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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Easy Whole Roast Duck with Chinese Five Spice

    LAST UPDATED: June 18, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: December 2, 2018 By Toni Dash 37 Comments

    Easy Whole Roast Duck with Chinese Five Spice

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Easy Roast Whole Duck with Chinese Five Spice

    Roast Duck makes a meal special and is as easy as roasting a chicken! This Easy Whole Roast Duck recipe with Chinese Five Spice is great for holiday entertaining.

    Easy Roast Whole Duck with Chinese Five Spice

    Holiday meals are a hallmark of the season. It’s fun to make unexpected or fancier food but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard!

    A classic Christmas dish is whole roast duck. I love this recipe for Easy Whole Roast Duck with Chinese Five Spice.

    Roast Duck is not something people make often and can seem intimidating. Duck seems exotic and as though it would be difficult to make. It’s actually as easy as roasting a chicken though there are a few unique things about it.

    Make it meal with ideas what to serve with duck!

    Jump to:
    • The Scoop on Roast Duck
    • How Long Does it Take to Roast Duck?
    • A Secret Tips for Perfect Roast Duck
    • Using Duck Fat from Roast Duck
    • Chinese Five Spice
    • What to Serve with Roast Duck
    • Suggested Supplies for Easy Whole Roast Duck
    • How to Roast Duck – Step by Step
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Recipe

    The Scoop on Roast Duck

    This simple duck recipe is flavorful and a wonderful way to change up the entree for a special meal.

    The duck has delicious crisp skin without being dry. The meat is perfectly moist and flavorful.

    Ducks are smaller than chickens with a leaner, longer frame.

    They are usually available in a 5-pound weight which with a full dinner will serve 3-4. For a larger group, make more than one roast duck.

    Having more dark meat and richer meat, smaller portions usually are perfect, again when paired with other side dishes.

    Being water fowl, ducks have a thicker skin with more of a fat layer. This is what contributes to the wonderful flavor.

    Easy Roast Whole Duck closeup

    How Long Does it Take to Roast Duck?

    With about a 15-minute prep time and 2 hours cooking, duck is a really easy dish to change it up this holiday.

    A Secret Tips for Perfect Roast Duck

    Piercing the skin (not the meat) helps the rendered (melted in this case) fat drain more easily.

    Removing the rendered fat from the pan during cooking also helps keep oven smoke to a minimum.

    How to Remove the Duck Fat

    Duck fat is delicious to add to many dish. Be sure to save any rendered fat for other recipes!

    Removing it from the pan when cooking also keeps oven smoking low!

    • Remove the pan and the duck to drain the fat into an auxiliary container 1 or 2 times during cooking.
    • EASIEST METHOD: using a bulb baster to remove it from the pan.
    • Trimming extra fat around the neck and cavity before roasting will cut down on the fat rendering too.
    duck fat roasted potatoes

    Using Duck Fat from Roast Duck

    Duck fat is a coveted cooking ingredient. As with rendered bacon fast, it can be kept to add to favorite recipes for a rich flavor.

    I love adding it to Roast Potatoes:

    1. Cut up about 8 red new potatoes into bite size pieces,
    2. Drizzle them with a tablespoons of duck fat,
    3. Lightly salt and pepper them and
    4. Bake on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

    They come out with a golden crust and soft inside, with full flavor. They make a great side dish to the duck.

    Another great recipe to use it is Shortcut French Cassoulet. A French peasant stew that uses duck fat.

    Chinese Five Spice

    If you have not used Chinese Five Spice, it’s a must at this time of year.

    It’s a spice blend with an Asian influence:  blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns.

    The blend is perfect with duck and the flavor is not so pronounced that it overwhelms the natural flavor of the roast duck.

    Easy Roast Whole Duck with Chinese Five Spice with greenery and orange wedges

    What to Serve with Roast Duck

    Since duck is a richer meat with loads of flavor, I suggest serving side dishes that complement the flavors. Here are some favorites:

    • Mashed Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are slightly sweet with a wonderful texture and are fast to make!
    • Winter Salad & Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing is light but full of flavor from the cranberry dressing and other ingredients.
    • Fresh Green Beans with Bacon and Sliced Almonds
    • Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce
    • Herb Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
    • Haricot Vert and Mushroom Casserole with Gruyere and Lardons {bacon}: this is a completely upscale version of a classic Green Bean Casserole. The same flavors elevated with some French flair. Though this recipe is not difficult, it has several steps so is more likely to be made for a special occaision, holiday meal or when you have more time for preparation (it’s REALLY good)!

