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These duck pancakes are my homemade answer to the crispy duck that used to be the highlight of every Chinese takeaway order in our house. There was always a polite scramble for the last pancake, so now I roast a whole tray of five spice duck legs and make sure there’s plenty to go round.
In short, duck pancakes are five spice duck legs roasted low and slow at 325°F (160°C) for 2½ to 3 hours, shredded, then rolled in warm Chinese pancakes with hoisin, cucumber and spring onion. They take about 2 hours 45 minutes in total, only 15 minutes of it hands on, make 12 pancakes and serve 4 at about 600 calories per serving.
The method could not be gentler. Duck legs roast low and slow for a couple of hours until the meat falls off the bone and the skin turns crackly. Then everyone builds their own at the table with hoisin, cucumber and spring onion, which is exactly how a Friday night should feel.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Duck Pancakes
- Takeaway flavour at home. Five spice, garlic and onion powder give the meat that warm, aniseedy depth you know from the restaurant.
- Almost entirely hands off. Fifteen minutes of prep, then the oven does the work while you get on with your evening.
- Crisp skin, tender meat. A blast of high heat at the end gives you crackly bits to tuck in with the soft shreds.
- Fun to share. Everyone rolls their own, so it works brilliantly for a relaxed dinner or a Chinese New Year spread.
- Only nine ingredients. And half of them are already in your spice cupboard.
Ingredient Notes
- Duck legs. Four portions, with the thigh and drumstick still attached. Legs are full of connective tissue, which is exactly why they turn meltingly tender with long, slow heat. As ThermoWorks explains in its guide to cooking duck, the legs and thighs want to go well past 165°F so that tissue breaks down.
- Chinese five spice. Two teaspoons. It’s a blend of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and Sichuan pepper, and it’s the signature flavour here.
- Salt, garlic powder and onion powder. A teaspoon of each. The salt also helps draw moisture from the skin so it crisps.
- Hoisin sauce. Half a cup (120 ml), plus extra for dipping. It’s sweet, salty and sticky, the classic partner for crispy duck.
- Chinese pancakes. Twelve, the thin, soft wheat wrappers sold in packs near the noodles or in the freezer aisle.
- Cucumber and spring onions. One cucumber and four spring onions, cut into thin batons. They bring the cool crunch.
What Are Peking Duck Pancakes?
Peking duck pancakes are thin wheat pancakes wrapped around roast duck with hoisin or sweet bean sauce, cucumber and spring onion. Traditional Peking duck is a whole bird, air dried and roasted until the skin is lacquered and glassy, then carved at the table. It’s served with paper-thin wheat pancakes, a sweet bean or hoisin sauce, and slivers of cucumber and spring onion.
The version most of us know from British and American takeaways is crispy aromatic duck, which is shredded rather than carved. These duck pancakes sit firmly in that camp. In other words, you get all the same flavours without hanging a duck in front of a fan for a day.
Duck Legs or Breast: Why Legs Win
You can use duck breast, but I really don’t recommend it here. Breast is lean and is at its best pink, so it dries out long before it will shred. Legs, on the other hand, have plenty of fat and collagen. After two and a half hours, that collagen has melted into the meat, which is why it pulls apart with two forks.
Legs are also cheaper and much harder to overcook. If your meat still clings to the bone, simply give it another 20 to 30 minutes.
How To Make Duck Pancakes
1. Preheat the oven. First, heat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Season the legs. Next, mix the five spice, salt, garlic powder and onion powder, then rub it all over the duck legs. Lay them skin side up on a lined baking tray or roasting pan.
3. Roast low and slow. Then roast for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily away from the bone. For extra crispy skin, turn the oven up to 425°F (220°C) for the final 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Cool and shred. After that, let the duck cool slightly. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding the bones and any excess fat, but keep the crispy skin.
5. Prep the vegetables. Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into thin batons and trim the spring onions into similar lengths. I like to halve the spring onions lengthways so they’re easy to bite through.
6. Warm the pancakes. Now warm the Chinese pancakes according to the packet instructions, usually a few minutes steamed or a few seconds in the microwave.
7. Fill and roll. Finally, spread a little hoisin over each pancake, top with shredded duck, cucumber and spring onion, then roll or fold it up. Serve straight away with more hoisin on the side.
Two forks work perfectly well, though a pair of meat shredding claws make quick work of four legs and keep your fingers away from the hot fat.
Why Isn’t My Duck Tender?
Duck legs that are not tender almost always need more time. Keep roasting at 325°F (160°C) for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat slides off the bone. These are the usual culprits:
- It needs more time. This is nearly always the answer. Keep roasting until the meat slides off the bone.
- The oven ran hot. A fierce oven tightens the meat before the collagen melts. Stick to 325°F (160°C) for the long stretch.
- You used breast. Lean breast meat won’t shred the same way, however long you cook it.
- The skin is soft. Don’t skip the final burst at 425°F (220°C), and make sure the legs sit skin side up and uncovered.
Tips for the Best Duck Pancakes
- Pat the legs dry with kitchen paper before seasoning. Dry skin crisps; damp skin steams.
- Save the rendered fat from the tray. It’s liquid gold for roast potatoes.
- Keep the pancakes covered with a clean tea towel once warmed so they stay soft and pliable.
- Go easy on the hoisin inside the roll. A thin smear is plenty, and you can always dip.
- Mix crispy skin through the shredded meat just before serving for the best texture.
- Roll the duck pancakes at the table rather than ahead of time, so the wrappers stay soft instead of soggy.
To warm the pancakes the traditional way, stack them in a bamboo steamer lined with a little baking paper and steam for a few minutes, so they stay soft and pliable.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Store leftover shredded duck in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the cucumber, spring onions and pancakes separately so nothing goes soggy.
- Reheating. Warm the duck gently in a frying pan over medium low heat until hot through, adding a splash of water if it looks dry.
- Freezing. Cool the shredded duck completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Raw duck. Keep raw legs on the bottom shelf of the fridge, away from salad veg. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has four simple steps for keeping raw meat and fresh produce apart.
Variations and Substitutions
- No Chinese pancakes? Small flour tortillas, crisp lettuce cups or steamed bao buns all work well.
- Plum sauce. Swap some or all of the hoisin for plum sauce for a fruitier finish.
- A little heat. Add a few slivers of red chilli or a drizzle of chilli oil to each roll.
- Chicken instead. For a lighter, budget friendly version, shred my slow cooker teriyaki chicken into the pancakes with the same crunchy veg.
What to Serve With Duck Pancakes
For a full takeaway style feast, I put duck pancakes in the middle of the table with a bowl of my Chinese chicken soup to start. Fluffy Instant Pot white rice or egg fried rice makes it more filling.
If you’re feeding a crowd, add my slow cooker beef and broccoli, some stir-fried greens, a smacked cucumber salad or a simple Asian style slaw.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking the Duck
Can you use duck breast instead of duck legs for duck pancakes?
You can, but legs are much better. Legs have the fat and collagen that melt during 2½ to 3 hours at 325°F (160°C), so the meat shreds, while lean breast dries out before it will shred and is better pan seared and sliced.
Why is my roast duck not tender enough to shred?
It most likely needs more time. Continue roasting at 325°F (160°C) for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat pulls easily away from the bone. A hotter oven tightens the meat before the collagen melts.
How do you get crispy skin on roast duck legs?
Pat the legs dry, roast them skin side up and uncovered, then turn the oven up to 425°F (220°C) for the last 10 to 15 minutes. The salt in the rub also draws moisture from the skin so it crisps.
Can you cook the duck for duck pancakes ahead of time?
Yes, up to a day ahead. Roast and shred the duck, refrigerate it within 2 hours in an airtight container, then reheat gently in a frying pan over medium low heat until hot through just before serving.
Serving and Storage
What can I use instead of Chinese pancakes for crispy duck?
Small flour tortillas, crisp lettuce cups or steamed bao buns all work, with the same shredded duck, hoisin, cucumber and spring onion filling.
Can you freeze cooked shredded duck?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool the shredded duck completely, freeze it in an airtight container, thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of water.
How many duck pancakes per person?
Three per person as a main. This recipe makes 12, enough for four people as a main, or it will stretch to six as a starter.
What should I serve with duck pancakes?
They pair well with stir-fried vegetables, cucumber salad, egg fried rice or a simple Asian style slaw.
How long does leftover shredded duck last in the fridge?
Up to 3 days in an airtight container. Keep the cucumber, spring onions and pancakes separately so nothing goes soggy, and reheat the duck until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C).
How many calories are in duck pancakes?
About 600 calories per serving when the recipe serves 4, three pancakes each, with roughly 32 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates and 34 g fat. These figures are estimates and change with the duck and hoisin you use.
Ingredients
- 4 duck leg portions thigh and drumstick attached
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 120 ml, plus extra for serving
- 12 Chinese pancakes
- 1 cucumber cut into thin batons
- 4 spring onions cut into thin strips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Season the duck legs all over with the Chinese five spice, salt, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Place the duck legs skin-side up on a lined baking tray or roasting pan.
- Roast for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
- For extra crispy skin, increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) for the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from the oven and allow the duck to cool slightly.
- Shred the meat using two forks, discarding the bones and any excess fat.
- Warm the Chinese pancakes according to the package instructions.
- Spread a little hoisin sauce onto each pancake.
- Top with shredded duck, cucumber and spring onion.
- Roll or fold the pancakes and serve immediately with more hoisin sauce on the side.
