When you buy a roast duck at a Chinese barbecue shop (often attached to an Asian market or near one), it’s customary for the man behind the counter to hack it into bite-size pieces. That way, you can start nibbling as soon as you get home. About a year ago, I decided that I wanted to do the hacking myself so that I would have better control over how the duck was cut up and used. Plus I liked the light butchering practice that came with the $15 purchase of the duck.
With the duck left more or less intact, I saw many more possibilities with it than just a single meal. I found various ways to deploy the meat, skin, fat, and bones for a host of dishes. Here’s how I make the most of one Chinese roast duck:
Eat the choice parts bone in or off the bone: Start off here. Cut up the duck as you would a roast chicken. Cooked duck bones are relatively soft so you can chop through the bones with a heavy chef’s knife or cleaver. A 5-inch boning knife is great for getting into tight areas.
Put the cut pieces, flesh side down, on a foil-lined rimmed baking tray and reheat in a toaster oven preheated to 350F till hot and the skin has crisp. I often enjoy these choice bone-in pieces with rice (dip in the sauce(s) that came with it) or add them to a bowl of instant Chinese noodle soup.
The duck can also be cut off the bone into smaller pieces for crispy duck pot sticker tacos, stuffing into a steamed bun (replace that pork belly), or stir-fried with pressed tofu and broccolini (jump to the Sunset magazine recipe).
Save that skin: Duck is rich and a lot of that is in the skin. I often set aside the relatively flat pieces of skin (from the back side, usually) for a down-and-dirty version of Peking duck. Use a flour tortilla, same sauce as for the duck pot sticker tacos, cucumber, and scallion. Roll everything up and eat.
Cook with the fat: Set aside the little pockets of fat that you encounter as you cut up the duck. Pour the fat that renders from heating the duck up into a small bowl. Use either or both to stir-fry with and you’ll inject extra ducky richness. It would be delightful with Brussels sprouts (replace the oil and/or use the cracklings too).
Stir-fry with the sauce: The container of dark sauce that often comes with the duck is usually a little oily, salty, and sweet. I often toss some into the wok to season bok choi or other vegetables. Serve that kind of veggie with the choice duck pieces and you’ll neatly tie the meal together.
Freeze bones for broth: Discard the head and any spices you find in the body cavity. Then freeze the bones for an improvised stock later on. Add them to chicken or chicken and pork stock to inject ducky goodness into your brew.
Roast duck shopping tips
Choose the largest one as it will likely have more meat. The duck is usually sold per duck, not per weight, at a Chinese barbecue shop.
Select a duck with moderately brown skin, if you’re going to reheat it later on. It’ll brown more so if you start off with a dark one, the skin will deepen in color more and perhaps not taste so good.
If you don't gobble up the duck when you get home, store the duck for 3 or 4 days in the fridge. Return it to room temperature before reheating.
When I switched to cutting the duck up at home, I initially had the barbecue man cut the duck in half so that it would fit relatively well in Styrofoam box. Last Friday, I told him to not cut the duck at all. He looked at me a bit quizzically, then chopped off the head and broke the neck so that the duck sort of fit in the container. The top wouldn’t close and the market no longer gave out plastic bags. The photo at the top is of the very exposed, vulnerable looking duck atop my shopping cart. A little awkward looking. Next time, I’ll revert to having him halve the duck.
That’s how I make the most out of a single Chinese roast duck. I’m sure there are many other ways to deploy its various parts. Thoughts and ideas? Do share.
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Judy
When I buy a roast duck in town instead of having it cut up I take it home whole and reheat in oven. A mock Beijing duck with pancake I made and the bones sometime in soup or deep fried it which everyone like it very much.
Nancy
Why discard the head? Can't it go into the stock pot also?
Stein
I always get the duck just cut in half, too. But I do add the head into the stock along with the other bones. I've never noticed an off taste. Plus the entertainment value that time when my wife lifted the lid for a look and found the duck looking back at her.
Andrea Nguyen
Sounds fabulous, Judy!
Andrea Nguyen
I tried it Nancy, and found that the brains add a slightly off taste, a bit bitter. Stein doesn't agree (below). It's really up to your preference. Um, there's not much there. I keep the neck and all the parts below the head.
Andrea Nguyen
LOL, that is the problem with using the duck head. Not so bad when it's roasted and you don't know what it *exactly* is. A chicken head on my cutting board tends to be a little weird. I noticed the barbecue man hanging the heads he cuts off right about his cutting board. He gave me mine.
