Chinese Roast Duck (烤鸭)

A foolproof Chinese roast duck recipe that does not require many special ingredients and still gets a great result with golden crispy duck skin and juicy flavorful meat. 

A plate of carved up roast duck with perfect crispy skin is the ultimate centerpiece of a banquet, no matter whether you’re celebrating Chinese New Year or hosting a dinner party. My memories are filled with the joy of delicious duck dishes with friends and family. From Peking duck to Cantonese roast duck, it’s one of my favorite things to eat at a restaurant and I was fortunate enough to eat duck often. I have very high expectations for a duck dish. And that’s why it took me years to finally develop a Chinese roast duck recipe that I’m proud of sharing.

• 1 whole duck ,preferably Pekin duck, 3.5-4.5 lbs (1.6-2 kg)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 4 cubes red fermented tofu
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

• 1 star anise
• 1 green onion , cut into 4” (6 cm) long pieces
• 1 ” (5 cm) ginger , cut into large slices

• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 cup honey (or brown sugar syrup, or maltose)
• 1/2 cup Chinese red vinegar (or cider vinegar, malt vinegar)

• Plum sauce
• Ginger scallion sauce