Basic Steamed Deep Fried Duck Recipes

CRISPY DUCK

Steps:

• To make the marinade: Place the star anise, grated ginger, rice wine, peppercorns, salt, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce, into a bowl, and stir to combine.
• Add the duck breasts to the marinade, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a wok or pan over a high heat, and add the groundnut oil. Remove the duck from the marinade and place the duck into the hot wok or pan, skin-side down, and fry until the skin is brown and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the duck to a sheet pan, skin-side up, and roast in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on how well done you would like your duck to be. While the duck is in the oven, prepare the apricot and plum sauce
• To make the sauce: Pour the water into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the plums, apricots, sugar, honey, cinnamon, star anise, and cook until the mixture has reduced to a sticky sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the lime juice.
• To serve, place a duck breast onto a plate, pour over the sauce and serve with a salad.

CHINATOWN STEAMED AND ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Duck is notoriously a fatty bird, to diminish the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze. Stick the whole thing in the oven. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve.

MIGHTY DUCK

Steps:

• Combine all brine ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the salt.
• Remove the pop-up thermometer, liver, gizzards, and heart. Cut off the wings.
• Using kitchen shears, locate the spine at the base of the neck. Cut up the line of the backbone towards the neck cavity. Turn the duck and cut straight towards the rear cavity. Remove the backbone.
• Turn the duck over and cut straight down the middle of the breast bone, leaving 2 equal duck halves. To separate the legs from the breast, flip your halves over so the flesh side is facing up at you. Using a knife, make a crescent shape cut between the leg and the breast. Lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
• Line the inside of a plastic lexan or a pot with a zip-top bag. Place the duck quarters inside the bag, and pour the brine over the duck. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Brine the duck for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Bring 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander into the pot and line the sides of the colander with the duck. Do not stack the duck quarters on each other. Cover and turn the heat to medium low. Steam the duck for 45 minutes. Set oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet into the oven.
• Remove duck pieces from steamer and place legs, skin side down, into the hot skillet. Place the skillet into the hot oven immediately and cook the leg quarters for 10 minutes. Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the duck takes on a deep mahogany color and the skin is very crisp.
• Remove the duck from the skillet and rest under foil. Add the chard and the shallots to the skillet. Toss the chard in the fat until it barely wilts. Season with the sherry or balsamic vinegar.
• Serve the duck with the chard.

STEAMED DEEP-FRIED PRESSED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Blanch, toast and sliver almonds. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Combine soy sauce, salt and sugar and rub over duck skin. Pour remainder into duck cavity, swishing it around to coat the interior. Drain off excess and discard. 3. Put duck in a deep heatproof bowl. Cut celery in 3 or 4 pieces trim off scallion roots and arrange over duck. Steam 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 4. Drain duck, reserving liquid for stock. Let bird cool slightly then bone, leaving skin and original shape intact (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone). Transfer duck to a large flat plate or cutting board. 5. With both hands, press down on duck, flattening it to a 3/4-inch thickness. Then sprinkle generously on both sides with cornstarch. Return bird to heatproof bowl and steam 30 minutes more. Let cool, then cut in quarters. 6. Heat oil to boiling. Add duck, one quarter at a time, and deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly then cut bird in 1 1/2-inch squares, each with some skin. Keep warm. 7. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, catsup, hot sauce and remaining soy sauce and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile blend remaining cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken. 8. Shred lettuce and arrange on a serving platter with duck squares on top. Pour sauce over and serve, garnished with toasted almonds. NOTE: This dish is also known as War Shu Opp.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

BASIC STEAMED DEEP-FRIED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Rub liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour. 2. Place bird in a deep, heatproof bowl and steam 1 1/2 to 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 3. Drain duck and let cool. Wipe dry, then truss (see HOW-TO, _Poultry: To truss). 4. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning, until golden. Drain on paper toweling. 5. Let duck cool slightly, then chop, bones and all, in bite-size pieces. Serve with scallion brushes (see HOW-TO, _Onion Brushes: To make), a plum or hoisin sauce dip, or any other dip for deep-fried duck (see Seasonings and Sauces, Deep-Fried Duck Dip). NOTE: The technique of double-frying can be used here. In step 4, deep-fry the duck 5 minutes, lift out reheat the oil. Then return the bird and deep-fry again until crisp and golden. VARIATIONS: * In step 1, rub duck with any of the following mixtures: 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon anise pepper and 1/8 teaspoon Five Spices 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed and 1/2 teaspoon Five Spices 1 to 2 scallion stalks and 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, both minced 1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed and 2 teaspoons salt * In step 2, before steaming, add to bowl with duck 2 scallion stalks and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root. * In step 3, before trussing duck, coat with a mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce or 3 tablespoons flour and 1 egg, lightly beaten. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

BASIC STEAMED DEEP FRIED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Rub liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour.2. Place bird in a deep, heatproof bowl and steam 1-1/2 to 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method.3. Drain duck and let cool. Wipe dry, then truss.4. Heat oil in deep fryer to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning, until golden. Drain on paper toweling.5. Let duck cool slightly, then chop, bones and all, in bite-size pieces.Serve with scallion brushes, a plum or hoisin sauce dip, or any other dip for deep-fried duck.NOTE: The technique of double-frying can be used here. In step 4, deep-fry the duck 5 minutes, lift out reheat the oil. Then return the bird and deep-fry again until crisp and golden.VARIATIONS:1. In Step 1, rub duck with any of the following mixtures:a. 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon anise pepper and 1/8 teaspoon Five Spicesb. 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepperc. 1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed and 1/2 teaspoon Five Spicesd. 1 to 2 scallion stalks and 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, both minced 1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed and 2 teaspoons salt2. In Step 2, before steaming, add to bowl with duck 2 scallion stalks and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root.3. In Step 3, before trussing duck, coat with a mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce or 3 tablespoons flour and 1 egg, lightly beaten.

STEAMED AND CRISPED DUCK

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix all ingredients except duck. Rub mixture on duck, inside and out. Put duck in dish, breast side down. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, take duck out of refrigerator, and let it warm to room temperature. Place duck on steamer tray or rack small enough to fit into a wok. Fill wok with water up to bottom edge of tray; bring to boil. Place tray over boiling water, cover with lid or foil and steam duck over high heat until extremely tender, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Replenish boiling water when necessary.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer duck to cutting board, and let cool. Quarter the duck. Heat large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add duck pieces, skin side down; saute until skin begins to sizzle and brown, for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, and crisp skin for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Turn again, cover and cook in oven until heated through, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer pieces to platter; serve.