Peking duck

{{About|the Chinese cuisine dish|other uses|Pekin duck (disambiguation)||||}}

{{Chinese

| title = Peking duck

| float =

| pic = File:Peking Duck, 2014 (02).jpg

| piccap = Peking man preparing the Peking duck carved for show

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| t = 北京烤鴨

| s = 北京烤鸭

| l = Beijing roast duck

| p = Běijīng kǎoyā

| tp = Běijing kǎo-ya

| w = {{tone superscript|Pei3-ching1 k'ao3-ya1}}

| bpmf = ㄅㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄥㄎㄠˇ ㄧㄚ

| poj = Pak-kian kho ah

| j = bak1 ging1 haau1 aap3

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Peking duck is a dish from Beijing{{efn|[http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese_peking_duck.htm Peking Duck], locally more commonly referred to as Beijing Duck or Beijing Roast Duck as the Chinese capital city was known as its postal romanisation Peking before the Pinyin romanisation system was widely adopted in the 1980s. Chinatown Connection 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2010.}} that has been prepared since the Imperial era. The meat is characterized by its thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks bred especially for the dish are slaughtered after 65 days and seasoned before being roasted in a closed or hung oven. The meat is often eaten with spring onion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce, with pancakes rolled around the fillings. Crispy aromatic duck is a similar dish to Peking duck and is popular in the United Kingdom.

History

File:Quanjude Oven.jpg

Ducks have been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern dynasties.{{cite web

|title = 品味北京五大百年名吃 (500-year-old delicacies of Beijing)

|work = Xingchen Food Network

|publisher = China News Information Centre

|date = 22 September 2006

|language = zh

|url = http://big5.china.com.cn/city/txt/2006-09/22/content_7589255.htm

|access-date = 10 September 2007}} A variation of roast duck was prepared by the emperor of China in the Yuan dynasty. The dish, originally named "shāo yāzi" (燒鴨子), was mentioned in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages (飲膳正要) manual in 1330 by Hu Sihui (忽思慧), an inspector of the imperial kitchen.{{cite web

|title = 北京特產 (Specialties of Beijing)

|publisher = Xinhua

|date = 8 April 2004

|language = zh

|url = http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/travel/2004-04/08/content_1407734.htm

|access-date = 10 September 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071113134935/http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/travel/2004-04/08/content_1407734.htm

|archive-date = 13 November 2007

}}{{cite web

|title=Slicing through the secrets of Peking Duck

|publisher=Adelaide Review

|year=2005

|url=https://www.adelaidereview.com.au/_archives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1113527786&archive=1114740592&start_from=&ucat=&

|access-date=10 September 2007

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060822125817/http://www.adelaidereview.com.au/_archives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1113527786&archive=1114740592&start_from=&ucat=&

|archive-date=22 August 2006

}} The Peking roast duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming dynasty,{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448985/Peking-duck|title=Peking duck|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/asia/china/peking_duck.php|title=A Cultural Classic: Peking Duck|publisher=Globe Trekker|access-date=2008-11-12|archive-date=2012-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517023541/http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/asia/china/peking_duck.php|url-status=dead}} and by then, Peking duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus.{{cite web

|title=History of the Peking Duck

|publisher=SilkRoad

|url=http://www.silkroadcn.com/beijing/beijingduck.htm

|access-date=10 September 2007

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825133126/http://www.silkroadcn.com/beijing/beijingduck.htm

|archive-date=25 August 2007

}} The first restaurant specialising in Peking duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, close to Qianmen of Beijing in 1416.{{cite web

|last = Zhang

|first = Jackie

|title = New locations for Qianmen's traditional restaurants

|date = 29 June 2007

|work = Beijing Today

|url = http://english.qianlong.com/article.jsp?oid=21705469

|access-date = 10 September 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081221130455/http://english.qianlong.com/article.jsp?oid=21705469

|archive-date = 21 December 2008

}}

By the Qianlong period (1736–1796) of the Qing dynasty, the popularity of Peking duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring some poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish. For instance, one verse of "Dūmén zhúzhīcí", a local Beijing poem, was "Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig".{{cite web

|title = Peking Duck Information

|publisher = China Internet Information Center

|url = http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/31300.htm

|access-date = 10 September 2007}}

"Read001">"...两绍三烧要满壶，挂炉鸭子与烧猪..."——杨米人《都门竹枝词》{{cite web

|title = 从明朝开始，烤鸭的价格倒没怎么涨

|publisher = Read001

|url = https://read01.com/044GeJ.html

|access-date = 26 November 2017}}

In 1864, the Quanjude (全聚德) restaurant was established in Beijing. Yang Quanren (楊全仁), the founder of Quanjude, developed the hung oven to roast ducks.{{cn|date=June 2021}}

