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Crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce

Crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce

Tender confit duck leg pulls apart into crispy shreds that crackle under your teeth. Sweet-tart plum sauce clings to every bite, mingling with crisp cucumber and spring onion crunch in soft rice pancakes. This Chinese restaurant favourite delivers rich, savoury depth with sticky, fruity brightness – pure comfort wrapped up neatly.

Prep: overnight
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves: Serves 2
Dietary: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Pregnancy-friendly
Saturday Kitchen Chef photoBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes


Nutri-Score D iconThis crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce recipe scores D overall. Rich duck fat and sugar in the plum sauce push it towards less healthy, though fresh veg balance things a bit. Expect around 650 kcal per serving, high fat from duck (about 45g), moderate carbs (35g from plums and pancakes), low sugars (15g), minimal fibre (3g), solid protein (30g).

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 duck legs
  • 1–2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • coarse sea salt
  • 640g/1lb 7oz duck fat, to cover
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp pink peppercorns
  • 1 head garlic
  • 3cm/1in fresh root ginger
  • 1 bay leaf

For the plum sauce

  • 300g/10½oz plums, stones removed and cut in half
  • 1 tsp very finely chopped fresh root ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 75g/2¾oz caster sugar
  • 5 tbsp wine vinegar, such as rice, cider or other
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

  • ½ cucumber, julienned
  • ½ mooli (Chinese radish), peeled, julienned and pickled in sugar and rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar (for pickling)
  • 50ml/2fl oz rice vinegar (for pickling)
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and julienned
  • 10 thin rice flour pancakes

Customise

  • Swap duck legs for chicken thighs if you want a lighter crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce version – still takes the five-spice rub beautifully.
  • Use regular radish instead of mooli; quick-pickle keeps that fresh crunch for duck pancakes plum sauce rolls.
  • Shop-bought hoisin works in a pinch for plum sauce, but homemade plum sauce elevates your crispy duck pancakes every time.

Method

Prep the duck (overnight – do ahead!)

  1. Dust those duck legs generously with Chinese five-spice powder – smell that warmth hit you? Rub it in well so every bit soaks up the flavour for your crispy duck pancakes.
  2. Bury them in salt, weigh down with a plate, and pop in the fridge overnight. This draws out moisture for super-crispy skin later – trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Slow confit duck (1½ hours – overlaps with sauce prep)

  1. Preheat oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Rinse off the salt thoroughly – don’t want it too salty in your duck pancakes with plum sauce.
  2. Slip legs into duck fat with star anise, coriander seeds, peppercorns, smashed garlic head, sliced ginger, and bay leaf. Pour fat to cover completely – like a warm bath for the duck.
  3. Cook low and slow for 1½ hours, then cool in the fat. So tender it falls apart – you can do this ahead and fridge it.

Crisp it up (20 mins active)

  1. Crank oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Heat a frying pan till smoking hot.
  2. Fry skin-side down first till golden – hear that sizzle? That’s your crispy duck magic starting.
  3. Roast 20 minutes till crisp. Shred with forks, or crisp shreds further in the pan. Set aside – duck pancakes plum sauce star is ready.

Plum sauce magic (20 mins – make while duck confits)

  1. Chuck everything in a pan – plums, ginger, garlic, soy, sugar, vinegar, 5 tbsp water, seasoning. Bring to boil.
  2. Simmer 20 minutes till collapsed – stir now and then. Push through sieve, taste, tweak salt and pepper. Glossy plum sauce for duck pancakes done.

Quick pickles & serve

  1. Pickle the mooli – julienne, toss in sugar and rice vinegar, let sit 10 mins for crunch.
  2. Prep veg – julienne cucumber and spring onions. Warm pancakes if needed.
  3. Roll and devour – pile duck, plum sauce, cucumber, mooli, onions into pancakes. Roll tight. Crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce heaven.

Suggested Wine Pairing

These crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce love off-dry whites or light reds that cut through rich duck and match plum sauce tang. Grab these from Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Asda – all under £12.50, perfect for duck pancakes plum sauce nights.

  • Finest Gewürztraminer (£11.50, Tesco) – lychee spice and floral notes echo five-spice and plum sauce sweetness in crispy duck pancakes.
  • Gateway Chenin Blanc (£9.75, Sainsbury’s) – ripe peach and honey vibe alongside ginger-plum zing, balances duck fat beautifully.
  • Pinot Noir Pays d’Oc (£10.25, Asda) – cherry brightness with soft tannins refresh against crispy duck pancakes’ richness.

What can you serve with this

  1. Stir-fried pak choi – crisp greens soak up extra plum sauce juices from your crispy duck pancakes.
  2. Steamed jasmine rice – fluffy base catches fallen duck bits and sauce for a fuller meal.
  3. Chilli oil drizzle – adds heat that plays off sweet plum sauce in duck pancakes.
  4. Fresh mango slices – tropical sweetness contrasts savoury duck pancakes with plum sauce.

FAQs for Crispy Duck Pancakes

  • Can you make crispy duck pancakes ahead? Yes – confit duck up to 2 days early, fridge in fat. Crisp on day.
  • What’s the best sub for duck fat? Goose fat works; veg oil if desperate, but loses richness for plum sauce pairing.
  • How do you get skin extra crispy? Overnight salt dry-brine pulls moisture – key for duck pancakes crackle.
  • Gluten-free pancakes? Use rice flour ones as listed – perfect for crispy duck pancakes with plum sauce.
  • Plum sauce too tart? Add extra caster sugar, simmer longer to caramelise for duck pancakes balance.
  • Vegetarian version? Try mushrooms roasted with five-spice – mimics crispy duck pancakes texture.
  • Freeze plum sauce? Yep, up to 3 months. Thaw and warm gently for next duck pancakes night.
  • Why mooli? Crisp bite cuts duck richness in pancakes; daikon radish subs fine.

 

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