Peking Duck is one of China’s most iconic dishes—crisp, lacquered skin; tender, aromatic meat; and those classic accompaniments of pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and hoisin sauce. Traditionally, it’s roasted in a wood-fired oven after a meticulous process of drying, inflating, and glazing. While replicating that at home might seem intimidating, it’s entirely possible to make incredibly authentic Peking Duck on your barbecue.
About this Peking Duck Recipe.
Barbecuing brings a smoky depth that mimics the traditional wood-fired ovens used in Beijing. By using indirect heat and a three-zone setup (duck in the centre and charcoal on both sides of it), you can replicate that golden skin and succulent meat without needing a restaurant-grade oven.
You can also cook this Peking duck in an oven as I did here. However, I recommend using this recipe as I think my Peking duck has improved over the past year or so.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the process of making Peking Duck on the barbecue step-by-step, share essential equipment tips, answer frequently asked questions, and give you advice on storage and reheating. It’s a labour of love—but the results are spectacular.
Jump to:
- About this Peking Duck Recipe.
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- What is Peking Duck?
- What are the Key Characteristics of Peking Duck:
- Useful Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Final Thoughts
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- You might also like to try some of these Chinese Favourites:
- Enjoy your meal with a good side dish:
- Peking Duck on Barbecue
Ingredients
Get all your ingredients together before you start. This Peking Duck recipe takes a couple of days to complete so it’s good to have everything to hand when needed! The amounts of each ingredient required are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Whole duck
- Brown sugar
- Hoisin sauce
- Five spice powder
- Course salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic
- Spring onions (scallions)
- Ginger
- Chinese rice vinegar
- Maltose
- Honey
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Check out my step by step photos below. The ingredient measures required to make this Peking Duck recipe are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Step 1: Start by cutting off the wing tips to neaten the duck up. It is easiest to do this by slicing or cutting right through the wing joint.
- Step 2: Carefully run your finger between the skin and meat all over the duck to separate the meat and skin which will help produce a crispier skin. Using plastic kitchen gloves will make this process easier.
- Step 3: On the underside of the duck, I use a chopstick to separate the meat and skin. If doing this be very careful not to tear the skin. If you do, it will still be good.
- Step 4: Mix the hoisin sauce, brown sugar, five spice, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl to make a paste. I used a pestle and mortar which isn’t necessary. I just had it to hand and used it.
- Step 5: Rub the paste inside the cavity of the duck. Use it all! Then stuff the duck with the garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions). This step is important. The paste is salty and it will brine the meat from the inside out.
- Step 6: Using a wooden skewer, sew the end of the duck so that the stuffing inside stays in the duck.
- Step 7: Next bring enough water to a boil in a large pot to cover the duck. Add the maltose, honey and vinegar.
- Step 8: Add the duck to the pot of flavoured liquid. Let it soak in this liquid for two to three minutes. This will tighten the skin and help colour and make the skin extra crispy when cooked on your barbecue.
- Step 9: As you take the duck out of the hot liquid, you can also pour a few more ladlefuls of the the liquid over the duck to ensure every part of the skin has had a good soak. Be sure to reserve about 250ml (1 cup) of the cooking water to use to spray the duck as it cooks.
- Step 10: Pat the duck dry with a paper towel and then let it sit in the fridge, uncovered on a wire rack to dry some more and marinate overnight or up to three days.
- Step 11: Smoke the duck over indirect heat (see recipe for more info about indirect cooking) at 175°C/350°F for about 30 minutes. Spray the duck all over with the reserved cooking liquid and repeat every 15 minutes until the duck has reached an internal temperature of 80°c/175°f. The total cooking time will be about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Step 12: Allow the duck to rest for about 10 minutes and then slice it into thin slices ensuring each piece has a bit of that delicious skin. Serve with sliced spring onions (scallions), cucumber, and hoisin. Although not a traditional side, I like to top mine with Chinese crispy chilli.
What is Peking Duck?
Peking Duck is a traditional Chinese dish that originated in Beijing (formerly called Peking). It is renowned for its thin, crispy skin, often served separately from the meat, and is considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine.
The dish dates back to the Imperial era and was originally prepared for emperors in the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), later becoming a celebrated part of Chinese culinary heritage. It is now hugely popular all around the world.
What are the Key Characteristics of Peking Duck:
Crispy, Lacquered Skin
The most prized part of Peking Duck is the ultra-thin, crackling skin, achieved through a combination of air-drying, scalding, and glazing the duck before roasting.
Aromatic, Tender Meat
While the skin is the star, the meat underneath is moist, subtly seasoned, and often served with the skin or used in secondary dishes like stir-fries or soups.
Traditional Serving Style
It’s typically carved tableside, and served with Mandarin pancakes or steamed buns and Hoisin sauce or sweet bean sauce.
Useful Equipment
Plastic Kitchen Gloves: I didn’t use them this time but they do help get your finger between the skin and meat. It isn’t easy so use gloves if you have them.
A large pot: This is needed to soak the duck in the flavoured water bath.
A wooden skewer: Need to sew the end of the duck closed so that the paste and stuffing can’t escape.
A barbecue that has a lid: You will be cooking the Peking duck over indirect heat so a cover is needed.
A roasting tray and wire rack: To dry and marinate the duck in the fridge.
Storage and Reheating
Storing Leftovers
- Allow duck to cool completely.
