CANTONESE HOME COOKING
Cantonese Plum Sauce Duck Legs
广式酸梅鸭
Cantonese plum sauce duck legs simmer in a sweet-tart blend of plum sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce and ginger. Browning the skin first and reducing the braising liquid at the end creates a glossy sauce for this Guangdong-style duck dish.
By Canto Hearth Editorial
Jump to ingredients & steps ↓
Let’s cook.
Dry and brown the duck
Pat the duck legs thoroughly dry. Put the oil in a snug heavy pan over medium heat, then add duck skin-side down. Brown on both sides, allowing some fat to render. Carefully spoon off excess fat, leaving a thin film for the aromatics.
Build the plum braising sauce
Add ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant. Lower the heat and add rice wine, rice vinegar, soy sauce, plum sauce and rock sugar. Stir the liquid until the sugar begins to dissolve.
Cover and braise
Add enough water to just cover the legs; the precise amount depends on the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes, turning once if any meat sits above the liquid.
Check tenderness and reduce
Check that the thickest meat reaches 74°C / 165°F away from bone. Duck legs may need longer than this minimum for tenderness: continue simmering if a skewer meets firm resistance. Once tender, uncover and reduce the liquid, stirring and basting, until glossy. Taste and adjust the sweet-sour balance if necessary.
Rest and portion
Lift out the legs and rest for 5 minutes. Serve whole or carefully separate meat into pieces. Spoon the sauce over the duck and serve with rice and greens.
Small details, better cooking.
- Use Chinese plum sauce rather than thick dessert plum jam; the balance of salt and acid differs.
- Rendered duck fat and a glossy reduced sauce are different: skim excess fat before reducing the liquid.
- If the sauce is reducing before the duck is tender, add hot water and keep braising covered.
Working with what you have
Rock sugar
Use 20 g white sugar.
It dissolves faster; taste near the end before adding more.
Guangdong rice wine
Use unsalted chicken stock for an alcohol-free version.
The aroma will differ; keep the plum sauce and vinegar as the main sweet-sour balance.
Need a unit conversion? Open kitchen tools. For ingredients, visit the pantry.
Questions from the kitchen
What is suan mei ya?
Suan mei ya is duck cooked with a sour-plum flavor. This Cantonese home version uses prepared sweet-and-sour plum sauce for a convenient braise.
Can I use duck breast instead?
Duck breast needs a different cooking schedule and can dry out in a long braise. Duck legs are the better choice for these instructions.
Why is my plum duck sauce too sweet?
Plum sauces vary by brand. Add a little rice vinegar to the finished sauce and taste again, rather than adding more sugar early.
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