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Writer's pictureChef Matt Basile

Whole BBQ Duck and Fried Rice



I love dim sum and Chinese food restaurants. There's a place in Toronto that's called Pearl Harbourfront and it has the most amazing dim sum. When I go, I also tend to order their BBQ whole duck and it is so good, so I decided to make my own version using the Alchemy. It was amazing. An important step I recommend you don't skip, is air-drying your duck for two days in the fridge prior to cooking it. Just pat the duck dry and place on a plate or tray in the fridge, uncovered and allow the cool air to dry it out. I decided to spatchcock (flatten) the duck so it would take less time to cook, but in theory you can keep it whole. I smoked the spatchcock duck in the Alchemy smoker compartment and then seared it up top on the grill to crisp up the skin. A secret tip to get that skin extra extra crispy, is to heat up oil and pour it over the duck, the skin crisps and crackles and it is amazing. I also made my own sweet and salty cranberry-soy glaze for the duck and spooned it over my duck as it smoked to help flavour and caramelize it. I made a spicy fried rice to go along with my duck, which is super quick and easy to make. Once my duck was done, I chopped it up into pieces, put it on top of that fried rice and drizzled on more of that glaze and garnished it with chopped green onion. The duck was so juicy and tender and the skin was crispy and caramelized, the smoke added another level of flavour but wasn't too much, it was just an insanely good dish. If you want to find out how to make my Whole BBQ Duck and Fried Rice keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.



seasoning the spatchcock whole duck with salt

The first step, is to let the duck air dry, unwrapped (no plastic, no bag, no styrofoam tray, nothing) on a plate or tray in the fridge for two days prior to cooking. When you're ready to start cooking, set your smoker to 350F-375F. Spatchcock the duck and season with salt.


the whole duck being placed in the Alchemy smoker

Place the duck in the smoker for 1.5 hours or until the internal temp reaches 165F.


salt being sprinkled into a bowl with chopped ginger and garlic

To make the glaze, grate the ginger and garlic into a bowl, add the sugar, salt and Chinese five spice.


hoisin sauce being poured into a bowl to make the duck glaze

Mix in the seasoned soy sauce, then the rice vinegar, then cranberry juice, then hoisin.


the glaze being drizzled over the duck in the smoker

While the duck smokes, about every half hour, brush the duck with the glaze.


chopped garlic being put into a bowl with chopped ginger, carrot and onion

For the fried rice, dice the carrot and green onion, reserving the green parts for garnish. Dice the garlic and ginger.


the garlic, ginger, carrot and green onion in a wok on the Alchemy with two eggs cracked into it

Add oil to a wok placed in the elevated grill rack stand, add in all the ingredients and mix until fragrant and slightly softened. Add in the eggs and mix.


the fried rice being seasoned with soy sauce in the wok


Add in the chili crisp and mix (adjust amount based on desired level of spice). Add the rice and mix, then season with the soy sauce and mix. Remove from the heat.


the whole bbq duck being seared on the grill with hot oil being drizzled onto the skin

Add the grill plate onto the elevated grill rack stand and place a cast iron pan with canola oil in it to heat up. Once the duck is cooked, remove from the smoker and place on the diamond patterned grill. Spoon the hot oil over the duck to crisp up the skin.


the bbq duck being seared in the centre fire pit to crisp up the skin

Sear the duck on all sides on the grill and in the centre fire.


the bbq duck being cut into pieces

Once the duck is seared, place on a cutting board and chop into pieces. Ideally you let it rest a couple of minutes, so the juices don't escape like they didn't with mine... I was just really excited to get into it...


the chopped up bbq duck on the fried rice topped with chopped green onions

To plate, chop up the duck and place on a platter on top of the fried rice. Spoon leftover glaze on top of the duck and garnish with the chopped green onions.


And now for the full recipe...


Whole BBQ Duck and Fried Rice

Serves 4 to 6 people

Prep Time: Two days + 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes


Ingredients:

1 whole duck

2 tbsp salt


Glaze:

2 tbsp grated ginger

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup seasoned soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice

1/4 cup hoisin

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 cup cranberry juice (sweetened)


Fried Rice:

5-6 green onions

1 carrot

1 tbsp ginger

2 cloves garlic

2 cups day old rice

2 eggs

1-2 tbsp chili crisp

1-2 tbsp seasoned soy sauce


How to Make Whole BBQ Duck and Fried Rice


The first step, is to let the duck air dry, unwrapped (no plastic, no bag, no styrofoam tray, nothing) on a plate or tray in the fridge for two days prior to cooking.


Set smoker to 350F-375F.


Spatchcock the duck and season with salt. Place in the smoker for 1.5 hours or the internal temp reaches 165F.


To make the glaze, grate the ginger and garlic into a bowl, add the sugar, salt and Chinese five spice. Mix in the seasoned soy sauce, then the rice vinegar, then cranberry juice, then hoisin. While the duck smokes, about every half hour, brush the duck with the glaze.


For the fried rice, dice the carrot and green onion, reserving the green parts for garnish. Dice the garlic and ginger. Add oil to a wok placed in the elevated grill rack stand, add in all the ingredients and mix until fragrant and slightly softened. Add in the eggs and mix. Add in the chili crisp and mix (adjust amount based on desired level of spice). Add the rice and mix, then season with the soy sauce and mix. Remove from the heat.


Add the grill plate onto the elevated grill rack stand and place a cast iron pan with canola oil on it, to heat up.


Once the duck is cooked, remove from the smoker and place on the diamond patterned grill. Spoon the hot oil over the duck to crisp up the skin. Sear the duck on all sides on the grill and in the centre fire.


To plate, chop up the duck and place on a platter on top of the fried rice. Spoon leftover glaze on top of the duck and garnish with the chopped green onions.


Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss out on a new recipe, follow me on all my social channels @chefmattbasile and check out my new project @alchemygrills for updates, recipes and videos.



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Matt Basile

MEET THE CHEF

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Chef Matt Basile is the founder of the Toronto-based street food brand, Fidel Gastro's, which, within four years, went from an underground sandwich pop-up to an internationally recognized food brand. Now almost a decade later, Matt has a still growing business of food experiences, restaurant consulting and new and exciting foodie-filled projects on the way. Matt always strives to be different in an industry steeped in tradition. Matt is also the author of the best-selling cookbooks Street Food Diaries and Brunch Life, and was the host of the travel food show Rebel Without a Kitchen for two seasons. More here!

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