By the mid-20th century, Peking duck had become a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike. For example, Henry Kissinger, the secretary of state of the United States, met Premier Zhou Enlai in the Great Hall of the People on 10 July 1971, during his first (secret) visit to China. After a round of inconclusive talks in the morning, the delegation was served Peking duck for lunch, which became Kissinger's favourite.{{cite web

|title = Interview with Ambassador Winston Lord

|publisher = George Washington University

|url = http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/interviews/episode-15/lord2.html

|access-date = 14 September 2007}} The Americans and Chinese issued a joint statement the following day, inviting President Richard Nixon to visit China in 1972. Following Zhou's death in 1976, Kissinger paid another visit to Beijing to savor Peking duck.{{cite web

|title = Premier Zhou's roast duck diplomacy (周总理的烤鸭外交)

|publisher = Quanjude

|language = zh

|url = http://www.quanjude.com.cn/historystory_info.php?auto_id=139

|access-date = 14 September 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071013142208/http://quanjude.com.cn/historystory_info.php?auto_id=139

|archive-date = 13 October 2007

}} Peking duck, at the Quanjude in particular, has also been a favorite dish for various political leaders ranging from Cuban Fidel Castro to former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSSP3159020080805 |title=Beijing gets its ducks in a row for heavenly roast |publisher=Reuters |date=5 August 2008}}{{cite web|url=https://bowlakechinese.com/diplomacy-on-a-plate/|title=Diplomacy on a Plate: How Peking Duck Became a Favorite Among World Leaders| website= bowlakechinese.com }}

Two notable restaurants in Beijing which serve this dish are Quanjude and Bianyifang, both centuries-old establishments which have become household names, each with their own style: Quanjude is known for using the hung oven roasting method, while Bianyifang uses the oldest technique of closed oven roasting.{{cite news|author-last1=Sun|author-first1=Celine|quote=Now the owners of the 148-year-old restaurant plan to diversify into a multi-brand catering service provider that taps both high-end and mass markets.|title = Roast duck restaurant Quanjude looks at multi-brand expansion |work = South China Morning Post |date = 4 February 2013 |url = http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1142803/roast-duck-restaurant-quanjude-looks-multi-brand-expansion

|access-date = 23 April 2014}}{{cite news|author1=Ye Jun|quote=Bianyifang is a brand name established in 1416. Its closed-oven Peking roast duck is famous.|title = Bianyifang serves up new restaurants |work = China Daily |date = 26 June 2013 |url = http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-06/26/content_16665684.htm |access-date = 23 April 2014}}

Preparation

= Raising the duck =

The ducks used to prepare Peking duck originated in Nanjing. They were large, had black feathers, and lived in the canals that linked the city to major waterways.

With the relocation of the Chinese capital to Beijing, supply barge traffic increased in that area. Often these barges spilled water into side-canals, providing a habitat for the ducks. By the time of adoption of five-spice powder, a new breed of duck had been domesticated by Chinese farmers.

{{cite book

| last = Davidson | first = Alan

| year = 2010

| title = Oxford Companion to Food

| publisher = Oxford University Press

| location = Oxford

| page = 593 | language = en

}}

Newly hatched ducks are raised in a free-range environment for the first 45 days of their lives, and force-fed 4 times a day for the next 15–20 days, resulting in ducks that weigh 5–7 kg (11–15 lbs).

