Beijing Duck or Beijing Roast Duck Beijing
Roast duck is thought to be one of the most delicious dishes all over
the world; most visitors coming to Beijing will never forget to have
a try. Eating Peking duck is seen to be one of the two things you are
absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing.
How roast duck was made?
You might want to know more about how Peking Roasted Duck is made. The
ducks are raised for the sole purpose of making the food. Force-fed,
they are kept in cages which restrain them from moving about, so as
to fatten them up and make the meat comparably tender.
Special farms supply plump Beijing ducks weighing an average of 2.5
kilograms each. The two famous Beijing condiment shops, Liubiju and
Tianyuan, supply the dark tangy bean sauce spread on the pancakes. The
fragrant sesame oil and refined sugar are also specially selected. Finally,
only the wood of fruit trees such as date, peach and pear are used in
the roasting process to give the meat its unique fragrance.
Select a duck with whole skin. First the ducks are rubbed with spices,
salt and sugar, and then kept hung in the air for some time. Cuts open
the belly and draw, and then insert a 2 inch long piece of wood to support
the chest bone and to stretch the skin. Hook the duck by the neck, spread
diluted maltose over it. Hang the duck in an airy place to dry.
The stuffed duck is hung in the roaster and kettles of hot water are
placed in front to fill out the duck. Proper timing and temperature
are important and the duck is turned often enough to roast them completely
and evenly. (Try 350°F turn every 15 minutes, total roasting time about
40 minutes). Roast until golden brown with rich grease perspiring outside
and have a nice odor.
What is Beijing Duck Recipe?
Normally there are many dishes served with the duck, including a dish
of fine-cut shallot bars, a dish of cucumber bars and finally a dish
of paste-like soy of fermented wheat flour. It is not necessary to order
extra soup, for the duck-bone soup is always included in you order.
It will be served as the rear dish for the dinner.
History of Roast Duck
The art of roasting ducks evolved from techniques used to prepare sucking
pigs.
The history of the roast duck can be traced back to as early as the
Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) when it was listed among the imperial dishes
in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages, written in 1330 by
Hu Sihui, an inspector of the imperial kitchen. Details regarding the
cooking process were also described in this early cookbook.
In the early 15th century, when the Ming Dynasty capital was shifted
from Nanjing to Beijing, roast duck remained one of the famous dishes
on imperial court menus. According to the local history, the earliest
roast duck restaurant in Beijing was the old Bianyifang Restaurant,
which opened during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566). Distinct from the
method in which the duck is hung from a hook in the ceiling of the oven
and roasted over and roasted over burning wood, the Old Bianyifang Restaurant
roasted its ducks with radiant heat. The walls of the oven were first
heated with sorghum stalks whereupon the duck was placed inside and
cooked by the heat given off by the walls. A duck roasted in this manner
is crisp to the touch and golden brown in appearance; its flesh is both
tender and tasty.
During the Qianlong period (1736-1796), roast duck was a favorite delicacy
of the upper classes. According to Recipes from the Suiyuan Garden,
the famous cookbook written by the poet and gourmet Yuan Mei, "Roast
duck is prepared by revolving a young duckling on a spit in an oven.
The chefs of Inspector Feng's family excel in preparing this dish."
Other scholars, after dining on roast duck, were inspired to poetry.
In one collection of old Beijing rhymes (Duan Zhuzhici) one of the poems
reads: "Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig."
Another contemporary annotation reads: "When an official gives
a banquet he will choose dishes to please each of his guests. For example,
Bianyifang's roast duck…"
To satisfy the growing demand for roast duck, and with an eye on the
profits to be made from a good name, many restaurants opened from a
good name, many restaurants opened under the Bianyifang name. In fact,
in 1926, nine roast duck restaurants in Beijing carried this name. In
the late 1960s the Bianyifang Restaurant's name was changed to the Chongwenmen
Roast Duck Restaurant, but in 1979 it resumed its former title. Its
menu includes more than 20 traditional duck dishes, including the Four
Delicacies: wing and web, liver, heart and pancreas.
Which restaurant is famous one?
The two famous restaurants that serve Beijing Roast Duck are Bianyifang
Roast Duck Restaurant and Quanjude Roast
Duck Restaurant, both of which have a history of over one hundred years.
They represent two different schools of roasting duck. Bianyifang, founded
in 1855, makes use of a close oven and straw as the fuel, which won't
make flames go directly onto the duck. Before being put into the oven,
a duck is filled with specially-made soup to make it possible to roast
the duck outside and boil it inside at the same time.
Quanjude, a better known one, founded
in 1864, uses an oven without a door. After a kind of dressing being
spread all over a duck, it will be hooked up in the oven over the flame
coming directly from the burning of the fruit-tree wood and it will
be done in forty minutes. When roasted and dried, the duck will look
brilliantly dark red, shining with oil and with crisp skin and tender
meat. Because of its appearance, few people could resist the temptation
of it.
The first restaurant to bear the name Quanjude opened in 1864 during
the reign of the Qing Emperor Tongzhi. Due to its high standards, the
restaurant's fame spread rapidly and for many years the supply of roast
ducks could hardly satisfy the demand. For this reason, the restaurant
was rebuilt and expanded in 1948. In 1954 a branch (known as Hongbinlou)
was opened in West Chang' an Boulevard and another in Wangfujing Street
in 1959. These additions, however, still did not solve the problem,
and with the opening of the Quanjude at hepingmen in 1979, it was no
longer necessary to make a reservation a week in advance to taste Beijing's
most famous culinary delight.
How to eat it?
First, the chef will show you the whole duck. Then, he will slice it
into about one hundred and twenty pieces with both skin and meat for
each. Usually the duck is served together with special pancakes, hollowed
sesame bun, green onions and sweet sauce.
There is a proper way to eat it. First, pick up a slice of duck with
the help of a pair of chopsticks and dip it into the soy paste. Next,
lay it on the top of a thin cake and add some bars of cucumber and shallot.
Finally, wrap the stuff into a bundle with the sheet cake (a thin pancake).
The real secret of Peking duck's flavor lies in your carefully nibbling
away at the mixture. You will find all the different ingredients very
compatible. People say: "it's a pity to leave Beijing without trying
the roast duck The taste of the roast duck is in the eating.
Beijing duck Ingredients:
One 5 to 6 pound duck
8 cups water
1 slice ginger
1 scallion, cut into halves
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Scallions for garnish
Directions:
Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck.
Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours.
Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil. Add ginger, scallion, honey,
vinegar, and sherry. Bring to boil. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir
constantly.
Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl. Scoop boiling mixture
all over duck for about 10 minutes.
Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.
Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350
degrees. Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven.
(This is for drippings). Roast 30 minutes.
Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more.
Turn breast side up again. Roast 10 minutes more.
Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately
on a prewarmed dish.
The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes. Garnish
with scallion flowerets.
(This recipe is from Madame Wong's Long-life Chinese Cookbook, reprinted
courtesy of Sylvia Schulman)
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