Simple hoisin duck recipe, made with crispy skin duck breast and hoisin sauce. Served with Chinese pancake, shredded cucumber, and spring onions. Learn how to make delicious hoisin duck wrap with our simple tips and trick!
Crispy aromatic duck is one of our favorites to order whenever we go to a Chinese restaurant. We never had enough of it. I always wanted to recreate at home but the traditional whole roasted duck takes few hours to prepare. So I made a cheat duck wrap at home with duck breast and my whole family loved it.
If you like hoisin sauce flavour, you will also love our Hoisin Beef Noodle and Beijing Beef recipes.
What is Hoisin Duck?
Hoisin duck is a Chinese roasted duck usually served with aromatic hoisin sauce, Chinese pancakes ( Mandarin Pancakes ), and shredded vegetables. There are few different types of Chinese duck recipes, Peking duck, also known as crispy aromatic duck is the most famous one. Traditionally roasted duck skin is blanched, rendered, roasted, and carved thinly just before serving.
In this post, I am sharing our own version of crispy Hoisin duck recipe, making with duck breast instead of a whole duck. Not a traditional roasted method but you will find it so much easier, quicker, and tastier than you have imagined.
Jump to:
Ingredients we need
- Duck breast - I use two boneless duck breast with skin-on. Duck skin is the key to create the crispy texture. You can also try this recipe with chicken or turkey breast.
- Seasonings - Simply season the duck breasts with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Aromatic duck sauce - Hoisin sauce is the key ingredients to make the sauce for flavourful duck wrap. I add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic for more flavour. Add sugar or honey to add some sweetness. I used Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce in this recipe, you can use any hoisin sauce brand available at your stores.
- Chinese Pancake - Thin flour pancake, also called Mandrin pancakes are ideal to serve with hoisin duck. Soften the pancakes by steaming, microwave or pan fry them. You can buy it in Chinese grocery stores or supermarket frozen sections.
- Vegetables - Thinly slices cucumbers, shredded carrots, cabbage, lettuce, spring onions are ideal for duck wraps. You can be creative by adding your favourite crisp vegetables or pickles too.
How to prepare crispy duck breast
- Pat dry the duck breasts and score it lightly. (If there are any feathers stuck, you can remove them by gently rubbing them off with a kitchen towel or cloth before scoring.)
- Season both sides with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Before searing the duck preheat the oven into 200°C ( 400°F/ Gas 6 ).
- Sear the duck skin-side down frist. Start with the cold pan and turn on the heat to low-medium heat. ( You don't need to add any oil as the duck fat will cook by itself. ) Let it cook until the skin fats randered out and starts to get crispy. It takes about 6-8 minutes. When the skin starts to get crispy golden, flip and seal the meat side for 1 minute. Save the duck fat for later use in other dishes.
- Then transfer to baking tray skin-side down and bake in the oven for 6-10 minutes accoring to your preference of doneness. Flip halfway through. ( It takes about 5-6 minutes for rare to medium rare. 8-10 minutes for medium to well-done. ) If you use oven-safe pan, you can add it straight away to oven.
- Remove from tray and let it sit for 6-8 minutes before slicing.
Aromatic hoisin duck sauce
- In a small saucepan, add sesame oil and saute the grated garlic with low heat for few seconds, then follow with the ginger, stir for few seconds. Then pour the hoisin sauce, honey, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir well with low heat until the sauce becomes thick.
Note: If you can't find ready-made hoisin sauce, you can use sweet bean sauce or ( 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter + 1 tablespoon water + ⅛ teaspoon Chinese five spices ) as a substitute.
Recipe Tips
- Use medium thick duck breast to achieve the best juicy roasted duck with crispy skin.
- It's important to start with the cold pan to render the duck skin. You don't need to add any oil to fry the skin. The duck fat will slowly comes out and cook by itself. ( I got this tips from Gordon Ramsey duck breast recipe and it works so well. )
- Do not overcook the duck, overcooked duck is tough and rubbery.
- You can keep the duck fats, store in an air-tight jar and use it in other recipes. Popular recipes that can make with duck fat are roasted duck fat potates and duck confit.
- If you have leftover roasted duck slices, add in other stir fry or noodles. We love to add to our noodles and make it into hoisin duck noodles. Our quick and easy hoisin duck noodles recipe is coming soon to our site. Stay tuned!
How to serve this dish
- Serve with pancakes - Steam the pancakes with a steamer, or you can pan fry or microwave to soften it. To assemble the duck wrap, spread the hoisin sauce on the pancake, place the roasted duck slices and shredded vegetables. Then wrap it into a roll.
