Five-Spice Roast Ducks (Printable Version)

Aromatic duck with Chinese five-spice, honey, and orange. Crispy skin, tender meat. Perfect for special occasions.

# Ingredient List:

→ Duck

01 - 1 whole duck (about 3.3–4.4 lbs), cleaned and patted dry

→ Marinade & Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
05 - 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 orange, zested and juiced
11 - 2 spring onions, chopped

→ For Roasting

12 - 1 orange, quartered
13 - 4 star anise pods

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine five-spice powder, salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, grated ginger, orange zest, and orange juice to create the marinade mixture.
02 - Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan. Using a fork, prick the skin all over while being careful not to pierce the meat beneath.
03 - Rub the prepared marinade thoroughly over the entire exterior and inside the cavity of the duck. Stuff the cavity with orange quarters, spring onions, and star anise pods.
04 - Allow the duck to marinate uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight for enhanced flavor development.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the duck breast-side up in the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes.
06 - Increase oven temperature to 425°F and continue roasting for an additional 20–30 minutes until the skin achieves a crisp, golden-brown finish.
07 - Remove the duck from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried greens if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The five-spice marinade seeps into the meat overnight, turning ordinary duck into something that smells like a night market in the best possible way.
  • Crispy, mahogany skin shatters under your knife while the meat stays tender and rich, no dry breast here.
  • It looks impossibly elegant on the table, but the actual work is just patience and a good rub.
02 -
  • Pricking the skin without hitting the meat takes a light hand, go too deep and you lose precious juices, stay too shallow and the fat wont render.
  • Leaving the duck uncovered in the fridge overnight dries the skin out just enough to guarantee that shattering crispness, its the secret restaurants use.
  • Basting is non-negotiable, those pan juices are liquid gold and they build layers of flavor and shine you cant get any other way.
03 -
  • If the skin starts to brown too quickly during the first roast, tent it loosely with foil and remove it for the final high-heat blast.
  • Use a meat thermometer if youre nervous, the thickest part of the thigh should hit 75 degrees Celsius for perfectly cooked, juicy meat.
  • Stuff the cavity tight with the aromatics, they steam the meat from the inside and perfume every bite.
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