    Suggested Supplies for Easy Whole Roast Duck

    • Roasting Pan with Rack
    • Poultry Shears (for trimming the tail area and cutting the roast duck when done cooking)
    • Bamboo Skewers or Paring Knife (for piercing the duck skin before roasting to allow the rendered fat to drain)

    How to Roast Duck – Step by Step

    STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Equip a roasting pan (at least 13-inch by 9-inch) with a rack.

    STEP 2: Combine the spices.

    STEP 3: With a bamboo skewer or paring knife, pierce the skin (avoid the meat) in 1-inch spacing to help the rendered fat drain while cooking.

    STEP 4: Rub the duck inside the cavity and externally with the spice mixture. Stuff the cavity with shallots, rosemary and orange wedges.

    STEP 5: Place the duck breast side DOWN on the rack, insert into oven and cook for 30 minutes.

    STEP 6: Remove rendered fat from the pan.

    STEP 7: Turn duck over (breast side UP) and cook an additional 90 minutes. The skin should be a deep golden-brown and the juices from piercing the drumstick should run clear.

    STEP 8: Remove from oven, tent with foil and allow to site for 10 minutes before serving.

    Easy Roast Whole Duck with Chinese Five Spice on platter with greens

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    Recipe

    Easy Roast Whole Duck recipe with Chinese Five Spice - BoulderLocavore.com

    Easy Whole Roast Duck with Chinese Five Spice

    This simple duck recipe is flavorful and a wonderful way to change up the entree for a special meal. 
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 Serves 3-4
    Calories: 98kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 5- pound Duck , completely thawed if frozen
    • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
    • 1 Orange or Tangelo cut into 6 wedges
    • 4 medium fresh Rosemary sprigs , but into 2-inch lengths (roughly)
    • 2 large Shallots , cut into large pieces

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Equip a 13 by 9-inch roasting pan with a roasting rack. Combine the salt, pepper and Chinese five spice in a small bowl; mix together.
    • Remove the neck and organs and rinse the duck inside and out and pat is dry with paper towels. 
    • Trim any excess fat at the neck and cavity*. If the tail is still present, remove it by cutting it at the joint next to the duck body.
    • With a sharp paring knife or a bamboo skewer, pierce the skin of the duck avoiding the meat, in 1-inch spacing. This allows the rendered fat to more easily drain. 
    • Rub the salt-pepper-spice mixture into the duck outside and inside the cavity. Fill the cavity with the orange, shallot and rosemary.
    • Place the duck breast down on the rack and insert into the heated oven for 30 minutes.
    • Pour off rendered fat or using a bulb baster, remove as much as possible from the pan (this will help keep the smoke levels down during cooking), or remove duck and pour it out of the pan.
    • Turn the duck over to be breast side up and cook an additional 90 minutes. The skin should be a deep brownish-gold and when the drumstick is pieced the juices should run clear.
    • Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow the duck to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    *Note: This is purely for aesthetics but I trim the skin at the neck leaving a small flap to fold over the exposed bone and secure it with a toothpick to the duck skin on the other side. I do the same with the skin around the cavity (refer to photos); trimming the skin, folding the skin over the cavity and use a toothpick to secure the skin flaps to each other.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1196mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 22.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 3.1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    Originally published December 5, 2015

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephanie Manley says

      December 03, 2018 at 4:07 am

      5 stars
      So I have never made duck before, you make this look very easy. I can’t wait to give it a try this weekend.

      Reply
    2. Aysegul Sanford says

      December 01, 2018 at 6:21 am

      5 stars
      WOW! A great recipe indeed. I loved all the helpful tips too. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

      Reply
    3. Melissa says

      November 30, 2018 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      I loved the Chinese Five Spice in this recipe. It’s one of my favorite additions to cookies, too. Delish!

      Reply
    4. Jennifer Farley says

      November 30, 2018 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      My family will LOVE this! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    5. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says

      November 30, 2018 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is perfect every time! Love fancy dishes that are also easy!

      Reply
    6. Brenda says

      November 30, 2018 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      Chinese 5 spice with duck is amazing!!

      Reply
    7. Carolyn says

      November 29, 2018 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing! I love duck!

      Reply
    8. Sabrina says

      November 29, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      My husband always orders duck if it’s available when we go out. I can’t wait to to surprise him with this for dinner.

      Reply
    9. Kristyn says

      November 29, 2018 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is mouthwatering!! It would be a great holiday meal!

      Reply
    10. Jennifer says

      November 29, 2018 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      This looks and sounds AMAZING! Cannot wait to try to make this!

      Reply
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    About Toni Dash

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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