Best 4 Asian Braised Duck Legs Recipes

CRISPY BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put duck legs skin side down in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably. Turn heat to medium, and cook, rotating so skin browns thoroughly and evenly but do not turn over completely. Meanwhile, peel onion and carrots, trim celery and roughly chop them all.
• When skins are nicely browned, turn and sear the meat side just 1 to 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Remove to a plate; remove all fat from pan except enough to moisten vegetables. Add vegetables and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Return duck legs skin side up to pan, and add stock; it should come about halfway up the legs but not cover them. Turn heat to high, bring to boil and transfer to oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, and turn heat to 350 degrees. Cook undisturbed until duck is tender and liquid reduced, at least 30 minutes or a bit longer. Serve immediately, or let rest in a 200-degree oven for up to an hour.

ASIAN BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Season legs with salt& pepper.
• Heat a kettle large enough to hold legs in 1 layer, add legs fat side down, cook 15-20 minutes until browned.
• Turn over and cook 2 minutes more, remove to a plate.
• In fat add black beans, garlic, and ginger.
• saute 2 minutes.
• Add onion, carrots, celery, shiitakes, cook 3 minutes more.
• Add shaoxing and deglaze the pan.
• Add tamari, sugar, thyme and duck legs back to pan, fat side up.
• Add water to cover.
• Simmer 1 1/2 hrs until duck is tender.
• Remove legs to a platter.
• Reduce cooking liquid by one half until thickened.
• You may add 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with water if sauce isn't thick enough.
• Pour over legs.

SINGAPOREAN BRAISED DUCK

Steps:

• Trim the duck of any visible excess fat, especially from the tail area. Mix together the salt and five-spice powder, and season the duck all over, including inside the cavity, and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or overnight. Rinse the duck with fresh water inside and out.
• Place a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the sugar. After it liquefies, watch it carefully as it caramelizes to a medium brown, swirling the pot occasionally to help it color evenly. Add the star anise, garlic and ginger, and stir to coat in the caramel, and to keep the caramel cooking until it's a dark brown, but not burned. Stir in 1 cup of water to dissolve the caramel, then add the kecap manis.
• Add duck, breast side up, then add water to come up halfway, submerging the legs. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, just barely bubbling.
• Cook for 15 minutes, then carefully flip the duck so the breast side is down. Cook 15 minutes, then flip again. Taste the liquid, and add salt or more kecap manis to taste. Cook 15 minutes, then flip so the breast side is down again. Cook another 5 to 15 minutes, until the breast is cooked to your liking. Traditionally it should be cooked through, but Tan's spin is to remove the duck when the breast meat is 135 to 140 degrees, or medium. To use a traditional test, poke a chopstick in the thickest parts of the duck thigh and breast; if it goes through without too much resistance, it's done.
• Remove the duck to a platter or cutting board, and tent with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and eggs to the sauce, and simmer them gently for 10 minutes, until stained and hot. Skim the sauce of any floating fat if necessary, and serve it all with rice and chile sauce.

CRISP-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put duck legs, skin side down, in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably; turn heat to medium. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown duck legs carefully and evenly, sprinkling them with salt and pepper as they cook. Meanwhile, peel and dice vegetables.
• When legs are nicely browned, turn them over and sear for just a minute or two. Remove to a plate; remove all but enough fat to moisten vegetables. Add vegetables to skillet along with some salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Return duck legs to pan, skin side up, and add stock; it should come about halfway up duck legs but should not cover them. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, and transfer to oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees. Continue to cook, undisturbed, until duck is tender and liquid reduced, at least another half hour. The duck is done when a thin-bladed knife pierces the meat with little resistance. When done, duck will hold nicely in a warm oven for another hour. Serve hot.