Chinese Five-Spice Duck Legs with Orange and Ginger Marinade
MarinadesChineseEasy

Chinese Five-Spice Duck Legs with Orange and Ginger Marinade

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A dry-rub-meets-wet marinade of five-spice, soy sauce, orange zest and fresh ginger that seasons duck legs overnight, then roasts them low and slow until the meat is tender and the skin is crackling and mahogany.

Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hr 45 min
Wait
12 hr 15 min
Total
15 hr 20 min
Makes
4 roast duck legs
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Steps

Before you start
  • Start the day before: the duck needs at least 12 hours (up to 24) in the marinade.
  • Pat the duck legs very dry; dry skin is the key to crisp skin.
  • Take the duck out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting so it cooks evenly.
  • Use fine zest from a scrubbed orange, avoiding the bitter white pith.

  1. Dry and score duck

    • Pat the duck legs completely dry with paper towels.
    • With a sharp paring knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern with cuts about ¼ inch (6 mm) apart, cutting through the skin and fat but not into the meat.
    • Poke a few small holes in the thicker fatty areas.
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    Ready when: Skin shows a neat diamond pattern and the meat underneath is not exposed.

    Tip: Scoring too deeply lets the juices escape and dries out the meat.

  2. Mix the marinade

    • In a small bowl, stir together the five-spice, soy sauce, orange zest, ginger, garlic, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, salt and sesame oil into a loose, fragrant paste.
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    Ready when: Sugar is mostly dissolved and the paste looks evenly speckled.

  3. Rub the duck

    • Place the legs in a large zip-top bag or dish.
    • Spoon the marinade over them and massage it into the meat side, working it under the loosened edges of the skin and into the scores.
    • Try to keep as little marinade as possible on the skin surface.
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    Ready when: Every leg is coated on the meat side and the paste is worked into the cuts.

    Tip: Wet marinade on the skin steams it and prevents crisping, so favor the meat side.

  4. Marinate overnight

    • Seal the bag, pressing out the air, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, flipping the bag once partway through.
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    Ready when: Meat looks deep brown-red and smells strongly of orange and spice.

  5. Dry the skin

    • Remove the legs from the bag and scrape off the clumps of ginger and garlic, which can burn, leaving a thin film of marinade.
    • Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
    • Set the legs skin-side up on a wire rack set in the baking sheet and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats.
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    Ready when: Skin feels dry and tacky, not wet.

  6. Slow roast coveredOven 325°F / 165°C

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
    • Cover the baking sheet tightly with foil and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is becoming tender.
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    Ready when: Fat has pooled in the pan and a knife meets little resistance in the thickest part.

    Tip: Do not let the baking sheet's fat overflow; carefully drain excess into a heatproof jar halfway if the pan is full.

  7. Crisp the skinOven 425°F / 220°C

    • Remove the foil and carefully pour off the rendered fat into a heatproof jar (save it for roasting potatoes).
    • Raise the oven to 425°F (220°C) and roast the legs uncovered, skin-side up, for 25 to 30 minutes.
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    Ready when: Skin is deep mahogany, blistered and crisp, and the internal temperature of the thickest part is at least 190°F (88°C).

    Tip: Watch from minute 20; the sugar and soy can darken quickly. Tent loosely with foil if any area is getting too dark.

  8. Rest and serve

    • Transfer the legs to a cutting board or platter and rest for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute.
    • Scatter with sliced scallion greens if using, and serve whole or pulled from the bone.
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    Ready when: Meat pulls easily from the bone while the skin stays crisp.

Good to know

Tips
  • Keep wet marinade off the skin and dry the skin well for crisp results.
  • Duck legs are best cooked well past 165°F; 190°F (88°C) gives meltingly tender meat.
  • Save the rendered duck fat; it keeps for months refrigerated and is excellent for roast potatoes.
  • Serve with steamed rice, bok choy and a little hoisin or plum sauce.
Make ahead

"The marinated duck can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before roasting. Fully roasted legs can be cooled and refrigerated for 2 days, then crisped again in the oven."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: airtight up to 3 days. Freezer: wrapped well up to 2 months, thawed overnight in the fridge. Reheat on a rack at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes until hot (165°F/74°C) and the skin re-crisps."

Substitutions
  • Shaoxing wine → dry sherry. Closest widely available swap; use the same amount.
  • light soy sauce → tamari. Makes the recipe gluten-free; use the same amount.
  • light brown sugar → honey. Use 2 teaspoons; it browns faster, so watch the final roast.
  • orange zest → tangerine zest. Use the same amount for a slightly sweeter flavor.
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