Cantonese Roast Duck

Cantonese roast duck hangs in the windows of barbecue shops across the city, burnished and dripping, its skin lacquered with honey and maltose. At home, a good roast duck means seasoning the bird inside and out, drying the skin until taut, and roasting it hot so the fat renders and the skin crisps. It is the dish for celebrations, carved at the table and served with rice and a ginger dipping sauce. Let the duck rest before carving so the juices stay in the meat.

Burnished skin, dark and sweetly crisp

The skin is the prize: dark, glossy, and crisp, with a whisper of honey sweetness over rich, savory meat. The five-spice marinade perfumes the flesh all the way to the bone, and the pan juices make a quick sauce with a splash of water and soy. Roast it low, then blast it high at the end for that lacquered crackle, and watch the table go quiet when you carve.

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