Braised Duck Legs with Green Beans

This is a comforting, home-style Chinese dish popular in many regions (especially northern and home kitchens), featuring tender duck legs slow-braised until the meat falls off the bone, paired with crisp-tender green beans ( dāo dòu, also called sword beans or flat beans) that absorb the rich, savory duck fat and soy-based sauce.

 The result is deeply flavorful, slightly sweet-savory, and perfect with steamed rice — a true (rice-pairing) classic.

Ingredients (serves 3–4)Main ingredients:

• Duck legs (with thigh) — 4 medium (about 800–1000 g total; skin on for flavor and crispiness)
• Green beans / sword beans (刀豆) — 400–500 g (trim ends, cut into 5–7 cm segments)
• Ginger — 1 large piece (about 30 g), sliced thickly
• Garlic — 4–5 cloves, smashed or sliced
• Green onion / scallion — 2 stalks (white part sliced, green part chopped for garnish)
• Dried red chilies — 2–3 (optional, for mild heat)

Sauce & seasoning:

• Light soy sauce — 3–4 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce (— 1–1½ tbsp (for rich color)
• Shaoxing wine — 3 tbsp
• Rock sugar ( or brown sugar — 15–25 g (about 1–2 tbsp; adjust for sweetness)
• Oyster sauce — 1 tbsp (optional, adds depth)
• Salt — ½–¾ tsp (to taste)
• Water or chicken stock — 400–600 ml (enough to partially cover duck)
• Cooking oil — 2–3 tbsp (neutral like vegetable or peanut)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the duck legs
   • Rinse duck legs under cold water. Pat very dry with paper towels (helps crisp skin).
   • Optional but recommended: Blanch in boiling water with 2–3 slices ginger + 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine for 3–5 minutes to remove impurities and gamey odor. Drain, rinse under cold water, pat dry again.
2. Sear the duck legs
   • Heat 2–3 tbsp oil in a wok, Dutch oven, or deep pot over medium heat.
   • Place duck legs skin-side down. Fry 5–7 minutes until skin is golden-brown and fat renders (don’t move too soon — let it crisp).
   • Flip and brown the other side 3–4 minutes.
   • Push duck to side. Add ginger slices, smashed garlic, white parts of green onion, and dried chilies (if using). Stir-fry 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Build the braising sauce
   • Pour in Shaoxing wine — let it sizzle and evaporate slightly (10–15 seconds).
   • Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), rock sugar, and salt.
   • Stir to coat duck evenly for 1 minute.
   • Pour in hot water/stock until liquid covers duck legs about halfway (not fully submerged — it reduces into sauce).
4. Braise
   • Bring to a full boil over high heat, skim off any foam.
   • Reduce to lowest simmer, cover partially, and braise 50–70 minutes (or until duck is very tender — meat should pull away from bone easily).
   • Flip duck halfway through for even cooking and coloring.
   • After 40–50 minutes, when duck is nearly tender, add green beans on top (they cook faster and absorb sauce).
   • Continue simmering uncovered 10–15 minutes until beans are tender-crisp (not mushy) and sauce has reduced to a glossy, coating consistency.
   Alternative methods:
   • Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: High pressure 25–30 minutes + natural release 15 minutes (add beans after pressure cooking, simmer 10 min on sauté mode).
   • Slow cooker: Low 6–8 hours (add beans in last 30–45 minutes).
5. Finish
   • Taste sauce: adjust with more sugar (for sweetness) or soy (for saltiness).
   • If sauce is too thin, increase heat and reduce 3–5 minutes.
   • Turn off heat. Drizzle a little sesame oil (optional) for aroma.
   • Garnish with chopped green onion tops.
6. Serve
   • Serve hot straight from the pot — place duck legs on top of beans and rice.
   • Spoon plenty of sauce over everything — the duck fat + soy glaze is incredibly flavorful.
   • Pairs perfectly with steamed white rice and a simple stir-fried green vegetable or pickled cucumber for balance.

Quick Tips for Best Result

• Duck skin crispiness → Don’t skip searing skin-side down first — it renders fat and gives beautiful color.
• Bean texture → Add beans late — they should be tender but still have a slight snap.
• Sauce balance → Rock sugar gives a clean, rounded sweetness; too much soy can overpower the duck’s natural flavor.
• Variations → Add sliced potatoes, carrots, or shiitake mushrooms in last 20 minutes for a fuller one-pot meal. For spicier version, add doubanjiang or chili oil.
• Storage → Leftovers keep in fridge 3–4 days (flavors deepen). Reheat gently with splash of water.
• Common mistake → Over-boiling beans — they turn mushy and lose color; simmer gently.

This dish is rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying — tender duck + silky beans in glossy sauce make it a true Chinese home comfort classic.