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Five-Spice Duck Pancakes with Chilli Crunch & Shredded Crispy Skin

You know those duck pancakes you get from the takeaway? Imagine them, but smoked low and slow over cherrywood, with the juiciest hand-shredded duck, proper crispy skin crackling, and a fiery chilli crunch drizzle that kicks like a mule. That’s what we’re doing here – elevating the Chinese classic and giving it the full backyard BBQ treatment.

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1.5 hr
Rest Time 25 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 25 mins
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cooking Temp: 120  C
Servings: 4
Estimated Cost: 25
Calories: Approximately 500–600 per serving
Best Season: Suitable throughout the year
Ingredients
    For the Duck:
  • 1 Whole Barbary duck (Whole – Choose a large one)
  • 2 Tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1 Tbsp Sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp Soft light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 Tbsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic paste
  • 1 Tbsp Ginger paste
  • 1 Bunch Spring onions (Whole – for stuffing the cavity)
    • For the Pancake Platter:
  • 2 Packs Chinese-style pancakes (Use 1–2 packs depending on guests)
  • 1 Bottle Hoisin sauce
  • 1 Cucumber (Cut into matchsticks)
  • 1 Bunch Spring onions (Sliced into thin strips)
  • 1 Jar The Woolf’s Kitchen Chilli Crunch
Instructions
  1. 1
    Day Before: Prep That Bird
    • Pat the duck dry with kitchen roll. You want the skin to dry out nicely.
    • Score the skin lightly in a criss-cross pattern – helps that fat render out like a dream.
    • Mix up the marinade (five-spice, salt, sugar, wine, soy, garlic, ginger).
    • Rub the marinade all over the duck – don’t be shy. Get it under the skin where you can.
    • Stuff the cavity with the whole spring onions.
    • Place the duck breast-side up in the fridge uncovered overnight – helps the skin dry out for extra crispiness.
  2. 2
    Cook Day: Smoke Time
    • Take the duck out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
    • Load up the Ninja Woodfire Grill with cherry or applewood pellets.
    • Set to Smoker mode at 120°C.
    • Place the duck breast-side up in the crisper basket.
    • Probe the breast, but also check thigh temps with an instant-read – thighs should be hotter than breast.
    • Smoke for about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until the breast hits 75°C and the thighs are safe and juicy.
  3. 3
    Get That Skin Crispy
    • Switch the Ninja to Air Fry mode at 190°C.
    • Air fry the duck as-is for 10 mins, checking every 3 mins. Some skin might crisp, some might sulk.
    • No stress – remove the duck and rest it.
    • Carefully peel off the skin, return the skin only to the crisper basket, and air fry until blistered and crackly. Don’t let it burn – keep an eye!
  4. 4
    Shred It Real Good
    • Let the duck rest 10–15 mins while you prep the platter.
    • Chuck on cotton gloves under nitrile gloves and hand-shred the duck like a boss.
    • Keep crispy skin shards separate for topping.
  5. 5
    Serve It Up
    • Warm the pancakes (steamer or microwave, your call).
    • Lay everything out on a platter – shredded duck, hoisin, veg, crispy skin, and chilli crunch.
    • Let everyone build their own: Hoisin → Duck → Crispy Skin → Veg → Chilli Crunch → Roll → Bite → Bliss.
Note

Crispy Skin Hack: If the skin won’t crisp on the bird, don’t panic. Peel it off, and air fry it solo – works like a dream.

Glove Up: Cotton gloves under nitrile give you grip and stop your hands from cooking while shredding.

Pellet Choice: Cherrywood gives a mild fruity smoke; applewood adds sweetness. Both bang with duck.

Leftovers: Save any leftover duck and skin for a killer bao bun or fried rice situation the next day.

Keywords: duck pancakes, Chinese five-spice duck, BBQ duck, Ninja Woodfire duck, smoked duck, hoisin duck pancakes, crispy duck skin, chilli crunch, BBQ Chinese recipes
Read it online: https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/five-spice-duck-pancakes-with-chilli-crunch-shredded-crispy-skin/

Thank you for trying out this recipe! I hope it brings joy and flavour to your table. For more delicious recipes and BBQ tips, visit Smoke & Sear. Happy grilling! Cheers, Lee.