Red-Braised Duck Legs with Star Anise and Soy

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-16 · Updated 2026-05-16

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender duck legs slowly braised in a rich soy and star anise sauce, delivering a deep umami flavor typical of Shanghai home cooking. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs duck legs, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 75 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 pieces (about 1.5 lbs) duck legs
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp rock sugar
3 whole star anise
1-inch piece, sliced thin ginger
2 stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces green onions
2 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable oil

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 4 duck legs and brown on all sides for about 8 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp, then remove and set aside.
Step 2: In the same pot, add 1-inch sliced ginger and 2 stalks green onions, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
Step 3: Return the duck legs to the pot and add 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine, 2 tbsp rock sugar, and 3 whole star anise. Stir gently to combine.
Step 4: Pour in 2 cups water to just cover the duck legs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover partially. Simmer gently for 1 hour, turning duck legs halfway through, until meat is tender and sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 5: Remove duck legs and increase heat to medium-high to reduce the sauce for 5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Serve duck legs drizzled with the sauce.