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–+ servings
Soy braised duck legs resting on a bed of rice and sauce

Soy-Braised Duck Legs with Ginger and Scallions Instant Pot Recipe

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: duck, duck legs, instant pot
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cost: $30
Soy-braised duck legs with ginger and scallion that's pressure cooked in an Instant Pot is a quick and easy adaptation of a special dish, Luo Shui Ya. Luo shui ya is a whole duck braised in a master sauce with ginger and scallion that is worthy of a family gathering. My recipe uses duck legs that can be cooked in an Instant Pot with a fraction of the effort. This is a free recipe shared with permission from the publisher, Rockridge Press, from my new cookbook, Chinese Instant Pot Cookbook. Photo credit: Darren Muir
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 4 duck legs thawed, if frozen
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (1-inch) fresh ginger thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine
  • 3 scallions trimmed and halved
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons light soy sauce (thin soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • cooked rice for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Use scissors to trim off any excess duck fat and skin and reserve. Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels and sprinkle the meat side with the salt.
    4 duck legs, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • On the Instant Pot, select Saute and adjust the heat to high. Add the duck fat and duck skin pieces, they should sizzle within a minute. Stir frequently until they render enough fat to cover the bottom of the pan and the control panel indicates Hot.
  • Place 2 duck legs in the pot, skin-side down, and sear for 3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining 2 duck legs.
  • Select Cancel. Remove the duck lets and pour the excess duck fat into a small storage container or jar to reserve for other uses.
  • Place the liner back into the base. Add the ginger and pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
    1 (1-inch) fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons rice wine
  • Add the scallions and place the duck legs on top. Pour in the dark and light soy sauces, sugar, and water.
    3 scallions, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 cup water
  • Lock the lid. Program to pressure cook for 20 minutes on high pressure.
  • When the timer sounds, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure Serve as is, or with rice.
    cooked rice