Smoked Duck Egg Roll Recipe

Slice duck

Thinly slice smoked duck breast against the grain into bite-sized strips or small dice (about 12 oz total). Set aside in a bowl.

Make ginger–cashew slaw

In a large bowl combine red and green cabbage, shredded carrot, grated ginger, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, neutral oil, chopped toasted cashews (0.25 cup), salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly until dressing coats vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning. Reserve about 1 cup of the slaw to serve as garnish; the remainder will be mixed into the egg roll filling.

Prepare remaining filling aromatics

In a small bowl stir together minced ginger (1 tbsp), minced garlic (1 tsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tsp) and hoisin (1 tbsp).

Combine the smoked duck slices with the remaining ginger–cashew slaw (approximately 1.5–2 cups), the aromatic soy-hoisin mixture, chopped toasted cashews (1 cup), shredded carrot (if any left), sliced green onions, black pepper (1 tsp) and salt (1 tsp). Toss gently to combine. The filling should be moist but not watery; if too wet, squeeze out a little liquid from the slaw.

Lay a single egg roll wrapper diamond-wise on a clean work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Place about 3–4 tablespoons of filling in the center, forming a compact log roughly 3 inches long. Do not overfill—leave a 1/2–1 inch border at the edges for sealing.

Brush the top corner and side corners with cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water for 2 tbsp total). Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck snugly, fold the two side corners in, then roll tightly away from you to form a sealed egg roll. Repeat until all wrappers and filling are used (should make about 8 egg rolls).

Heat 3–4 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper into the oil—if it sizzles and browns within 20–30 seconds, the oil is ready.

Fry the egg rolls in batches (do not overcrowd) 3–4 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Internal temperature should be hot and filling warmed through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined tray. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while frying remaining batches.

If desired, while the egg rolls rest, lightly toss the reserved 1 cup of ginger–cashew slaw with an additional teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of salt to refresh flavors for garnish.

In a small bowl combine sweet Thai chili sauce (1/2 cup), rice vinegar (1 tbsp), lime juice (1 tsp) and fish sauce (optional 1/2 tsp). Stir until smooth, then fold in chopped cilantro if using. Taste and adjust acidity/salt as needed.

Serve the hot smoked duck egg rolls on a platter with the refreshed ginger–cashew slaw and the sweet Thai chili dipping sauce on the side.