Hoisin Braised Duck Legs (Pulled Duck)
Duck legs marinated in hoisin sauce then slowly braised in a flavourful stock, until the meat's melt in your mouth tender! This pulled duck works great on tacos, in spring rolls & loads more.
Servings: 4 Servings
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Saucepan
- Airtight Container
Ingredients
- 4 Duck Legs (See Notes)
Hoisin Marinade
- 150 g Hoisin Sauce
- 25 g Rice Wine Vinegar
- 20 g Honey
- 15 g Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- A 1" Piece Of Fresh Ginger
Braising Liquid
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- A 1" Piece Of Fresh Ginger
- 1 Red Chilli (See Notes)
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 Chicken Stock Pot
Instructions
Hoisin Marinade
- Add the hoisin, vinegar, honey & soy sauce into a large mixing bowl.
- Next, peel the garlic & ginger then grate both into the hoisin. Give the marinade a stir to combine then add in the duck legs, tossing them in the marinade so that they're completely coated.
- Transfer the duck & marinade into an airtight container (or ziplock bag) then chill in the fridge overnight.
Braising
- The next day, preheat an oven to 160°c/140°c fan (320°f/284°f).
- Next, crush the garlic cloves, cut the the fresh ginger into thick slices & roughly chop the chilli. Set these aside for now.Don't worry about peeling the garlic or ginger! Use the flat side of a large knife or rolling pin to crush the garlic.
- Set a large ovenproof saucepan over a medium heat, add in the vegetable oil then leave to heat up for a minute or two.
- In the meantime, take the duck legs out of the marinade, wiping any excess off. Don't throw the marinade away though, we'll be adding it to the braising liquid.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add in the duck legs, skin side down then cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crisp & golden. Flip the legs over, cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown then transfer to a plate.Hoisin sauce will burn quite easily, so make sure to keep an eye on the duck as you sear it!
- Next, deglaze the pan with a splash of water. To do this, add a small amount of water into the pan then use a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown caramelised bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Turn the heat down slightly then to the pan, add the garlic, ginger, chilli, cinnamon stick, star anise & chicken stock pot. Then place the duck legs back into the pan.
- Pour the reserved marinade over the duck legs then add enough cold water into the pan, to just cover the duck.
- Cover the pan with a lid then transfer to the preheated oven & cook for 2-3 hours, until the duck is tender enough to pull. Once cooked, the meat will be pulling away from the bone & when you insert a food probe/skewer into the meat, it should slide in with little to no resistance.If your pan hasn't got an ovenproof lid, cover the duck with a circle of baking parchment (a cartouche) then cover the top of the pan with foil.
- Once cooked, let the duck legs cool in the braising liquid until cool enough to handle then carefully lift them out. Use a fork (or your hands) to shred the meat into bitesize chunks then serve! I like to mix a spoonful of the braising liquid through the meat as well.Don't throw the braising liquid away! There's some suggestions for using it, in the "notes" section. The duck will take around 30 minutes to cool & rest.
Notes
1. To Cook On An Aga - Use the boiling plate to sear the duck legs & to prepare the braising liquid. Braise the duck in the baking oven, on a grid shelf placed onto the floor.
2. Duck Legs - I used Gressingham duck legs for this recipe (880g total weight). These are available in most supermarkets & butchers.
3. Chilli - I added a mild red chilli to my braising liquid, for a subtle amount of spice. Feel free to use a hotter chilli if you'd prefer though.
4. Leftover Braising Liquid - The leftover braising liquid can be used as a sauce for serving with the duck or it can be passed through a sieve & used for stock (for soups, noodles, etc). To thicken the braising liquid for a sauce, I'd recommend bringing it to a boil over a medium heat then stirring in a cornflour slurry (cornflour & cold water).
5. Storage - Once cooked & pulled, the braised duck should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge & is best eaten within 3 days.
6. Reheating - The pulled duck can be reheated in a pan on the stove or in the oven. I'd recommend adding a splash of the braising liquid (or water) to the duck to keep it from drying out.