Preheat the oven to 150C/300F (fan). Take a large roasting tin and place a wire rack inside.
Pat the duck down with some kitchen paper to ensure the skin is dry.
1 duck
Score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern (breast side) with a sharp knife. Be sure not to pierce the flesh.
Place the duck - breast side up - on the rack in the roasting tin.
Season with salt and pepper, and place in the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes. Turn the duck over every hour (I use a clean kitchen towel in each hand to turn the duck over).
1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Whilst the duck is in the oven, make the plum sriracha sauce.
Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pan.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Add the onion and cook on low-medium for 5 mins - until the onion is soft. Give it a stir every minute or so.
1 red onion
Add in the ginger and garlic and cook for a further minute.
1 tsp minced ginger, 4 cloves garlic
Add in the rest of the ingredients, turn up the heat and bring to a gentle bubble. Turn the heat back down to medium and allow everything to bubble gently for 20 minutes. Give it a stir every so often.
600 g (1.3 lbs) ripe plums, 6 tbsp dark soy sauce, 4 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar, 4 tbsp sriracha
After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and blend the mixture in the pan using a hand blender. I like to give it just a few pulses so the sauce still has some texture. Leave to one side.
After the duck has cooked for 3 hours and 50 minutes, take it out of the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 190C/375F (fan).
Turn the duck so that it's breast-side-up again and brush 2 tbsps of the plum sriracha sauce all over the top of the duck (including the legs).
Place back in the oven for 10 minutes until the glaze has gone dark brown and caramelised.
Take the duck out of the oven. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then place on a large plate and shred all the meat using two forks.
Serve immediately with some of the plum sriracha sauce. I also like to serve it will some rice and greens.
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
It tastes better when cooked and served straight away, but you could cook the duck, then shred the meat off, cool, cover and refrigerate.Reheat, wrapped in foil in the oven for approx 15-20 minutes at 180C/350f - until piping hot throughout. Unfortunately the skin won't be as crispy, but reheating in the foil should keep the duck pretty moist.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can cook the duck, then shred the meat off, cool, cover and freeze.Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat, wrapped in foil in the oven for approx 15-20 minutes at 180C/350f - until piping hot throughout. As per above, the skin won't be as crispy, but reheating in the foil should keep the duck pretty moist.
Save the duck fat!!
Save the rendered duck fat for making delicious roast potatoes!.Nutritional information is per serving (note, I haven't factored in the fat that is released when the duck is cooking, so it may be fewer calories and less fat altogether).