Smoked Peking Duck

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/8/21
Smoked Duck
pengpeng / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 3 hrs 30 mins
Drying Time: 8 hrs
Total: 11 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1837 Calories
131g Fat
71g Carbs
92g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1837
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 131g 168%
Saturated Fat 44g 222%
Cholesterol 393mg 131%
Sodium 1128mg 49%
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Dietary Fiber 8g 28%
Total Sugars 50g
Protein 92g
Vitamin C 185mg 925%
Calcium 279mg 21%
Iron 14mg 77%
Potassium 1664mg 35%
*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.)

Peking duck, the national dish of China, was traditionally roasted in a clay smoker, much like today's kamado ceramic barbecue smoker. Although it requires some time (mostly unattended) and a few techniques, it is easy to prepare Peking duck at home in your smoker with delicious results.

When purchasing duck, look for the Pekin breed from Long Island, which has a thicker fat layer than the Muscovy breed. This fat layer is what helps crisp up the skin. Pouring boiling hot water over the duck before smoking helps to melt and drain off the fat that is just under the skin. Then you allow the duck to dry out in the refrigerator overnight. These steps are necessary to give you the crisp skin that makes Peking duck so good.

Carving the beautifully browned bird at the table makes a dramatic presentation for a dinner party or special family dinner. The typical accompaniments for Peking duck are thin pancakes, sliced cucumber strips, and spring onion. Guests can make a small wrap of the duck with these items and the sauce, which replaces commercially-prepared hoisin sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 to 4-pound) duck

  • 1 gallon water

  • 1 small onion

  • 1/2 orange, sliced, with peel

For the Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice

  • 5 tablespoons honey

  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For Serving:

  • Chinese pancakes, for serving

  • Green onion, for serving

  • Cucumber, cut into strips, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Rinse the duck, inside and out, removing any fat inside the body cavity.

  3. Bring a gallon of water to a boil.

  4. Pierce the skin of the duck in several places with a sharp fork and pour about a gallon of boiling hot water over it.

  5. Stuff the duck with the onion and orange slices. Let it dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight.

  6. Preheat the smoker.

  7. In a small saucepan, mix the orange juice, honey, wine vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, remove from the heat, and let cool for 10 minutes. Divide the sauce in half, reserving one half for glazing and the other half for serving. Place the reserved sauce in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

  8. Place the duck in the smoker. Brush the duck with the sauce to glaze it every 30 minutes. and smoke for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170 F.

  9. Remove the duck from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes.

  10. Carve the duck into 1/2-inch slices. Rewarm the sauce in a saucepan on the stove or the microwave.

  11. Serve the duck with the sauce, Chinese pancakes, green onion, strips of cucumber, and orange slices.

  12. Enjoy.

Tip

Even with reducing some of the fat with boiling water, you will have a lot of drippings during smoking. Be sure to place a drip pan under the duck and check it when you baste the duck to ensure it doesn't overflow.

Which Wood Should I Use in the Smoker?

Maple wood imparts a complementary flavor to the duck, but you can also use pecan, apple, alder, or cherry.

Recipe Tags: