Peking Duck Tacos

In this post i will telling you guys about how to make Peking Duck Tacos.

Now, traditional Peking duck is a style of cooking that’s been done in China for centuries. It usually involves a long process to get that skin super crispy, served with thin Chinese pancakes. But we’re doing a version that works perfectly for the home cook (or the hungry hunter). We’re going to get that skin nice and crispy, keep the meat juicy, and swap the pancakes for flour tortillas because they are easy to find and just as delicious.

Trust me, this fusion of sweet, savory, and crispy is incredible.

Why You’ll Love This

• It’s a Harvest Hero: This is the perfect way to honor that fresh wild duck you worked hard to harvest.
• Crazy Texture: You get the crunch of the crispy skin and fresh cucumber against the soft tortilla and tender meat.
• Simple Ingredients: You don’t need a specialized Asian grocery store; you can grab everything you need at your local shop.
• Fast Finish: Once the marinade does its job, the actual cooking time is under 15 minutes.

The Game Plan

The secret here is the marinade. We’re using a mix of soy sauce, honey, chilies, and orange juice. If you don’t have fresh oranges, juice from a container works fine. After the duck hangs out in that bath, we pat it dry and hit it with Chinese Five Spice—a blend of cinnamon, clove, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, and ground ginger.

Things you guys need

Special Equipment/Instruments:

• Sharp Chef’s Knife (for julienning)
• Oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) or a frying pan + baking sheet
• Tongs
• Paper towels
• Taco holder (optional, but helpful)
• Container with lid or Ziploc bag (for marinating)

Ingredients:

The Duck:

• 2 whole duck breasts (skin-on)
• 1 tbsp Canola oil (for searing)
• 1-2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice powder

The Marinade:

• 1/2 Fresh orange (juiced) OR approx. 2 tbsp orange juice
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce (“a good amount”)
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1-2 Fresh red chilies, roughly chopped (stems and all)

The Tacos & Garnish:

• 6-8 Small flour tortillas (“soft tacos”)
• 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 2-3 Scallions (green onions)

Instructions

Step 1 :Prep the Garnish:

• Wash your vegetables.
• Scallions: Slice the green onions on a bias (diagonal angle) into long, thin strips. Watch your fingers!
• Cucumber: Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Stack the slices and cut them again into thin strips (julienne), almost like matchsticks. Set these aside on a plate.

Step 2 :Marinate the Duck:

• Place your duck breasts into a container with a lid or a Ziploc bag.
• Add the orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and chopped red chilies.
• Use your hands to flip the breasts around and ensure the flavors get everywhere.
• Seal the container and place it in the fridge. Recommendation: Marinate for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Step 3 :Season the Meat:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Remove the duck from the marinade and place it on paper towels. Pat it completely dry. (This is crucial for crispy skin).
• Dust both sides of the duck breasts generously with Chinese Five Spice powder.

Step 4 :Sear and Roast:

• Heat the canola oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is nice and hot, carefully place the duck breasts in the pan, skin-side down.
• Sear until the skin is golden brown and nice and crispy (usually 3–5 minutes).
• Flip the breasts over so the skin side is up.
• Immediately transfer the skillet to the hot oven. Roast for 6 to 7 minutes for medium-rare/medium (or until internal temperature reaches your preference).

Step 5 :Rest and Assemble:

• Remove from the oven and let the duck rest for 5 minutes (keeps the juices in).
• Slice the duck into nice thin pieces.
• Place your flour tortillas in a taco holder.
• Load the tacos: Add slices of duck, drizzle generously with hoisin sauce, and top with the julienned cucumber and scallions.

FAQs

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Peking Duck Tacos

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: MainCuisine: Asian, FusionDifficulty: Easy

Servings~

3

Approx tacos per person

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

Marinating time

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

A fusion twist on a Chinese classic perfect for wild game season. Crispy, five-spice seared duck breast served in soft flour tortillas with sweet hoisin, fresh cucumber, and scallions.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Oven-safe skillet

• Sharp knife

• Taco holder

• Ingredients:

• 2 duck breasts, skin-on

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) orange juice

• 45 ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey

• 2 red chilies, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice powder

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• 6 small flour tortillas

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) hoisin sauce

• 1/2 cucumber, julienned

• 3 scallions (green onions), julienned

Directions

• Prepare Garnish: Julienne the cucumber and scallions (cut into matchsticks) and set aside.
• Marinate: In a bowl or bag, combine duck breasts, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and chopped chilies. Toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Season: Remove duck from marinade and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Dust both sides generously with Chinese Five Spice.
• Sear: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat canola oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear duck breasts skin-side down until skin is crispy and golden.
• Roast: Flip the breasts skin-side up and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 6-7 minutes.
• Slice: Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly.
• Assemble: Place duck slices into flour tortillas. Drizzle with hoisin sauce and top with cucumber and scallions.

Notes

• The Spice Blend: My five-spice mix includes cinnamon, clove, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, and ground ginger.
• The Pancake Swap: Traditionally Peking duck uses thin pancakes, but soft flour tortillas are much easier to find and work great.
• Orange Juice: Fresh squeezed is best, but carton juice works in a pinch!