- Store meat and skin separately in airtight containers.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating Tips
- Skin: Reheat in a hot oven (220°C/430°F) or air fryer for 5–7 minutes to recrisp.
- Meat: Cover with foil and warm gently at 160°C (320°F) for 10–15 minutes, or pan-fry in a little oil.
Using Leftover Duck
Toss shredded meat into fried rice or lo mein.
Use it for duck spring rolls or bao buns.
Make a rich duck broth from the carcass for soup.
Final Thoughts
Making Peking Duck on the barbecue is a culinary adventure—but one that pays off with every bite. The smoky, lacquered skin, tender meat, and vibrant accompaniments are a showstopper at any dinner party or celebration.
While there are a few extra steps compared to a basic roast, each one plays a part in creating that restaurant-quality experience at home. With a bit of patience and planning, you’ll be rewarded with a duck that’s crispy, juicy, and deeply flavoured—just like in Beijing.
Top Tip
Marinating is important. Let the duck dry and marinate at least overnight or up to three days. As the duck rests, uncovered in the fridge it will brine from the inside out, flavouring the meat.
FAQ
For crispy skin, yes you do! This is a time consuming job but well worth the effort. In large restaurants, the chefs use an air pump specially designed to inflate the duck and separate the skin and meat. This equipment is expensive and more than most people will want to spend. So separating the skin and meat with your finger and/or chopstick is a must!
Maltose is a sugar that is derived from making beer. It isn’t as sweet as honey which use in my Peking duck recipe as well. You could just use honey but… The maltose is needed to get that rich mahogany colour. It is available at Chinese grocers and online and it’s also not expensive.
When you purchase maltose, you will often find that it is rock hard. This is easily fixed. When you bring the water to the boil, simply more some over the maltose. Use as much as you need to get the maltose out. If you are not using the whole tub of maltose, it keeps months if not years.
You might also like to try some of these Chinese Favourites:
Enjoy your meal with a good side dish:
Peking Duck on Barbecue
Using this recipe, you can make authentic and simply amazing Peking duck at home. You will be amazed at how good it is! As you can see from the photo, I doubled the recipe but there was no need to double the ingredients for the cooking liquid. I used the same liquid for both ducks. This recipe is to make one Peking Duck.
Ingredients
- 1 x 3kg (6lb) whole duck
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 tbsp hoisin
- 2 tbsp five spice powder
- 2 tbsp course salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 6 spring onions (scallions)
- 3 x thumb sized pieces of ginger, smashed
- 125ml (1/2 cup) dark Chinese rice vinegar
- 250ml (1 cup) maltose
- 250ml (1 cup) honey
Instructions
- Start by cutting off the wing tips to neaten the duck up. It is easiest to do this by slicing or cutting right through the wing joint.
- Carefully run your finger between the skin and meat all over the duck to separate the meat and skin which will help produce a crispier skin. Using plastic kitchen gloves will make this process easier.
- On the underside of the duck, I use a chopstick to separate the meat and skin. If doing this be very careful not to tear the skin. If you do, it will still be good.
- Mix the hoisin sauce, brown sugar, five spice, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl to make a paste. I used a pestle and mortar which isn’t necessary. I just had it to hand and used it.
- Rub the paste inside the cavity of the duck. Use it all! Then stuff the duck with the garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions). This step is important. The paste is salty and it will brine the meat from the inside out.
- Using a wooden skewer, sew the end of the duck so that the stuffing inside stays in the duck.
- Next bring enough water to a boil in a large pot to cover the duck. Add the maltose, honey and vinegar.
- Add the duck to the pot of flavoured liquid. Let it soak in this liquid for two to three minutes. This will tighten the skin and help colour and make the skin extra crispy when cooked on your barbecue.
- As you take the duck out of the hot liquid, you can also pour a few more ladlefuls of the the liquid over the duck to ensure every part of the skin has had a good soak. Be sure to reserve about 250ml (1 cup) of the cooking water to use to spray the duck as it cooks.
- Pat the duck dry with a paper towel and then let it sit in the fridge, uncovered on a wire rack to dry some more and marinate overnight or up to three days.
- Build an indirect fire on your barbecue. If using a ceramic barbecue, you can simply light it up and use the heat deflector that comes with it. If using a kettle barbecue like a Weber, light a full chimney starter with lumpwood charcoal.
- Once burning, place a drip tray in the centre of your barbecue and pour the charcoal, in equal amounts on both sides of the drip tray. Close the lid and bring the heat up to 175°C/350°f which will be your cooking heat for the whole of the cook. See notes below for information and getting to that heat and retaining the heat.
- Smoke the duck over indirect heat at 175°C/350°F for about 30 minutes. Spray the duck all over with the reserved cooking liquid and repeat every 15 minutes until the duck has reached an internal temperature of 80°c/175°f. The total cooking time will be about 60 to 90 minutes.
- When cooked through, let the duck rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the meat into thin slices ensuring each piece has a piece of crispy skin on it.
- Serve with Peking duck pancakes, sliced cucumber and spring onions (scallions)
Notes
How To Heat Up Your BBQ and Retain the Heat.
When lightinng your barbecue, open the vents at the bottom and on top. This will allow air to flow freely. When your barbecue is up to heat, Close the bottom vent so that it is about 80% closed. Then you can regulate the heat by adjusting the top vent.
The more open it is, the hotter the barbecue will be. So if it is getting a bit too hot, close the vent some until it reaches the cooking temperature.
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