Peking Duck

If the duck (2300 g) was frozen, thaw it fully in the refrigerator. Trim excess fat from the neck and tail area, pat the bird dry, and pour boiling water over it several times so the skin tightens slightly. Rub the duck inside and out with table salt (24 g), place it on a rack or hang it, and leave it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours without wrapping it tightly.

Mix allulose (35 g), sugar-free soy sauce (45 g), rice vinegar (15 g), sesame oil (20 g), five-spice blend (4 g), garlic (12 g), and ginger (15 g). Rub the cavity lightly with the remaining garlic (6 g) and ginger (5 g), then coat the duck well with the marinade and return it to the refrigerator for another 12-24 hours. If some marinade drips into the tray, brush it back over the skin 2-3 times during this stage.

Before roasting, let the duck stand at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. Set it breast side up on a rack over a deep roasting tray filled with 1-2 cm of hot water. Roast at 160°C for about 2.5-3.5 hours, using roughly 1 hour per kilogram as a guide but never less than 2.5 hours. This gives the skin time to dry, the fat time to render, and the meat time to soften.

Mix the remaining allulose (10 g) with the remaining soy sauce (15 g) and brush the duck with this glaze. Raise the heat to 220-250°C and roast for another 7-15 minutes, watching closely until the skin turns deep golden brown without becoming bitter. If needed, glaze it once more quickly and give it another 3-5 minutes for the final shine.

Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let the duck rest inside for 10-15 minutes. Cut the cucumbers (120 g) into long sticks and the green onion (40 g) into 5-6 cm lengths. Serve the duck in thin slices with cucumber, green onion, and a small amount of sugar-free teriyaki sauce (20 g).

If you want drier, crisper skin, let the duck sit in the refrigerator for another 8-12 hours after salting and before marinating so the surface dries even better.