Roast Duck Clay Pot Rice
烧鸭煲仔饭 · shāo yā bāo zǎi fàn
This is the laziest genuinely great clay pot rice there is. You do not roast anything; you buy roast duck, and three-quarters of the flavour arrives in the bag. Ask specifically for the bone-in leg end and pour any juices from the container into sauce, and you have the best thing you can do with a shop-bought bird.
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- jasmine rice, rinsed茉莉香米，淘洗🏮 asian220 g
- Cantonese roast duck, bone-in, chopped广式烧鸭，连骨斩件🏮 asian350 g
- hoisin sauce海鲜酱🏮 asian15 ml
- oyster sauce蚝油🏮 asian15 ml
- light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian15 ml
- dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian5 ml
- honey蜂蜜🛒 local10 ml
- fresh ginger, shredded鲜姜，切丝🛒 local15 g
- scallion, sliced小葱，切葱花🛒 local25 g
- neutral oil食用油🛒 local15 ml
jasmine rice, rinsed: Rinsed until clear and drained
Cantonese roast duck, bone-in, chopped: Ask for the leg end with bones; keep every drop of juice from the container
honey: Loosens the sauce and echoes the duck skin glaze
neutral oil: Films the pot for the crust
🌶️ Adjust to your taste
Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".
Spice level
Saltiness
Oiliness
Make it vegetarian
Instructions
1Pull the duck off the bones in large pieces and reserve every drop of juice from the container. Keep the bones.
拆肉留汁
🔍 Look for 5 分钟 · 5 minutesVisual: 肉成块拆下，脆皮仍连在上面；盒底积着一层深色带油的汁水Meat comes away in chunks with lacquered skin still attached; a pool of dark, fatty juice sits at the bottom of the container
You know it's right when: 鸭皮看起来仍干爽酥脆，没有被自身汁水泡软The skin still looks crisp and dry, not steamed soft from sitting in its own juice
2Put rice, 300 ml (1¼ cups) water, oil and the reserved bones into the clay pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring once.
带骨下米
🔍 Look for Medium heat 6 分钟 · 6 minutesVisual: 乳白的水在锅面沸腾，浮着一层鸭油逼出的淡金色油膜Milky water boiling across the surface with a faint golden film from the rendered duck fat
You know it's right when: 锅中央持续冒泡破裂Bubbles break through the centre continuously
The bones go in raw with the rice. That is where the depth comes from.
3Whisk hoisin, oyster sauce, light soy, dark soy, honey and the reserved duck juice together until smooth.
调酱汁
🔍 Look for 2 分钟 · 2 minutesVisual: 红木色酱汁油亮，倒下成带状，碗壁能挂上一层A glossy mahogany sauce that pours in a ribbon and leaves a film on the side of the bowl
You know it's right when: 看不到蜂蜜的浅色条纹或老抽的深色痕迹No separate streaks of pale honey or dark soy remain
4Cover the pot, drop to the lowest heat and cook 15 minutes. Then remove the bones and lay the duck skin-side up on the rice in one layer.
小火焖饭后铺鸭
🔍 Look for Low heat 15 分钟 · 15 minutesVisual: 水分被吸干，饭面布满气孔，鸭皮开始泛油光Water has been absorbed, the surface is pocked with steam holes, and the duck skin has started to glisten
You know it's right when: 稍微倾斜锅身，没有流动的汤水No free liquid remains when you tilt the pot slightly
5Spoon the sauce over the duck, cover, and cook another 8 minutes on the lowest heat. Then raise to medium-low for 5 minutes to set the crust.
淋酱再焖逼锅巴
🔍 Look for Medium-low 13 分钟 · 13 minutesVisual: 酱汁下渗把米饭染成琥珀色；蒸汽几乎散尽，有淡淡焦香The sauce has run down and stained the rice amber; steam is almost gone and there is a faint toasty smell
You know it's right when: 能听到锅底轻微的干脆爆声A dry crackle is audible from the base of the pot
Skin-side up, always. Skin-side down in a closed pot and you will steam every bit of crisp off it.
6Off the heat, rest 5 minutes. Scatter ginger and scallion, then fold from the bottom up and serve straight from the pot.
静置拌匀上桌
🔍 Look for Low heat 5 分钟 · 5 minutesVisual: 米粒琥珀油亮，金黄脆片拌在里面，最上是红亮的鸭皮Grains are amber and glossy, with crisp golden flakes folded through and lacquered duck skin on top
You know it's right when: 勺子刮过锅底能掀起硬挺的整片锅巴A spoon scraped along the base lifts a rigid sheet of crust
Tips
- · Buy the duck the same day you cook it. Day-old roast duck skin goes soft and the whole point is lost.
- · Ask for the juice. Most shops will give you extra if you say what it is for.
- · No extra salt — between oyster sauce, dark soy and the duck itself there is already plenty.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?
Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.
Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine
What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.
Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide
Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?
Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.
Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library
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