Best (and Safest) Way to Reheat Peking Duck

If you like Chinese food, you are most likely familiar with Peking duck – a savory dinner dish made with roasted duck and covered in a sweet sauce. Most of the time, Peking duck is also served with shredded vegetables.

Peking duck and roasted duck are often prepared in different ways. Peking duck is typically cooked by sewing the duck together during cooking to allow it to inflate. The inflation puffs up the skin and then the meat is roasted. This process allows the skin to reach the perfect crispness. 

Peking duck is typically a delicacy dish or one used for rare occasions and celebrations. It is a more expensive dish to purchase or prepare and is more of a rarity than say roasted beef or chicken.

Many times, it is soaked in honey and/or sherry as well as herbs and spices, and cured for several hours or even days before being cooked. For the best flavor, it is slow-roasted.

The question is, can you safely and effectively store and reheat Peking duck? Will it be flavorful and delicious when reheated? The short answer is yes, you can absolutely reheat Peking duck safely and still enjoy the great flavor. In fact, it’s really quite simple to do. 

Whether you enjoy your Peking duck fresh or purchase it and reheat it later or even want to try it cold, there’s a method for reheating that you should follow. You can also add deliciously sweet duck sauce for added flavor. 

Keep reading to find out all of the details that you need to know before you try to reheat your Peking duck. We will walk you through all of the specifics as we progress. 

Storing and Reheating Peking Duck

Peking duck is a delicious and expensive rare treat for most people. There are very specific methods for the initial preparation of Peking duck and most times it is marinated and cured for several days before it is roasted. 

Peking duck is no simple dish and it is well worth the cost when you’re in the mood for a treat or a splurge.

There are a few safety tips to follow, especially if you choose to fry your Peking duck when reheating, but primarily it is a simple task.

If you are making your own Peking duck rather than purchasing and reheating leftovers, it is quite simple to cook it the day before your big dinner and then reheat it before serving to cut down on time. 

We love making Peking duck in woks! This one especially works well since it’s deep enough to contain the entire duck.

Peking duck is not one of those inexpensive meals that you are not that worried about the quality.

This meal is a much more expensive option, even just for purchasing the meat. Peking duck takes considerable time and effort to prepare and that does not even include the cooking part. 

You want to be very sure that you can properly and safely reheat your Peking duck so that every little morsel is enjoyed and nothing goes to waste. Don’t forget to add your duck sauce and your veggies for this delicious duck dish. 

I’m sure you’re ready to get down to the details by now. The question still remains how do you reheat Peking duck effectively and safely?

Let’s start by going over some of the upsides and downsides to reheating Peking duck and set your expectations. 

The Upsides to Reheating Peking Duck

• Reheating Peking duck does not take long.
• You can reheat in hot oil or in the oven.
• Reheating properly preserves the crispness of the skin.
• Some of the flavors are even more savory when reheating because they’ve had additional time to soak in.
• No need to toss expensive leftovers. Store and reheat and enjoy every last bite. 

The Downsides to Reheating Peking Duck

• There are only two primary ways to reheat your Peking duck.
• Using hot oil could be dangerous, you must be very careful.
• If you do not follow the tips and instructions, you may experience dry duck upon reheating.
• If the duck was overcooked on the first heating, it is likely you will have dry leftovers from the storing and reheating process.
• Follow instructions carefully for ultimate safety and best results.

Now that you are aware of some of the basic upside and downsides, it’s time to get down to business! Let’s dive a little deeper into the overall process for storing and reheating your Peking duck. 

Be mindful of each of the instructions and tips and don’t skip steps. If you do this properly, you will thank us later when you get to enjoy that duck and still tastes just as great as the first time around. 

We’ve put together a simple guide to walk you through each and every aspect of reheating your Peking duck. From safety concerns to crisp skin to a moist duck we’ve got you covered. 

We are confident that if you pay attention to the details and make every effort to follow the instructions provided that your taste buds will be ever so grateful when they are enjoying that duck. 

A Detailed Guide to Reheating Peking Duck

Rest assured that reheating Peking duck is really quite simple. The overall process does not take much time at all. You can refrigerate or freeze your Peking duck before reheating. 

If you choose to freeze your Peking duck, it is very important that you allow it to thaw before attempting to reheat it.

This is especially important if you intend to reheat your Peking duck using hot oil and a frying method. It must be both thawed and dry for safety purposes. 

How to Store Peking Duck

The most important factor for storing Peking duck is to keep in mind that you must move it to storage fairly quickly. It cannot be left sitting out for a long period of time as the meat could go bad. 

You can both refrigerate and freeze Peking duck and both are simple solutions based on what will work best for your needs. 

1. Tightly wrap, cover, or store your Peking duck. Use a plastic wrap, a freezer bag (I absolutely LOVE these reusable freezer bags), or an airtight container. You want it sealed well to prevent drying out. 
2. Store Peking duck in the refrigerator for 2-3 days at most. The duck could dry out over time but the importance of time is the freshness of the meat. 
3. Store Peking duck in the freezer for 3-4 months. Duck does not maintain freshness as long as various meats such as chicken or steak and will need to be used in a reasonable time frame. 
4. When preparing to store your Peking duck, do not let it set out for more than an hour after cooking. 

How to (Safely) Reheat Peking Duck

You took the proper precautions when you stored your duck. You put it away in a timely manner and you made sure it was airtight in a dish or a wrapping. Now you’re ready to reheat and serve the leftovers. 

We advise that you pay close attention to detail during the reheating process. This is both for safety and flavor reasons. Follow the tips and instructions for the best results and you won’t be disappointed. 

1. If you froze your Peking duck, be sure to allow it to thaw completely before attempting to reheat it. This is a safety precaution!
2. The safest and most simple way to reheat your Peking duck is in the oven. 
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cover your duck and pan tightly with foil. Covering with foil is what prevents the duck from drying out. You can also rub melted better along the skin of the duck to preserve moisture. Bake for about 20 minutes or until warmed through. 
4. You can also reheat your Peking duck on the grill. To prevent it from drying out, wrap it in foil before grilling. 
5. Another alternative is to use a deep fryer or boiling oil method. This is the least safe method and is not highly recommended once the Peking duck has already been previously cooked. 
6. As a final alternative, you can eat the Peking duck cold if you’d like in a sandwich or by itself as long as you followed proper storing procedures. 

Related Questions

We hope this guide has been a useful resource in discovering how to safely and effectively reheat your Peking duck. If you have further questions or simply want more information, please read our common questions that are listed below. 

Why Is Frying to Reheat Not Recommended?

Frying to reheat is a very unpredictable method. If the duck is not fully thawed and completely dry when you place it into boiling oil, it could lead to a fire or an explosion. For best results, we recommend the oven, which is a much safer solution. 

Do I Need To Cure or Season Again to Reheat?

Curing a second time is not necessary for reheating. Seasoning is also not necessary. The Peking duck will maintain its flavor. You can add additional sauce or melted butter to pull flavor out and ensure the duck does not dry out. 

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