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Sekai Gohan
Zhangcha Duck: Sichuan Duck Steamed and Smoked over Tea
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Whole duck, cleaned, wing tips and feet removed (Sichuan duck, 麻鸭) | 1 bird, 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) | The main ingredient; its fat carries the smoke |
| Ground white pepper (白胡椒粉) | 0.04 oz (1 g) | Warm aroma in the marinade |
| Chicken bouillon powder (鸡粉) | 0.07 oz (2 g) | Savoriness, and the only salt in the marinade |
| Shaoxing wine or other cooking wine (料酒) | 1 oz (30 g) | Clears the gamey smell |
| Fermented rice wine liquid, from jiuniang (糟酒) | 1¾ oz (50 g) | Sweetness and fragrance |
| Scallion, cut into lengths (葱段) | ½ oz (15 g) | Aroma during steaming |
| Fresh ginger, sliced (姜片) | ½ oz (15 g) | Aroma during steaming |
| Raw white rice (大米) | 4¼ oz (120 g) | Smoking mix; keeps the smoke slow and gentle |
| Dark brown sugar (红糖) | 2¾ oz (80 g) | Smoking mix; color and a sweet smoke |
| Loose tea leaves, black or jasmine (茶叶) | 2¾ oz (80 g) | Smoking mix; the tea scent |
| Toasted sesame oil (芝麻油) | ¾ oz (20 g) | Brushed on at the end for gloss |
Steps
1Clean and blanch the duck
Rinse the duck and pat it dry. If it still has its innards, open it with a 1⅜-inch (3.5 cm) cut at the neck and a 2⅜-inch (6 cm) cut at the tail, draw them out, and cut off the wing tips and feet. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and lower the duck in briefly, then lift it out and drain it well. Take it out as soon as the skin tightens.
2Mix the marinade and rub it in and inside
Stir the white pepper, chicken bouillon powder, Shaoxing wine and fermented rice wine liquid together in a small bowl. Stand the duck in a deep bowl and rub the marinade evenly over the whole skin first. Pour what is left into the cavity and rub it around the inside as well. The duck is ready when every surface, inside and out, looks wet and evenly coated.
3Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours
Move the duck to a deep container that fits inside your steamer. Scatter the scallion and ginger over the bird and tuck some into the cavity. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3 hours. Wash your hands, board and knife now, and keep anything that touched the raw duck away from cooked food. The skin will look a shade darker and less wet when it comes out.
4Steam for 1½ hours and check the center
Set the container, scallion, ginger and all, in the steamer over boiling water, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Check the water now and then and add boiling water so the pot never runs dry. When the time is up, push the thermometer into the thickest part near the bone; it must read at least 167°F (75°C) and hold there for 1 minute. If it reads lower, keep steaming and check again, then lift the duck out and drain off the liquid.
5Set up the smoking wok
Line the wok with foil and spread the rice, dark brown sugar and tea leaves over it in an even layer. Heat over medium. Watch the surface rather than the clock: when a steady thread of smoke rises, the mix is ready. Set the wire rack in place at that moment.
6Smoke breast side up for 30 minutes
Lay the steamed duck on the rack with its back facing down. Turn the heat to low and cover with the lid. Smoke for 30 minutes, keeping the heat low. The underside will have taken on a warm reddish-brown color when you check.
7Turn the duck and smoke for 30 minutes more
Turn the duck over carefully, supporting it from below with chopsticks or tongs so the softened skin does not tear. Cover again and smoke on low for another 30 minutes. Turn off the heat when the time is up. Both sides should now be an even reddish brown with a dry, matte surface.
8Brush with sesame oil and chop
Move the duck to a board and brush the sesame oil evenly over the whole skin. Chop it through the bone into pieces and arrange them on a plate, skin side up. If you have no cleaver, take the meat off the bone first and slice it. The duck is finished when the matte skin turns glossy.