FreeRangeNan
If you know you'll be buying a duck, why not bring your own container? Better for the environment and the whole duck fits.
I'm fortunate to live near Honolulu's Chinatown. I sometimes pick up roast duck (or roast pork) for an easy Thai curry. Finicky types could take the meat off the bone but we don't mind getting messy. Next time, I'll ask for it whole and give your method a try.
Bethany
This is perfect for me. I love duck so much that I am scared to cook it myself because I don't want to mess it up. This may be the baby step that I need to enjoy duck that I know I will like AND to think about using it in other ways. Thank you.
Tu Doan
The neck is my favorite part of the duck. I love to eat the skin around duck's neck. I have seen some people like to eat the butt but I simply can't eat it. Maybe I think too much while I'm eating.
steph
Andrea, I looooove your site and my daughter claims the pho I made from your recipe to be 'da best'! Good suggestions on the duck. I just noticed that the site comes up a bit slower lately.
charsiew
When i buy a good juicy roast duck, I like to have it with noodles served 'dry' style, lightly cooked noodles tossed with the accompanying sauce, chili sauce, worcestaire sauce, soy and sesame oili. I then shred the leftover duck pieces and toss them with the accompanying sauce together with garlic, chili flakes, some diced tomatoes to make fried rice. Absolutely delish!
Andrea Nguyen
Thanks. Fixing the site load time is hard for me to do. I have to tweak stuff that I have little clue about. Appreciate your pointing it out.
maggie
I like the crispness and aroma of Chinese roast duck skin, and that particular 5-spiciness. However, I prefer to roast my own duck because I find that most restaurant duck retains a thick layer of fat under the skin (perhaps the duck is not cooked at high enough temperature to render the fat?) My mum insists on hanging the duck at least overnight before roasting to get rid of the fat, but then why is the duck still fatty? I find this with restaurant roast pork too - strata of fat that has not rendered. When making duck magrets, I roast them for 5 minutes in a fiercely hot oven, then grill them scored skin side up (honey and ponzu is a nice addition) until caramelized, but still pink and juicy inside. I use duck legs for confit - similar to the Chinese aromatic crispy duck, but juicier as it cooks gently in its own fat as opposed to double deep-fried. So where duck is concerned, for me, French techniques have the edge! Also, I'm with you on cutting my own duck - I dislike the custom of chopping the bird so that each morsel contains a piece of bone - it's really fiddly, particularly if eating with chopsticks.
vinnie
i love the taste of star anise on duck, just brings out the flavor. Very thorough analysis of how to maximise the use of whole duck!
Andrea Nguyen
Great idea to bring your own container!
Andrea Nguyen
Lovely recipe. Thanks for generously sharing it. Oh my, I may have to get another duck.
Andrea Nguyen
Your mother is spot on! Hang it up then roast. I like to gnaw on bones but it does get tiresome.
Andrea Nguyen
Thank you!
Teresa
What a great post! I haven't bought much roast duck myself. Guess I haven't done the research to find a good place for it in Sacramento. But now that I've seen your duck riding in your basket, I really want some.
I love the idea of sauteing brussel sprouts with roast duck fat. I will have to try some of that sometime. Maybe even drizzle some duck fat on top of a pizza with shredded brussel sprouts. I tried a shreded brussel sprouts/red onion/bacon pizza per Bon Appetite and it was over the moon. And while we're at it toss on some shredded roast duck meat. Hmm, I might have to try this, once I find a good Chinese deli in town.
Plumber Kent
Ah..this is just tempting! I like duck meat better than chicken meat.
Michelle
I just tried some oven roasted brussel sprouts with onions and duck fat yesterday. HEAVENLY. So very good. I'll definitely have to try butchering my own. I've always been so sad to get home with a duck that didn't have to seem any "good" parts to eat 🙁
Tracy
I used store bought roasted duck to make Duck noodle soup "Mi vit tiem" ... very tasty!
Dolt Gabi
Good luck ,Great post,y love you!Thanks for the info it had cleared out too many things in my mind. Your recommendations are really good.
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Bernard
My uncle, who operates the famous roast duck shop, Sunrise Restaurant in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, shared a tip to reheat the roast duck to ensure a crispy skin. Use a metal hook to hold the duck above a heated wok of oil and using a ladle bathe the duck in heated oil. The skin will be tantalizingly crispy.