Chinese 5 Spice Duck Tacos

I originally had thought of this dish as a Peking Duck Taco. But then I realized that by claiming this recipe as any form of Peking duck is an insult those who have painstakingly created Peking Duck at home or at a restaurant. So instead, I’ve called this Chinese 5 Spice Duck Tacos, it uses some of the tenets from Peking Duck to deliver a delicious dish.

So first, the type of duck typically used for Peking Duck is a duck that’s skin is thinner and air dried (about 65 days old), this allows for the skin to be crispy which is essential for Peking Duck. From there Peking Duck can get really complicated and it can take days to make when done correctly. If you’re up for the challenge, check out Serious Eats for the best method. 

Essentially the duck is filled with air to separate the skin from the meat, which allows it to crisp up even more, after a few more steps it’s roasted to a dark golden brown color. It’s then served with a pungent sweet sauce like Hoisin or Plum and thin Chinese Pancakes (you can use a tortilla if you’re pressed for time).

Duck is one of my favorite meats to cook, I think it has such a unique flavor and it’s gaminess to me is actually a plus not a negative. Duck has played a role in Chinese cuisine for centuries, appearing in cookbooks and Royal texts in the past. It ultimately manifested itself into Peking Duck, which then became a popular menu item at home in China and abroad as the Chinese migration in the early 20th century took place. It’s so popular that it was served as part of the state dinner when President Nixon and Secretary of State Kissinger visited China for the first time in 1971.

So Peking Duck can basically be called a bastardized taco if you want to get down to the nuts and bolts of it all. Not having a whole duck on my hands, I used duck breast to make a duck taco instead. The key to this dish is the Chinese 5 Spice blend. What is 5 spice blend? It’s a mixture of:

• Star anise (bajiao, 八角)
• Cloves (dingxiang, 丁香)
• Chinese Cinnamon (rougui, 肉桂)
• Sichuan pepper (huajiao, 花椒)
• Fennel seeds (xiaohuixiang, 小茴香)

The end result is this flavorful mix that is warming and slightly tangy. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s delicious.

When preparing duck breast, remember you don’t want to overcook it, medium rare is typically how much you want it to cook (it should be pink on the inside). By starting the cooking process with the breast, skin side down, you will avoid overcooking the meat and at the same time you will render a lot of the fat out of the skin which can make it chewy rather than crispy.

Recipe – Chinese 5 Spice Duck Tacos

Ingredients

2 Duck Breasts (skin on)

1 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1/2 Tsp. Chinese 5 Spice Blend

Pancakes (I just use a good tortilla, you’re welcome to make your own)

Plum Sauce

Method

Step 1- Mix the salt, pepper, and 5 spice together.

Step 2- Score the skin of the duck breast with three deep lines, then rub in the spices.

Step 3- Place the duck breast, skin side down on a cool pan, set the temp to low.

Step 4 – After about 10 minutes duck fat should begin to render out of the skin, use this to keep other side moist.

Step 5- (Depending on your preference of doneness) Once the skin is crispy, flip the breast, quickly browning the other side and then set aside, tenting the breast in aluminum foil.

Step 6- In a non-stick pan, take a bit of the duck fat and heat it. Then add your tortilla and cook it until the bread puffs up.

Step 7- Spread the plum sauce on the tortilla and then cut your duck breast (against the grain) and serve with the tortilla.

Enjoy!