Vietnamese Ginger Braised Duck (Vịt Kho Gừng)
Vietnamese Ginger Braised Duck (Vịt Kho Gừng) is a comforting and flavorful dish that showcases the richness of duck combined with the warmth of fresh ginger. This easy dish is often enjoyed with steamed rice, especially in colder weather, but can also be great year-round.
This braised duck dish is less popular than the traditional Vietnamese ginger caramelized chicken (gà kho gừng). However, we find it more delicious as duck meat has a more robust taste. Besides, with its firmer texture and higher fat content, duck becomes tender and succulent when braised. The generous use of ginger gives the dish its signature warmth and aroma, and helps eliminate any strong gamey odor from duck.
In Vietnamese cuisine, duck is often considered a special treat. I highly recommend this dish for those who like duck meat and want to explore Vietnamese home cooking beyond the typical dishes.
Use Duck Legs for the Best Braised Duck
For the best texture and ease of preparation, I suggest using duck legs in this caramelized duck recipe. We also prefer duck legs in other Vietnamese duck dishes like herbal duck noodle soup, duck vermicelli noodle soup, and duck congee. There’s no need to buy a whole duck which is more difficult to break down and will render a lot of excess fat.
To prepare the duck legs, use sharp poultry shears to cut them into smaller pieces. However, if you want a simpler approach, start by separating the thighs from the drumsticks. Then, cut the thighs in half along the bone to create more manageable portions.
A Different Way to Make Vietnamese Caramel Sauce
In many Vietnamese braised dishes, caramel sauce is used to enhance the color and flavor, as seen in recipes like braised pork belly, caramelized fish or braised salmon. Even some grilled meat dishes, such as bun cha, also benefit from the addition of this sauce.
For this ginger braised duck recipe, I use a different method to make the caramel sauce. In all my previous recipes, I use the wet method which dissolves sugar in a little water and letting it caramelize. This time, I caramelize the sugar directly in oil, then add the aromatics and continue cooking right away.
This method is quicker and allows you to cook the dish entirely in one pot. If this still sounds too tricky, you may substitute the caramel sauce with some dark soy sauce, though it will alter the flavor slightly.
After sautéing the duck with the caramel sauce, ginger and seasonings, simply braise it until the meat is tender to your liking. You can customize the braising liquid to suit your taste. For example, you can add a bit of sugar or use coconut juice to achieve a sweeter flavor similar to Southern Vietnamese tastes. For best results, I love using my enamel Dutch oven, which ensures even cooking.
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
Vietnamese Ginger Braised Duck (Vịt Kho Gừng)
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs (about 2.4 lbs or 1.1kg)
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 teaspoons minced shallots
- ⅓ cup julienned ginger (about 50-60g)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Trim off excess fat from the duck legs. Use sharp poultry shears to cut them into smaller pieces. For a simpler approach, start by separating the thighs from the drumsticks. Then cut the thighs in half along the bone to create more manageable portions.
- Place the chopped duck legs in a mixing bowl. Add half of the garlic and shallots, 2 teaspoons ginger, turmeric powder and some black pepper. Toss well and set aside.
- Place a pot over medium heat and once it is hot, add the cooking oil. Add the sugar and allow it to melt. The sugar will gradually become darker. Keep watching closely, until it has a dark caramel color – this may take up to 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining ginger, shallots and garlic to the pot. Stir and sauté for about a minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped duck legs. You may slightly increase the heat if needed. Stir and cook until the outside is almost no longer pink. Then add the fish sauce and soy sauce. Keep stirring and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the water into the pot. You may use more or less water depending on the pot you use. Just make sure the water level is slightly below the meat. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Cover the pot with the lid slightly askew and braise for about 40 minutes or until the meat is tender to your liking. Half way through, you can taste the braising liquid and adjust seasonings to taste.
- Stir occasionally and towards the end, if there is still too much liquid left, you can increase the heat to reduce it. Serve hot with rice.
