Chinese Style Barbecued Duck Food

HOISIN BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Remove and discard, or use for other purposes, the neck, giblets and any excess fat from either end of the duck; prick the duck skin all over with a small knife, going sideways and DON'T go through to the meat and pay special attention to the fattier areas of the breasts - you want to get as much fat out as possible during the boiling time.
• Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the duck (I placed the duck in the pot, filled with water, removed the duck and then placed the pot over the burner to heat); bring the water to a boil and then carefully lower the duck into the water and push it down (wooden spoons are good here); bring the water back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the duck for 15 minutes.
• Place a long handled spoon into the duck cavity and lift carefully, letting the cavity water drain into the pot, then place the duck onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels; pat dry, inside and out.
• Season the duck with the salt and pepper, inside and out; bend back the wings and tie the legs together with twine.
• Grill over indirect high heat (see my comments in my description) for 45 minutes (less if you like your duck rare); brush the duck all over with 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and continue grilling until the skin is dark brown, about 10-15 minutes, watch carefully as the duck can brown pretty fast with the hoisin sauce on it.
• Remove from the grill and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve warm with remaining hoisin sauce -- we used a lot more sauce during the serving time!
• This is great with scallion cakes or you could also make a sort of 'peking duck' out of this with some mandarin pancakes, hoisin sauce and sliced green onions.

CHINESE ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• The day before, soak 4 wooden skewers in water for 20 mins. Wash the ducks inside and out with cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix together the sugar, star anise, ginger, spring onions and a few good pinches of salt, then use this to fill the cavities. Close the cavities with wooden skewers and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the maltose and 2 tbsp of the vinegar. Add the remaining vinegar to a jug of boiling water and pour over the ducks. (The boiling water opens up the pores, while the vinegar helps to strip some of the waxiness from the skin, so it will be more receptive to the maltose, which adds sweetness and a lacquered caramel colour.) Smear the maltose mixture over the ducks, then place them in a large plastic container and put in the fridge overnight, uncovered.
• To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. (Fan ovens are particularly effective for roasting duck.) Put a little water in the bottom of a large roasting tin, place the ducks on a rack over the top and cover with foil. Roast for about 45 mins. Take off the foil and roast for another 45 mins - the duck must be well done, there is no such thing as a rare Chinese roast duck! Take the duck out of the oven and let it rest for a good 20 mins before carving.
• The day before, soak 4 wooden skewers in water for 20 mins. Wash the ducks inside and out with cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix together the sugar, star anise, ginger, spring onions and a few good pinches of salt, then use this to fill the cavities. Close the cavities with wooden skewers and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the maltose and 2 tbsp of the vinegar. Add the remaining vinegar to a jug of boiling water and pour over the ducks. (The boiling water opens up the pores, while the vinegar helps to strip some of the waxiness from the skin, so it will be more receptive to the maltose, which adds sweetness and a lacquered caramel colour.) Smear the maltose mixture over the ducks, then place them in a large plastic container and put in the fridge overnight, uncovered.
• To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. (Fan ovens are particularly effective for roasting duck.) Put a little water in the bottom of a large roasting tin, place the ducks on a rack over the top and cover with foil. Roast for about 45 mins. Take off the foil and roast for another 45 mins - the duck must be well done, there is no such thing as a rare Chinese roast duck! Take the duck out of the oven and let it rest for a good 20 mins before carving.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork, particularly around the breast. Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, mirin, honey, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Place the duck in a shallow dish, add half of the hoisin mixture and turn to coat well. Marinate several hours or overnight, turning the duck frequently.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the duck on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Discard the marinade from the duck. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and prick the duck again.
• Continue roasting, uncovered, until the juices run slightly pink when pricked in the thickest part of the thigh, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the orange juice into the remaining hoisin mixture. Carve the duck and serve, passing the sauce for dipping.

CHINATOWN STEAMED AND ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Duck is notoriously a fatty bird, to diminish the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze. Stick the whole thing in the oven. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve.

CHINESE BBQ RIBS WITH HOISIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Pre-soak the ribs with clean water for 30 minutes. During the process, the clean water turns slightly pink or red. Change the water once after the first 10 minutes. Then drain completely.
• Whisk all of the marinating sauce in a bowl. Pour the marinating sauce to the ribs. Set aside for at least 4 hours or overnight in fridge.
• Get a lined baking sheet, place only the ribs in. Wrap the ribs with foil paper. Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C.
• Place the baking sheet in the middle rack and roast for 40 minutes (depending how soft you want the ribs to be). Take the upper foil off and then brush the honey water. Rise the oven temperature to 200 degree C. Continue roasting for around 10 minutes until well colored.

CHINESE BARBECUED DUCK SOUP

Steps:

• Remove all the meat from the duck carcass reserving the bones. I remove as much fat as I can, and most of the skin, however the skin is really tasty so I like a bit of it in there. Shred the meat and refrigerate.
• Pour the stock into a saucepan, then add the bones, garlic, ginger, coriander sprigs, lime rind and chillies. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for an hour.
• Strain and return stock to the saucepan.
• Add the shredded meat, baby bok choy and brocolli to the stock, bring to the boil and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the noodles according to directions (mine had boiling water poured over them, then stood for 30 seconds before being drained).
• Divide noodles between 4 bowls, top with bean shoots.
• Squeeze lime juice into soup, ladle the soup into the bowls and top with fresh coriander.

ASIAN NOODLES WITH BARBECUED DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Soak noodles in cold water to cover 30 minutes.
• While noodles soak, stir together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Stir together all sauce ingredients in another small bowl.
• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Blanch carrots in a small saucepan of boiling water 30 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Return water to a boil and cook beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with carrots.
• Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, put duck legs, skin sides up, on rack of a broiler pan, then pour 1 cup water into bottom of pan. Brush or spoon about half of glaze over skin side of duck. Roast duck until well browned, about 20 minutes.
• Turn on broiler. Brush duck with remaining glaze, then broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until skin is bubbling and lightly charred around edges, about 2 minutes more. Keep warm, covered.
• Drain noodles, then cook in boiling water 30 seconds. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain noodles again.
• Add hot noodles, sauce, and scallions to carrots and beans and toss with tongs until well coated with sauce, adding some of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary
• Add hot noodles, sauce, and scallions to carrots and beans and toss with tongs until well coated with sauce, adding some of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary