Cantonese Roast Duck

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/23/21
Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Ward, MS, RDN
Cantonese Roast Duck

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Air-Dry Time: 6 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
263 Calories
16g Fat
18g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 263
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 883mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 204mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Cantonese roast duck yields the shiny, reddish-brown-skinned poultry seen hanging in the windows of many Asian markets. Not to be confused with Peking duck, which is traditionally sliced and served with Mandarin pancakes, Cantonese duck is usually served whole, as you'd serve a roasted chicken, and is famous for its tasty meat and bones. Cantonese ducks are stuffed with aromatics and marinades, thus the succulent and flavorful meat.

Cantonese roast duck takes a few hours to prep and roast but can be done in a day, so plan accordingly. The crackling crisp skin comes from air-drying the duck prior to roasting. The moist and juicy meat comes from the marinade that is poured into the cavity and sewn in with a needle and string to prevent leakage.

This recipe uses yellow bean sauce, a savory fermented preparation made out of yellow soybeans, which is available at online retailers or specialized Asian markets. Make sure to clear a large space in the fridge as the air-drying requires the duck to be refrigerated for four hours. Although the recipe might seem intimidating at first, when broken down into steps, it's a simple process. Once the duck has been air-dried, it takes less than one hour to roast.

Ingredients

  • 1 (4 1/2-pound) duckling (oven-ready)

  • 2 teaspoons salt

For the Marinade:

  • 1 tablespoon oil

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon yellow bean sauce

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

  • 2 teaspoons five-spice powder

For the Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup maltose syrup, or honey

  • 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring, optional

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 1 cup warm water

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Duck

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cantonese Roast Duck, duck ingredients

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  2. Clean the duck well. Remove the wing tips and the lumps of fat from inside the cavity. Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels.

    duck cleaned and lumps of fat removed from the inside

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  3. Rub salt over the entire duck and place it on a ceramic plate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

    salted duck on a plate

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Make the Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    marinade ingredients

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  2. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the green onion, ginger root, and garlic and sauté until fragrant.

    green onion, ginger root, and garlic in a pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients, stirring well, and bring to a boil.

    marinade ingredients in a pan

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  4. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

    marinade cooking in a pan

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  5. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.

    marinade in a bowl

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Prepare and Blanch the Duck

  1. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.

    water in a pot

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  2. Remove the duck from the refrigerator and tightly tie the neck with kitchen string. 

    duck on a pate, neck tied with kitchen string

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  3. Pour the cooled marinade into the cavity of the duck.

    cooled marinade poured into the cavity of the duck

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  4. Using a heavy needle and kitchen or butcher's twine, sew closed the cavity securely.

    duck cavity sown closed

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Carefully place the duck in the boiling water, holding it by the legs. If needed, use a ladle to pour boiling water over any exposed portions of duck until the skin has contracted.

    duck in a pot of boiling water

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Remove once all of the skin has tightened up (this will only take a few minutes) and dry well.

    duck on a plate

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Air-Dry the Duck

  1. Place a pan under the duck to catch any drips and hang it head-down with a heavy-duty S-shaped hook. If you don't have hooks, make an S shape with a clean wire clothes hanger. Alternatively, place the duck on a rack and the rack on a plate to catch any drippings. Place in the fridge.

    duck on a wire drying rack

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Let dry for least 4 to 5 hours.

    duck on a wire drying rack

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Make the Glaze

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    glaze ingredients

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  2. In a small bowl or saucepan, dissolve the maltose or honey, red food coloring (if using), and rice vinegar in warm water.

    glaze in a bowl

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  3. Brush it all over the air-dried duck. Repeat the brushing two more times.

    glaze brushed onto the duck

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Roast the Duck 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C/Gas Mark 6. Place a tray of boiling water at the bottom of the oven. If you have the attachments, hang the duck head-down from the top rack. If not, place it on a rack and the rack on a baking sheet.

    duck on a wire baking rack

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Roast for 25 minutes, basting with the remaining glaze mixture.

    duck on a baking sheet, brushed with glaze

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  3. Reduce the heat to 350 F/180 C/Gas Mark 4 and cook for 30 minutes more, basting with the remaining glaze mixture.

    duck on a wire rack over a baking sheet

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  4. The duck is done when an instant-read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 175 F/80 C. 

    Cantonese Roast Duck on a wire rack over a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Serve the Duck

  1. Remove the duck from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

    Cantonese Roast Duck on a plate

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Place the duck in a clean pan with a lip and snip the string, letting the juices drain into the pan. 

    duck on a pan, juices drain on the pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Place the duck on a cutting board and cut it into serving-size pieces.

    Cantonese Roast Duck cut into pieces on a cutting board

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  4. If desired, transfer the juices to a small saucepan, skim off the fat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors. Serve in a gravy boat alongside the duck.

    juice from the duck in a small saucepan

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  5. Enjoy.

    Cantonese Roast Duck on a plate

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Is Duck White or Red Meat?

Duck is scientifically considered white meat, but because of its levels of myoglobin, the heme iron protein that gives meat its color, in culinary traditions and standards it is referred to as red meat because of its darker, reddish-brown color.


Duck is a fatty meat, higher in iron compared to other poultry, and a great source of selenium.

How to Store and Reheat Roast Duck

  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Before reheating, allow the duck to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Reheat the leftovers in a 300 F oven for 20 minutes and then at 325 F for an extra 10 minutes to crisp up the skin, if any, and reheat thoroughly.
  • To freeze the duck, remove all of the bones, place portions in zip-top bags, and freeze for up to four months. Before reheating, thaw the duck overnight in the fridge, then let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

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Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, "Duck, domesticated, meat and skin, raw." 1 April, 2019.