Cider can soy-glazed duck

I’ve taken the concept of beer can chicken (where the can is used to sit the chicken upright) and applied it to duck but with the sweet, fruity flavour of cider. Cooking duck like this makes so much sense because by steaming it from the inside while holding it upright, you melt and drain all the fat from it while keeping the meat succulent.

SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins

COOK 2 hrs 30 mins MORE EFFORT

1 whole duck, about 2-2.5kg

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder 500ml can good-quality cider small piece ginger, cut into small matchsticks

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tsp sesame oil

100ml soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp chilli sauce (sriracha or sweet chilli work well)

2 tsp Sichuan pepper, crushed bunch of coriander, to serve (optional) 1 Lightly score the duck skin all over and rub with the five-spice and some salt, making sure you get into the cut marks (this can be done a day ahead and left to marinate in the fridge uncovered). Light a lidded barbecue. Let the flames die down and the coals turn ashen, then mound the coal up on one side. If you’re using a small barbecue, you will have to remove the grills and put a sturdy roasting tin on the floor of the barbecue, next to the coals – this will give you space to close the lid once the duck is in. If you have a large barbecue, the duck will sit in a tray directly on the grills, or simply heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

2 Open the can of cider, reserve a few tbsps for the sauce, and pour about half into a glass (you can drink this as a pre-dinner tipple!) Feed the ginger and garlic into the can and pour in the oil and half the soy. Push the duck onto the can, legs down, so that it’s sitting upright with the can in its cavity. Stand it upright on the tray in the barbecue or oven, close the lid and cook for 1 hr.

3 While the duck is cooking, whisk the remaining soy, honey and chilli sauce together with the reserved cider. Brush the sauce all over the duck and cook for another hour, basting every 10-15 mins with all the sticky juices in the pan until the duck is dark and glossy. Remove from the barbecue or oven and rest for 30 mins. Meanwhile, mix the Sichuan with some flaky sea salt. Carefully lift the duck off the tray and the can. Season with the spiced salt and add the coriander to the cavity. Carve and serve.

PER SERVING (6) 812 kcals • fat 70g • saturates 21g • carbs 7g • sugars 7g • fibre 0.4g • protein 37g • salt 1.8g