{{cite web

|title = The origins of Chinese Roast Duck (访古探幽：中国烤鸭的由来)

|date = 31 December 2005

|publisher = Sing Tao

|language = zh

|url = http://www.singtaonet.com/health_drinking/heal_sp/t20051231_108968.html

|access-date = 12 September 2007

}}

The force-feeding of the ducks led to an alternate name for the animal, "Peking stuffed duck" ({{zh|s=北京填鸭|t=北京填鴨|p=běijīng tián yā}}).{{cite web

|title = Recipe for Peking Stuffed Duck

|publisher = 美食菜系

|language = zh

|url = http://www.mypcera.com/meishi/new/dish/beijing/53057.html

|access-date = 12 September 2007

|archive-date = 1 February 2009

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090201062027/http://mypcera.com/meishi/new/dish/beijing/53057.html

|url-status = dead

}}

= Cooking the duck =

File:Dry for 5 hours cropped.jpg

Fattened ducks are killed, plucked, eviscerated and rinsed thoroughly with water. Air is pumped under the skin through the neck cavity to separate the skin from the fat.{{cite news |last=Bryant |first=Simon |title=Peking Duck 101 |work=ABC Adelaide |url=http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/stories/s1720061.htm |access-date=12 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206124404/http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/stories/s1720061.htm |archive-date=6 December 2007}} The duck is then blanched in boiling hot water for two to three minutes before it is hung up to dry. This tightens the skin.{{cite web |title = Preparing a Pekin Duck |publisher = Notes from a Devon Kitchen |date = 2 March 1998 |url = http://www.quaypress.com/winefood/devonkitchen/duck.html |access-date = 12 September 2007}}

While it is hung, the duck is glazed with a layer of syrup with honey, and the duck's inside is rinsed once more with water.{{Citation |last1=Zheng |first1=Huoqing |title=Current Status of the Beekeeping Industry in China |date=2018 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-981-10-8222-1_6 |work=Asian Beekeeping in the 21st Century |pages=129–158 |editor-last=Chantawannakul |editor-first=Panuwan |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer Singapore |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-10-8222-1_6 |isbn=978-981-10-8221-4 |access-date=2023-02-04 |last2=Cao |first2=Lianfei |last3=Huang |first3=Shaokang |last4=Neumann |first4=Peter |last5=Hu |first5=Fuliang |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Geoffrey |editor3-last=Neumann |editor3-first=Peter|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |author-first1=Fuchsia|author-last1=Dunlop|date=8 July 2021 |title=Peking duck: the complex history of a Chinese classic |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2021/07/peking-duck-the-complex-history-of-a-chinese-classic|access-date=4 February 2023 |website=National Geographic |language=en-gb}} A second layer of glaze/marinade of soy sauce, five-spice powder, and more maltose is then applied inside and out, and the duck is left to stand for 24 hours in a cool, dry place (or a refrigerator).{{cite web |title = Quanjude Roast Duck |publisher = Golden Lawyer |url = http://www.goldenlawyer.com/i/food/rostduck.htm |access-date = 14 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070531123447/http://www.goldenlawyer.com/i/food/rostduck.htm |archive-date = 31 May 2007}} It is then roasted in an oven until the skin turns shiny brown.{{cite web |title = Beijing cuisine: Peking Duck Recipe (北京菜: 北京烤鴨) |publisher = Social Work Hong Kong |language = zh |date = 1 June 1970 |url = http://www.socialwork.com.hk/food/chinese/beijing/beijing2-6.htm |access-date = 12 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070610200900/http://www.socialwork.com.hk/food/chinese/beijing/beijing2-6.htm |archive-date = 10 June 2007}}

Besides two traditional methods to prepare Peking duck, recipes have been compiled by chefs all around the world to produce the dish at home.

= Closed-oven style =

Peking duck is traditionally roasted in a closed oven ({{zh|c=焖炉}}). Bianyifang, a restaurant in Beijing, China, is famous for keeping this tradition. The closed oven is built of brick and fitted with metal griddles ({{zh|c=箅子|p=bì zi}}). The oven is preheated by burning Gaoliang sorghum straw ({{zh|c=秫秸|p=shú jiē}}) at the base. The duck is placed in the oven immediately after the fire burns out, allowing the meat to be slowly cooked through the convection of heat within the oven.{{cn|date=June 2021}} Controlling the fuel and the temperature is the main skill. In closed-oven style, duck meat is combined well with the fat under the skin, and therefore is juicy and tender.{{Cn|date=July 2021}}

