Roast Duck

A Burmese-influenced roast duck using a brilliant two-step cooking method that solves the eternal duck problem: how to get crispy skin without dry meat. The duck steams first for 30 minutes to render fat and partially cook the meat, then roasts hot to crisp the skin without overcooking the inside.

The simple marinade of soy sauce, Worcestershire, and sugar does triple duty as flavor, salt cure, and basting liquid. As the sugar caramelizes during roasting, it gives the duck skin that lacquered, mahogany finish you see at Chinese restaurants.

Skimming the steaming juices and using them as the gravy base is the move that separates a great cook from a good one. Those juices contain pure concentrated duck flavor, and reducing them with the roasting drippings into a starch-thickened sauce gives you a gravy with serious depth.

Let the duck rest before carving. The juices need time to redistribute, otherwise they puddle on the cutting board instead of staying in the slices.

Pro Tips

• Pierce the duck skin all over with a fork or sharp knife (but not into the meat) before marinating. This lets the rendered fat escape during cooking, crisping the skin.

• Reserve the rendered duck fat from the pan. Strained and stored in the fridge, it’s gold for roasting potatoes or vegetables.

• Pat the duck dry between the steam and roast. Dry skin crisps better in the oven, while wet skin stays leathery.

• Use an instant-read thermometer. Pull the duck at 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of hoisin sauce or oyster sauce to the marinade for deeper umami.

• Stuff the cavity with star anise, ginger, and green onion before steaming for fragrant Chinese-style duck.

• Serve with steamed pancakes, scallions, and cucumber for a Peking-duck-inspired presentation.