Make irresistible crispy aromatic duck with Hoisin sauce and pancakes at home following this easy recipe. Duck legs are first marinated, slowly simmered until tender, before crisping up in the Air Fryer or your oven. Everyone will LOVE this homemade fakeaway Chinese Crispy Duck!
120ml(½ cup) Shaoxing Chinese cooking winesubstitute dry sherry or Mirin
120ml(½ cup) dark soy sauce
100g(½ cup) Demerara or soft brown sugar
2star anise
2cinnamon sticks
small piece fresh ginger, sliced
4spring onions(scallions), roughly chopped
2tbspChinese Five Spice seasoning
2tspsalt
1tspground cloves
TO SIMMER
500ml(2 cups) chicken broth or stock, to simmer
TO SERVE
1 0Chinese pancakes(1 pack)
2spring onions(scallions)
1cucumber, seeds removed
Hoisin sauceas needed
Instructions
MARINATE THE DUCK
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large pot or the slow cooker insert. Add the duck, turning over a few times to coat in the marinade. Cover and leave for two hours or even overnight in the fridge.
4 duck legs, 120 ml (½ cup) Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine, 120 ml (½ cup) dark soy sauce, 100 g (½ cup) Demerara, 2 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, small piece fresh ginger, 4 spring onions, 2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice seasoning, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cloves
SLOW COOK OR SIMMER
Add the chicken broth. Cook on the LOW setting in the slow cooker for 3 hours or simmer very gently in a pot for 90 minutes.
500 ml (2 cups) chicken broth or stock
DRY THE DUCK LEGS
Remove the duck from the slow cooker / pot and place on a wire rack, uncovered, to cool down and dry out. Discard the cooking liquid. At this point you can store the duck in the fridge for a couple of days, if you like, until ready to serve.
MAKE IT CRISPY
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F for 5 minutes. Place the duck legs skin side up on a rack (or directly in the basket) and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and burnished. You can also crisp up the duck in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 15 minutes.
SHRED THE DUCK AND SERVE
Cut two spring onions (scallions) into thin strips. Slice a cucumber into thin strips (use a julienne peeler for easy).
2 spring onions, 1 cucumber
Rest the duck for five minutes or until cool enough to handle then use two forks to shred the meat from the bone.
Prep the pancakes by steaming for 6 minutes or microwaving (in the packet) for about 30 seconds.
1 0 Chinese pancakes, Hoisin sauce
Serve the duck, pancakes, sauce and vegetables immediately. Sread hoisin sauce on a warm pancake, add the sredded duck, spring onion and cucumber, roll up and enjoy.