- Serve with rice - Add the plain jasmince rice or egg fried rice in a bowl. Place the duck slices over the rice, drizzle the hoisin sauce over the duck. Serve with steamed vegetables or salad on the side.
Frequently asked questions
Mandarin pancakes also known as Chinese duck pancakes are available at Chinese grocery stores or some supermarket frozen section.
Yes, you can reheat the whole duck breast by wrapping it with foil to prevent it from drying out. Place it in the preheated oven at 200°C/ 400°F for 5-6 minutes or until hot. The skin texture won't be as crispy as freshly cooked but the meat will still be moist and tender.
The duck's breast is low in fat percentage than other parts and the skin fats are rendered out. Roasted duck breast is 187kcal per serving as a side dish or a starter. ( Rice, pancakes, or vegetables are not counted. )
More delicious Chinese restaurant recipes
Stay updated on new recipes:
We are on social media Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ( New recipe video every week ), and Pinterest ( Pin your favourite recipes ). If you've tried this recipe, please share your comment or post on social media and tag me. I would love to see your creations and feedback.
Hoisin Duck Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Duck Breast About 150g/5.3oz each breast ( Boneless, skin-on )
- 1 tsp Salt Sea salt or regular salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper Freshly ground
Hoisin Sauce
- 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce Or sweet bean sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 1 tsp Ginger Finely grated
- 2 tsp Garlic Finely grated
To Serve
- Chinese Pancakes Or plain rice
- Spring Onion Shredded
- Cucumber Cut into matchsticks
Instructions
- Remove excess fat from the duck breast, pat dry with paper towel. Score the skin lightly and season both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven into 200°C ( 400°F/ Gas 6 ).
- Place the duck skin-side down on the pan, then turn on the heat into low-medium and let the fat renders out. Cook until the skin starts to get crispy golden for 6-8 minutes. Then turn sides and seal the meat for 1 minute. ( You can keep the duck fat from the pan and use in other recipes like roasted potatotes. )
- Place the duck breast skin-side down on the baking tray, bake in the preheated oven for 6-10 minutes ( 5-6 minutes for rare to medium or 8-10 medium to well-done). Flip halfway through. ( Use oven-safe pan or transfer to the baking tray before adding to oven. )
- Remove the breast from the tray/pan. Let it sit for 6-8 minutes before serving and slice with sharp knife into thin/medium slices.
To make hoisin sauce
- Meanwhile the duck is in the oven, you can make hoisin sauce. Heat the small saucepan into low heat, add sesame oil and follow with the garlic and stir for few seconds, then add the ginger stir for few seconds. Add hoisin sauce, honey, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Simmer and reduce the sauce until the sauce become thick.
How to serve
- To serve with Chinese pancakes, spread hoisin sauce over the pancake place the duck slices, spring onions, and cucumber strips. then wrap it into a roll. ( You can steam, microwave or pan fry the Chinese pancakes just before serving until they are soft. )
- To serve with rice, place the rice in bowl, place the duck slices over the rice, drizzle the hoisin sauce over the duck. Add salad or steamed vegetables on the sides.
Notes
- Hoisin Sauce - Hoisin sauce is made from fermented bean paste or sweet bean paste with aromatic Chinese spices. I used Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce in this recipe. You can use any brand available or use sweet bean sauce instead of it.
- Honey - Can be substitute with brown sugar or white sugar.
- Sauce options - The plum sauce can be also served with roasted duck breast.
- Pancake - You will need about 10-15 pancake sheets, depending on the thickness and size of the pancakes. Don't forget to soften the pancakes first, before making a duck wrap. I usually use ready-made frozen Chinese pancakes as we can easily get them at our local Chinese grocery.
- Servings - You can serve up to 4 persons as an appetizer or 2 people as a main meal.
Colin says
This is just what i was looking for, can't wait to try some others of your recipies too, thank you Khin 🙂
Khin says
Thank you Colin. I am sure you will enjoy them. Let me know your feedback.
Lori Watson says
This is one of my favorite Asian dishes and I never thought about making it at home! Now I feel like I’ve found a hidden treasure. I’m definitely making it!
Thank you so much Khin! Lots of love!!
xx
Khin says
Thank you so much for taking the time and sharing your comment Lori! Hope you enjoy our recipe.
May says
Do you have home made recipe for hoisin sauce? Can i use beef instead?
Thanks
Khin says
Hi May, you can substitute hoisin sauce with (1 tbsp of smooth peanut butter+ 1 tbsp water+ 1/8 tsp of Chinese five spices). I haven't tried with beef yet. Chicken or turkey breast is the nearest substitute for duck breast. Hope you enjoy it!