.3–4.4 lbs), cleaned and patted dry

→ Marinade & Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (gluten-free variety)
05 - 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (gluten-free variety)
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 orange, zested and juiced
11 - 2 spring onions, chopped

→ For Roasting

12 - 1 orange, quartered
13 - 4 star anise pods

# Directions:

01 - Combine five-spice powder, salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, grated ginger, orange zest, and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
02 - Position duck on a rack in a roasting pan. Pierce skin all over with a fork, being careful not to puncture the meat.
03 - Rub prepared marinade thoroughly over the entire surface and inside the duck cavity. Stuff cavity with orange quarters, spring onions, and star anise pods.
04 - Place uncovered in refrigerator for minimum 1 hour, preferably overnight for enhanced flavor development.
05 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
06 - Roast duck breast-side up for 1 hour. Baste with pan juices every 30 minutes.
07 - Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Roast additional 20–30 minutes until skin achieves golden brown color and crisp texture.
08 - Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes before carving to retain juices.
09 - Serve with steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried greens if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The five-spice marinade seeps into every bite, turning simple roast duck into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant with a waitlist.
  • Crisping the skin at high heat in the final minutes gives you that shatteringly crunchy texture that makes duck worth the effort.
  • It looks fancy enough for a special dinner but the process is mostly hands-off once it goes in the oven.
02 -
  • Pricking the skin without hitting the meat is crucial, go too deep and you'll lose precious juices during roasting.
  • Leaving the duck uncovered in the fridge overnight transforms the skin, it dries out just enough to crisp up beautifully in the oven.
  • Basting regularly is not optional, those pan juices carry flavor and help the skin caramelize evenly.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're nervous, the thickest part of the thigh should hit 75°C (165°F) when it's done.
  • Save the rendered fat from the roasting pan, it's liquid gold for roasting potatoes or vegetables.
  • If your oven runs hot, tent the duck loosely with foil halfway through to prevent the skin from burning before the meat is cooked.
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