As Thanksgiving approaches, families are buying out oversize turkeys to prepare for that special Thursday night dinner. We all know what comes next: If not done right, slices of underwhelming, possibly dry bird, followed by weeks of poultry-centric leftovers. Blargh. When turkey is all people know, eating alternative holiday proteins may be an eye-opening experience. But for much of Houston’s Asian population, duck has always been the protein of choice.

According to Johnny Cheung, owner of Katy’s Hong Kong Food Street, eating duck is culturally significant for Asian populations, especially Chinese communities. “Culturally, turkeys aren’t like a dominant protein that [we] had,” he explains. “It’s something that’s new to us.” 

Cheung, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, says that to maintain the traditional Thanksgiving feel, Asian households may still opt for poultry—duck or goose—as the main event for the holiday, but goose farms are few and far between, and wild geese don’t always taste great, Cheung says. Ducks, however, with their higher fat content, flavor, and versatility, are a much better and more convenient option.

At Hong Kong Food Street, duck reigns supreme. The restaurant sources high-quality birds from Joe Jurgielewicz & Son, a generational Pennsylvania farm specializing in whole Pekin ducks, a breed originating in China. 

The Cantonese restaurant has historically doled out its usual poultry offerings. (Longtime fans at the previous location on Bellaire Boulevard would bring turkeys for the restaurant to marinate and roast.) But during Thanksgiving, ducks are in higher demand. Dishes like Hong Kong–style roasted duck and a show-stopping platter of Beijing duck, commonly known as Peking duck, are ordered by nearly every table. Holiday meals have gotten so chaotic that Cheung has implemented a reservation-only system for Thanksgiving dining.

It’s easy to see why: Beijing duck is a more “premium” dish. While Chinese barbecue roasted ducks are marinated from the inside, with spices placed inside the duck’s cavity, Beijing duck is all about the crispy skin. At Hong Kong Food Street, ducks are prepped and first placed in a walk-in cooler with a fan, which helps dry them out and dehydrate the skin. Additionally, Cheung says chefs at the restaurant add a mixture of sugar, vinegar, starch, and water only to the skin, which further aids dehydration and gives the skin a nice sheen. A dry duck with glazed skin ensures crispiness during roasting, he notes.

After it’s cooked, the duck is carved, with the chef separating the meaty pieces from the crunchy skin. Served alongside pancakes, cucumbers, spring onions, and hoisin sauce, the duck is ready for a proper Thanksgiving meal. (Pro tip: Be sure to save the carcass to boil for duck bone soup!) Compose your duck pancakes like fajitas: Add meat and skin to the pancakes. Add a smattering of sauce and vegetables. Then, roll up like a taco and eat.

As for home chefs looking to make their own duck, Cheung says approach with caution: “I don’t recommend it,” he says with a chuckle. “The hassle and the labor that’s required might not be worth it.” 

For the adventurous (and insistent) home chef, Cheung suggests purchasing an $80 Beijing duck kit from Joe Jurgielewicz & Son, which comes complete with all the necessary ingredients, including a whole duck, hoisin sauce, and bao. And, though not quite Beijing duck, this roasted orange and ginger duck recipe from The New York Times is a crowd-pleaser and easy to follow. (Be sure to save the fat renderings—likely a whole jarful, depending on the duck—for duck fat potatoes.)

For any of us turkey-haters not chef-inclined, reservations or to-go orders at a local restaurant should suffice. Favorites from the Houstonia crew include: