Peking Duck (Frugal Gourmet) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 1/2 - 5 lbs frozen duck, defrosted
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 orange, peel only
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soybean paste
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
6 tablespoons honey
green onion, for garnish
hoisin sauce, for garnish

Preparation

Remove giblets from inside the duck. Remove the excess fat that hangs about the tail.
Rub 1 T salt into tho skin and let the duck dry for 1 hour.
Saute' the orange peel, the 2 chopped green onions, and garlic in the peanut oil for a moment.
Add 1/2 teaspoon hoisin and the soy sauce. Simmer for a moment, and add the chicken broth. Allow mixture to cool.
Wipe the duck dry with paper towels.
Using poultry lacing needles, firmly lace up the neck and tie it closed with twine.
Begin lacing up the rear end leaving enough space to fill the cavity with sauce.
After pouring sauce into cavity, finish lacing up the bird, making sure the sauce does not leak out either end! This is very important, it needs to be airtight for the next fun step.
Now, using the basketball needle and a tire pump, insert the needle into the neck of the bird, just under the skin and on the body side of the string used for the upper neck. Place a 2nd piece of string around the neck just above the point of the needle insertion so that you can tie the neck tightly after pumping the bird like a balloon. Now, slowly and carefully pump up the bird until the skin separates from the meat, remove the needle and quickly tie off the bird (two people for this step really helps).
The success of the dish depends on the bird being air tight.
In a large kettle bring 6 quarts water to boil. Add the honey. Make a sling out of one piece of fabric and use it to lower the duck onto the honey water. Roll it gently for a few moments. Don't lose the duck!
Now remove the duck from the water, and bring the wings around to the back of the bird, and slip a long piece of fabric under the wings.
Hang the duck so that it swings freely from the sling, in a cool place (we put it in the shower) and aim a fan at it for 3 - 4 hours.
Play games (Chinese Checkers, Mah Jong, etc) with the family.
Remove the bird from its roost, and place it gently in a greased roasting rack. Roast for 30 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Turn the oven to 350 degrees F until you have roasted the duck for a TOTAL TIME of 18 minutes per pound. (Include the first 30 minutes in your time).
Place a pan of water under the duck to catch the drippings (without smoke - hence the water).
Remove from oven and allow to rest for a moment.
Drain the juice and serve in separate bowl.
The skin is the highlight of the recipe, but the entire duck is amazing!