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Ingredients
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Roaster
Method
Roaster
- 1
Rinse the duck, remove any giblets, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- 2
In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, Chinese five-spice powder, Shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce to form a rub. Mix well.
- 3
Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside the cavity and on the skin. Let the duck rest 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- 4
Pat the skin dry again. Place the duck on a rack over a lined sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for about 4 hours to air-dry the skin (this helps crisp it during roasting).
- 5
Meanwhile, make a glaze by combining maltose (or honey), water, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Warm gently just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in a splash of dark soy sauce.
- 6
- 7
Roast the duck for about 60 minutes, then baste with more glaze. Continue roasting for another 25–35 minutes, until the skin is deeply lacquered, crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If the skin browns too quickly, tent with foil.
- 8
Remove the duck from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Separate the skin from the meat, then slice the meat and finely separate the skin into crisp shards or keep whole skin pieces for serving.
- 9
Prepare the buns: steam the bao buns in batches for about 5–7 minutes until soft and pliable. Keep warm covered to prevent drying.
- 10
Prepare garnishes: cut cucumber into thin matchsticks and julienne scallions. Keep ready with hoisin sauce for assembly.
- 11
To serve, open each steamed bun. Spread a small amount of hoisin sauce inside, add duck skin (for extra crispness) and sliced duck meat, then top with cucumber matches and scallions. Close the bun and enjoy immediately.