= Open-oven style =

The open oven ({{zh|c=挂炉|l=hung oven}}) was developed in the imperial kitchens during the Qing dynasty and adopted by the Quanjude restaurant chain. It is designed to roast up to 20 ducks at the same time with an open fire fueled by hardwood from peach or pear trees. The ducks are hung on hooks above the fire and roasted at a temperature of {{convert|270|C|F}} for 30–40 minutes. While the ducks are roasting, the chef may use a pole to dangle each duck closer to the fire for 30-second intervals. In open-oven style, the fat is usually melted during the cooking process, so the skin is crispy.{{Cn|date=July 2021}}

Serving

File:Quanjude roastduck.JPG chef slicing roasted Peking duck]]

File:Peking Duck 1.jpgs, spring onions and sweet bean sauce]]

Peking duck is traditionally carved in front of the guests and served in three stages. First, slices of duck skin are served with sugar and sweet bean sauce as a dip. Duck skin is best enjoyed hot and crisp to the bite. The meat is then served with steamed pancakes ({{zh|s=春饼|t=春餅|p=chūn bǐng}}) and an assortment of vegetable dishes, typically julienned cucumber and spring onion. Traditionally, diners dip slices of duck into the condiments and wrap into the pancake with cucumber and any other ingredients. The wrap is then eaten by hand or with chopsticks. The carved duck (鸭架) – the remainder of the roast duck, with choice cuts removed – can be cooked in three ways. The traditional way is in a broth with ingredients such as Chinese cabbage and soft tofu. The carved duck can also be chopped and stir-fried in sweet bean sauce, or rapidly sautéed and served with salt and pepper (椒鹽). Otherwise, the carved duck is packed to be taken home by the customers.{{cite news

|title = The Evolution of Peking Duck

|work = CBS

|date = 24 September 2006

|url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-evolution-of-peking-duck/

|access-date = 17 September 2007}}Liang, Shih-Chiu. "Roast duck" (烧鸭). in Jiang H. (ed.) Liang Shiqiu's Selected Proses (2000). Hangzhou:Zhejiang Literary Press. {{ISBN|7-5339-0562-8}}{{cite web

|title = How to reheat a takeaway Peking Duck(外卖烤鸭如何加热)

|work = Hainan News Network

|publisher = Xinhua

|date = 27 April 2005

|url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2005-04/27/content_2882835.htm

|access-date = 18 September 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071112110557/http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2005-04/27/content_2882835.htm

|archive-date = 12 November 2007

}}

=Reheating=

Whole Peking ducks can be ordered as takeaway. The ducks can be reheated at home with an oven or stovetop. When an oven is used, the duck is heated at a temperature of {{convert|150|C|F}} for 20 minutes, and then at {{convert|160|C|F}} for another 10 minutes. The stove method involves submerging the duck in boiling water before placing it on a griddle {{convert|70|cm|in|abbr=on}} above the cooking fire. The water is replaced every 3–4 minutes until the duck is piping hot. To reheat the Peking duck with oil, the duck is sliced into thin pieces and placed in a strainer held over a wok of hot oil. The duck is then rinsed several times with the oil.

=Notable restaurants=

A number of restaurants in Beijing specialise in Peking duck. Examples include Quanjude, Bianyifang, Changan Yihao (長安一號), Dayali, Siji Minfu（四季民福）, Beijing Xiaowangfu (北京小王府) and Dadong Kaoyadian (大董烤鴨店).{{cite web

|title = Top 5 places to dine on Peking Duck (吃北京烤鸭最HIGH的5大去处)

|language = zh

|date = 25 August 2004

|work = Northern Net

|publisher = Xinhua

|url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2004-08/25/content_1879693.htm

|access-date = 4 October 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071024191036/http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2004-08/25/content_1879693.htm

|archive-date = 24 October 2007

}} Some restaurants, in particular Quanjude and Bianyifang, have long histories of serving high quality duck that they are now household names, or Lao zihao (老字号), literally "old brand name".{{cite web

|last = Chen

|first = Nan

|title = Old Name, New Experience

|date = 14 April 2006

|publisher = Beijing This Month

|url = http://www.btmbeijing.com/contents/en/business/2006-04/branding/bianyifang

