Peking Duck-Inspired Ground Duck Meatloaf

I have been committed to the perfection of this Peking duck-inspired ground duck meatloaf for a while now. There’s just something about Peking duck. The crispy skin. The hoisin sauce. The pancakes.

While this duck meatloaf doesn’t include those beloved pancakes, it does have all of the flavor reminiscent of your favorite Peking duck. I’ve just translated Peking Duck to an easier form with a ground duck recipe.

platter with sliced ground duck meatloaf garnished with chopped green onions.
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Making meatloaf

You can turn most any dish into meatloaf. Just take the easy-to-remember starting ratio for how to make meatloaf and meatballs: one pound of ground meat plus one egg plus one half cup of breadcrumbs or equivalent. Then add spices and fillings to give your meatloaf its character.

Get inspiration from other recipes. Like turning tacos into this taco meatloaf.

Or take out the Flavor Bible, if you own it. The associations that resonate for me for duck are fruit (apples, cherries, orange) or mushrooms. I can definitely imagine a duck meatloaf recipe using dried cherries and mushrooms. Or Duck à l’Orange?

Ingredients

ground duck and other ingredients for duck meatloaf on a countertop.

 

There are, of course, green onions in this Peking duck-inspired recipe. And a hoisin sauce glaze. And then there are ginger and garlic and a bit of five spice powder that you might not consider classic.

The breadcrumbs and cooked brown rice serve as filler. They work to absorb the juices from the ground duck so the duck meatloaf is moist but not mushy.

Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Recipe tips and tricks

Step by step

Combine the ground duck and all the rest of the duck meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently. There’s no need to knead meatloaf, or it will become tough.

the ground duck and spice mixture for this duck meatloaf recipe.

Pack the duck meatloaf mixture into your pan. You can use a meatloaf pan with drain holes or any loaf pan.

Brush it with a thin layer of vegetable oil to give it a nice crisp top crust as it cooks. You can serve it as is, or glaze it with more hoisin sauce.

uncooked ground duck meatloaf packed into a meatloaf pan.
hoisin-glazed duck meatloaf in a meatloaf pan.

Just be sure to let it sit, covered, out of the oven for a few minutes before cutting and serving. This helps the meatloaf to set so it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it.

The toasted slivered almonds might not be traditional, but I love the extra crunch they give. You could also top this duck meatloaf recipe with chopped cucumber, which is a more traditional garnish for Peking duck.

What to serve with duck meatloaf

  • brown rice and a kohlrabi coleslaw or raw carrot salad.
  • scallion pancakes and a quick cucumber pickle.
  • Peking Duck is often paired with fruity, red wines to bring out the sweet flavors, but meatloaf to me calls for beer, a dry martini, or a French 75.
sliced duck meatloaf garnished with almonds, some rice, and kohlrabi coleslaw.

Storage

Store leftover duck meatloaf in an airtight container or wrap in the refrigerator for three to five days. Or, meatloaf, just like meatballs, freezes and reheats beautifully. Just defrost it in the refrigerator and steam, or wrap it in foil and bake it in the oven.

Recipes FAQs

Where can I buy ground duck?

I have been able to find packs of frozen ground duck (12 and 16 ounce packs) in the meat section of my regular grocery store.

Is duck considered red meat or white meat?

All poultry is considered white meat based on the myoglobin content in their muscle. However, duck meat has more myoglobin than either chicken or turkey and is definitely dark meat.

Is duck meat healthy?

It’s all relative. Duck is fattier than either chicken or turkey, which is why it’s more flavorful. But it’s healthier than beef and other red meats. In addition, much of the duck fat is associated with the skin and so you can avoid it if you are trying to cut back on fat.

Why is it called Peking Duck?

Peking Duck is named after the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Before the pinyin transliteration method was adopted in the 1940s, Beijing was known as Peking.

What is the difference between Peking and Cantonese roast duck?

Both duck recipes involve roasting whole ducks. However, the focus of the Peking duck is on the duck and the crispy skin, whereas Cantonese duck is often stuffed with ginger, green onions, and other spices and flavoring.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.

Recipe

Peking Duck-Inspired Ground Duck Meatloaf

5 from 3 votes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 238kcal
This easy to make, Peking duck-inspired ground duck meatloaf has a crispy crust, hoisin glaze, and green onion garnish.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds ground duck
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup panko or other dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
  • 3 green onions, chopped plus more for garnish
  • ½ celery rib, chopped fine
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch ginger, minced
  • cup hoisin sauce plus more to glaze the meatloaf, if desired
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon chili paste
  • 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil for brushing the top of meatloaf
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Mix all of the ingredients together with a spoon except for the ground duck, vegetable oil, and almonds. Then gently mix in the duck by hand.
    1 ½ pounds ground duck, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 cup panko or other dried breadcrumbs, 1 cup cooked brown or white rice, 3 green onions, chopped, ½ celery rib, chopped fine, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 inch ginger, minced, ⅓ cup hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon chili paste, 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • Pack the mixture into a meatloaf pan (ideal because the fat drains down) or shape it into a loaf in a cast iron skillet.
  • Brush the top with the vegetable oil.
    1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil for brushing the top of meatloaf
  • Bake for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165°F.
  • If using the hoisin glaze, brush the glaze on to the top of the meatloaf, and continue baking for 5 minutes.
    ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
  • Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving. Garnish with chopped green onions and the toasted slivered almonds.
    3 green onions, chopped, ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Notes

The most important thing to pay attention to when making this recipe is not to overwork the ground duck mixture. Then be sure to give it a few minutes rest after taking it out of the oven so it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it.
Variation: garnish this duck meatloaf with chopped cucumber in place of the slivered almonds.
Cooked meatloaf can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or sliced and frozen for 3 to 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 6mg
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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Exceeded my expectations. I left out the bread crumbs and used 1lb duck and 1lb lamb since that’s what I had. Couldn’t find a GF hoisin so I used a clean teriyaki ginger sesame sauce. Turned out amazing.

    1. Hi Carrie – thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you loved my duck meatloaf (or at least an adaptation of it). Your version sounds delicious too. Happy New Year! Joanne

  2. 5 stars
    This was wonderful! So unique. I’m a duck lover and had never seen a recipe for duck meatloaf. I ground a13 oz Moulard duck breast, fat, skin and all and made a half portion. The flavors were on point. So delicious! It was enjoyed by all. Thank you so much!

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