Cantonese roast duck recipe: authentic, step-by-step guide to tender, crispy duck

Cantonese roast duck (燒鴨) is an oven-roasted Chinese duck or goose with a soy sauce marinade and a hoisin glaze. This recipe uses an overnight chill to help the skin dry and brown well. It starts hot, then roasts at a lower heat until the bird reaches a safe internal temperature.

You make two mixes: a simple marinade with light soy, optional dark soy, white wine or cooking wine, and five spice powder; and a glaze with hoisin and dark soy. You brush the bird inside and out, chill it on a rack, then roast it in stages with water in the pan to reduce smoke.

Use a whole duck for classic Cantonese roast duck, or a goose if you prefer. Keep the bird size within the range below so the oven timings still work. If you skip dark soy sauce, use the same amount of light soy sauce instead.

• Whole duck or goose: 1 bird, 1.3–2.6 kg (3–6 lb)

• Green onions: 3 stalks, whole (or onion: 1 medium, peeled and halved)

• Marinade – light soy sauce: 2 tbsp (30 ml)

• Marinade – dark soy sauce (optional): 2 tbsp (30 ml)

• Marinade – white wine/sherry/Chinese cooking wine: 450 ml (2 cups)

• Marinade – Chinese five spice powder: 1 tsp (about 2–3 g)

• Glaze – hoisin sauce: 2 tbsp (30 ml)

• Glaze – dark soy sauce: 2 tbsp (30 ml)

  Equipment

  This method uses dry heat roasting, so a rack is important. The roasting pan also needs water to catch dripping fat. Use a food thermometer, since the recipe depends on reaching the right internal temperature in the thickest part of the bird.

  • Oven

  • Roasting pan

  • Roasting rack (that fits inside the pan)

  • Open container (large enough to hold the bird on a rack)

  • Basting brush

  • Measuring spoons and measuring jug

  • Instant-read food thermometer

  • Carving board and knife

    Preparation (overnight chill)

    Mix the marinade in a bowl until it looks even. In a second bowl, mix the hoisin glaze until smooth. Brush the marinade all over the duck or goose, both inside and outside. Brush some glaze inside the cavity. Place the bird breast-up on a rack in an open container.

    Chill the bird in the fridge overnight. Keep it uncovered so the surface can dry. This drying step helps the skin roast better. It also helps the glaze set later in the oven. While chilling, keep the bird on the rack so air can reach the underside too.

    Cooking (oven roasting)

    Heat the oven to 220°C (450°F). Add water to the roasting pan so it is 2.5 cm (½–1 inch) deep. This catches dripping fat and helps stop smoke. Put the green onions inside the duck cavity. Place the bird on the roasting rack over the water.

    Roast for 15 minutes. Then turn the bird breast-up and roast for another 15 minutes at the same heat. These first hot stages help the skin start browning. Keep the pan water in place during roasting, and top it up with more water if it dries out.

    Lower the oven to 190°C (375°F). Keep roasting until the internal temperature reaches at least 82°C (180°F). Test between the thigh and the thickest part, and do not touch the bone with the thermometer tip. Cooking time can vary with bird size, so use temperature as the key check.

    Brush the outside with the glaze. Turn the oven up to about 200–220°C (around 450°F). Roast for about 10 minutes more to set the glaze and deepen the colour. Watch closely near the end, since the glaze can darken fast at higher heat.

    Step-by-step method (quick list)

    Follow these steps in order. They match the recipe flow: mix, brush, chill, roast in stages, then glaze and finish. Keep the thermometer ready so you can check the duck or goose without guessing when it is done.

    1. Mix light soy sauce, optional dark soy, wine, and five spice powder.

    2. Mix hoisin sauce and dark soy sauce for the glaze.

    3. Brush marinade over the bird, inside and outside.

    4. Brush some glaze inside the cavity.

    5. Place breast-up on a rack in an open container.

    6. Chill in the fridge overnight, uncovered.

    7. Heat oven to 220°C (450°F).

    8. Add 2.5 cm water to a roasting pan, then set rack inside.

    9. Stuff cavity with green onions (or onion).

    10. Roast 15 minutes, then roast 15 minutes more breast-up.

    11. Lower heat to 190°C (375°F) and roast to 82°C (180°F) inside.

    12. Brush outside with glaze, raise heat, roast about 10 minutes.

    13. Carve and serve.

    Nutritional values (estimate)

    Values vary by bird size, fat rendered, and how much marinade and glaze you eat. The table gives a simple estimate for one serving, assuming 6 servings from a 2 kg duck, with skin, and with some glaze. Use it as a guide, not a lab result.

    Nutrient	Amount
    Energy	520 kcal
    Protein	30 g
    Total fat	38 g
    Saturated fat	12 g
    Carbohydrate	10 g
    Sugars	6 g
    Fibre	0 g
    Sodium	1100 mg

    Serving

    Carve the Cantonese roast duck or roast goose after it comes out of the oven. Use a board to catch juices. Serve as a main course while the skin is still crisp. If you want, spoon a little pan juice over the sliced meat, but keep the skin as dry as you can.