Peking-Style Roast Duck with Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck Duck (whole, about 5 lbs)
• 6 cups Boiling water
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Five-spice powder
• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Boiling water (for dough)
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil
• 6 whole Scallions
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1 whole Cucumber(optional)
• 1 tbsp Sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep (45 min): Clean the duck, remove excess fat and giblets. Blanch the duck with boiling water to tighten the skin, then pat dry. Mix honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and five-spice powder; brush evenly over the duck. Air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or overnight for best results).

2. 2

   Make the pancake dough: Place flour in a bowl and pour in 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring until a shaggy dough forms. Knead 5 minutes until smooth, cover, and rest 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook the duck (about 90 minutes): Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roast the duck breast-side up on a rack for 60 minutes, then flip and roast 20 more minutes. Increase heat to 425°F (220°C) for the final 10-15 minutes to crisp the skin. Rest 15 minutes before carving.

4. 4

   Make the pancakes: Roll the rested dough into a log, cut into 16 pieces, and roll each pair thin with sesame oil between two rounds. Pan-cook each pancake in a dry skillet over medium heat, 1-2 minutes per side, then peel apart the layers.

5. 5

   Slice the scallions into thin brushes and cut cucumber into matchsticks. Warm the hoisin sauce slightly.

6. 6

   Carve the duck, removing skin and slicing meat. Serve with pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and hoisin sauce for wrapping.