鴨Male Barbary Duck: 1,skin pricked all over， For pre-marinade: ， Salt 3-4tbsp + shaoxing wine1/3cup: Generous salt for rubbing， For scorching the skin before marinade: ， Hot water 70-80C: 1 large kettle full， For marinade:: ， Cinnamon sticks: 2, each 5-10cm long， Star anise: 5， Cloves: 6-10， Chinese five spice: 2 tbsp， Soy sauce: 1.5 cup， Sherry/ rice wine/ shaoxing wine: 5tbsp of a variety， Bay leaves: 5， Crystal sugar 冰糖: 4-5 tbsp （handful）， Chicken stock cube: 1/2， 紅方腐乳(南乳fermented soy cubes): 1.5 cubes， Sichuan red peppercorns: 10， Plum sauce: 2tbsp， Dried whole lemon/lime (persian) 陳皮: 1， peel of 1 fresh orange: ， Dark soy sauce: 4 tbsp， Spring onion (white part): 5-10cm of finger size， Leek: 1/2， Ginger: 2x thumb size， water: Just enough cover the duck， For basting before baking: ， Water (warm): 3tbsp， Honey: 3tbsp， White rice vinegar: 3tbsp， For veg sides: ， Potatos, cut smaller: Cube pieces pre-boiled， Brussels sprouts: Halved or quatered， Garlic slices: Large slices， Tumeric: 1tbsp powder， Rosemary: 1 twig into pieces
1Wild ducks are smaller and can store in fridge for the overnight marinading. If using male barbary duck, it may be too big to store in fridge so will need to cook them in winter to store overnight outdoors or in a cold room with some ice packs and ice around the pot. Prick the duck skin all over using a metal stick (pricking device can be harder to penetrate the skin far enough) Cut off the butt part and remove the fatty tissue on the two sides just inside the butt. In a pot, scorch the duck skin all over with hot water (not boiling, around 70-80C) for 2 min each side.
2Rub the duck all over with the pre-marinade ingredients: salt and dry sherry/shaoxing wine/rice wine/ white wine, whichever is available or preferred. Leave the duck to stand in pre-marinade for 1 hour. Turn the duck upside down and leave to stand for another hour.
3In the meantime, use a large pot (ideally still can fit in the fridge for storage) to prepare the overnight marinading liquid. In the pot, place all marinade ingredients listed above excluding the water, bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 20min. Allow the liquid to cool completely - or add ice to it to cool.
4Place duck breast side down in the marinade. Leave in fridge for overnight (24hours better, i.e. prep in the early afternoon, and cook next day for lunch)
5If want to have duck for lunch, next day first thing in the morning, take out duck and dry thoroughly with kitchen towel. Discard the marinade water. Place the duck on a wired rack in an airy space (under extractor fan, open window etc) to air dry for 1-2 hours.
6Baste the duck inside out with the basting mixture (rice vinegar, honey water). Leave to stand for 1 hr. repeat the process at least once, and leave to stand again. Make sure the duck has air dried before baking or it will burn.
7Place duck breast side up on a wired rack which is then inside a large metal oven tray lined with foil. On the foil, place the turmeric and rosemary from the vegetable side ingredient list. The oven tray will collect the duck fat for roasting the vegetable sides later. The turmeric and rosemary can infuse in the fat first.
8Preheat oven to 175C. Place duck breast side up, in the middle or bottom level without touching any oven sides. Time for 8-10min. Then take out the duck, wrap the wing tips and the bone part of the legs with foil to prevent it from burning later.
9Place back in oven still breast side up for 30min (time is for large barbary duck. 15-20min if wild duck). Take out duck, prick the duck all over with sharp metal stick (the metal meat thermometer is a good tool here). Check meat temperature (165F is cooked).
10Remove the duck from the rack. Place the pre-boiled potatoes, garlic and Brussels sprouts on the tray. Place the wire on top and place duck back with it turned over (breast side down)
11Turn the duck over (tummy side up, breast side down). Back in the oven with the veg at the bottom, at 175C for 20-30min (barbary duck here; if wild duck which is much much smaller, go for 10-15min). Check at 15-20min, prick all over again. Check meat temp is 165F. When tummy is browned and meat is cooked, turn back to breast side up, turn oven to 200C and place back in oven to brown the top properly: 3-5min, WATCH the duck at this step, don』t walk away, let it brown but don』t let it burn..
12Place a tea towel on a chopping board. Put on it a long piece of foil (long enough to wrap duck) Take out duck and place duck on foil, wrap duck with foil, then with tea towel. Leave to stand for 10min to let the meat rest.
13Carve and serve! :)