Betsy’s No Garlic Peking Style Duck

By Betsy Vail 06/17/18

Ingredients:

• 5-6 lb. duck, cleaned
• 2 c water
• ½ c rice vinegar
• 2 c maltose
• ½ c plum jam
• 2 Tbs Chinese 5 Spice
• Moo shu pancakes
• Cucumber, sliced or in thin sticks
• Radishes, sliced or in thin sticks
• Green onions, sliced
• Becca’s No Garlic Hoisin Sauce
• Plum Sauce (I used the Lee Kum Kee brand)

Directions: 

1. Clean the duck by rinsing with water. Remove the pinfeathers and packaged organs. 
2. Separate the skin so the fat can render off. This will make the skin crispy and delicious! This can be done 2 ways. For a fun, 2-person job, hold the bottom and neck cavity closed and inflate the skin using an air compressor at the neck end. If you find rude sounds hilarious, this process will leave you in hysterics! My husband and I laughed so hard it hurt! The second method would be to separate the skin manually using your hand between the skin and breast. Be sure not to tear the skin! 
3. Prick the skin all over so the fat can render off.
4. Boil the water and rice vinegar. Place the bird in the sink or a large bowl, and slowly pour or ladle the boiling water over every surface of the bird. The skin will shrink like a partly deflated balloon. This process will help make the skin crispy. Discard the water. 
5. Either set the duck upright on a beer can chicken holder or lay it on a wire rack. Then place on a baking sheet. This will help glazing and drying process. Allow the bird to dry. 
6. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the maltose, plum jam, and the Chinese 5 Spice. Maltose is extremely thick and sticky, so microwave it for 15-20 seconds at a time until it’s heated enough to work with. If you don’t have access to maltose, substitute Agave. Agave is much sweeter than maltose, so be sure to use less (about half or to taste). 
7. Pour half the glaze into a separate bowl and set aside for basting. Paint the glaze all over the bird, inside and out, then allow to dry. Repeat this process until all the glaze used for painting is used. 
8. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the duck on a wire rack breast side up in a roasting pan. Pour some water in the bottom of the pan to prevent the rendered fat from splattering. Set a thermometer to ensure doneness. Bake for 45 minutes.
9. Baste the duck with the remaining mixture and return to the oven for an additional 45 minutes or until the internal breast temperature reaches 165 F. 
10. Remove the duck from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. 
11. Carve the duck. The duck can either be enjoyed this way, or on a pancake.
12. To create the pancake, place a moo shu pancake on a plate, spread a dollop of either Becca’s No Garlic Hoisin Sauce or plum sauce over the pancake. Add the duck, cucumber, radish, and onion. Wrap like a burrito and enjoy this special treat!

Yum