Easy Peking Duck Lettuce Cups Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 whole duck legs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 green onions, cut into large pieces
• 5 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 0.25 cup hoisin sauce
• 0.5 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 18 whole butter or Bibb lettuce leaves
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
2. To prepare the duck: Place the duck legs in a large bowl, then drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, five-spice powder, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
3. Sprinkle large pieces of green onion into a baking dish large enough to hold the duck legs in a single layer. Place the duck legs, skin-side up, on top of the green onions. Scatter garlic over the duck. Place a sheet of parchment paper directly on top of the duck to help retain moisture. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Then, turn off the oven, crack the oven door open, and let the duck rest inside for 1 hour; do not uncover the dish during this time.
5. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Baste the duck with the rendered fat in the dish. Place the parchment paper back over the duck and re-wrap the dish in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
6. Make the sauce: Mix the hoisin sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, and hot sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside for later.
7. Remove the duck meat from the bones, leaving the skin on. Cut the meat into 1/2-inch cubes for easy serving.
8. Remove 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the dish and add it to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir half of the cubed meat in the hot fat until the pieces are brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining meat and cook and stir until the duck is just heated through, about 1 minute more. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion.
9. Spoon the duck mixture into lettuce leaves to create cups. Drizzle with the prepared sauce and garnish with cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.

Nutrition

• Calories: 280 kcal
• Fat Content: 15 g
• Fiber Content: 2 g
• Sugar Content: 4 g
• Sodium Content: 1257 mg
• Protein Content: 25 g
• Cholesterol Content: 99 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 12 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g