|access-date = 4 October 2007

|url-status = usurped

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071225044513/http://www.btmbeijing.com/contents/en/business/2006-04/branding/bianyifang

|archive-date = 25 December 2007

}} In addition, Quanjude has received worldwide recognition, having been named a China Renowned Trademark in 1999.{{cite web

|title = Quanjude puts duck on the stock-market menu

|work = Shanghai Daily

|publisher = Sina

|date = 27 September 2007

|url = http://english.sina.com/business/1/2007/0927/126775.html

|access-date = 3 October 2007}}

Duck Chang's Restaurant, established in 1975 in Virginia, United States, was the first Chinese restaurant to prepare and serve Peking duck without a 24-hour advanced notice.{{cite web|url=http://www.pekingduck.com/ |title=Peking Duck Restaurant |work=pekingduck.com |access-date=5 September 2015}} In 2018, the James Beard Foundation awarded Sun Wah BBQ in Chicago, Illinois, with their America's Classics award, specifically citing Sun Wah's three-course "Beijing Duck Feast" in their announcement of the award.{{cite news|url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-food-sun-wah-bbq-james-beard-award-20180118-story.html

|title=Sun Wah BBQ to receive coveted 2018 James Beard America's Classics award

|work=Chicago Tribune

|date=18 January 2018

|access-date=24 July 2020}}

Crispy aromatic duck

Crispy aromatic duck (香酥鴨 xiāng sū yā) is a similar dish to Peking duck. It is popular in the United Kingdom,{{cite web

|title = Savour the success from aromatic

|work = Cherry Valley

|url = http://www.cherryvalley.co.uk/our-company/media-centre/press-releases/savour-the-success-from-aromatic

|access-date = 5 October 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090202091552/http://www.cherryvalley.co.uk/our-company/media-centre/press-releases/savour-the-success-from-aromatic

|archive-date = 2 February 2009

}} where it was created in the latter half of the twentieth century.{{cite web

|title = Crispy Aromatic Duck And Other British Inventions

|work = DimSum

|url = http://www.dimsum.co.uk/food/crispy-aromatic-duck-and-other-british-inventions.html

|access-date = 1 October 2011

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110929121858/http://www.dimsum.co.uk/food/crispy-aromatic-duck-and-other-british-inventions.html

|archive-date = 29 September 2011

}}

The duck is first marinated with spices, then steamed until tender, and finally deep fried until crispy.{{cite web

|last=Hom

|first=Ken

|title=Recipe for crispy aromatic duck

|publisher=BBC

|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/crispyaromaticduck_4290.shtml

|access-date=5 October 2007

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907120526/http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/crispyaromaticduck_4290.shtml

|archive-date=7 September 2007

}} The meat has less fat and is drier and crispier compared to that of Peking duck.{{cite web

|title = Peking Duck

|work = Beijing Made Easy

|url = http://www.beijingmadeeasy.com/chinese-food/peking-duck

|access-date = 5 October 2007

|archive-date = 22 February 2014

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140222022211/http://www.beijingmadeeasy.com/chinese-food/peking-duck

}}

In Germany, some Asian fusion restaurants also serve crispy aromatic duck (Knusprige Ente), sometimes also labeled as Peking duck (Peking-Ente, also Pekingente). The duck is marinated with spices and deep-fried, served together with stir-fried vegetables (Wokgemüse) over fried noodles or with rice.

The traditional way of eating is to have the roasted duck carved into slices by the waiter, separate the duck skin and duck meat, and dip a little duck skin into each slice. Diners often wrap slices of duck meat in pancakes, and add sweet bean sauce, green onions, cucumber strips and other ingredients to make it a unified meal.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

= Cultural symbol =

Peking duck is a symbol of gourmet food and one of the representatives of Chinese food culture.{{cite web |title=Why is Duck so Special to Chinese Cuisines? |url=https://chowman.net/why-is-duck-so-special-to-chinese-culture/#:~:text=Duck%20is%20a%20staple%20in,the%20Chinese%20and%20foreigners%20alike. |access-date=20 September 2024 |website=Chowman| date=17 December 2019 }} Buying Peking duck has become one of the essential experiences for many foreign politicians and tourists not only when visiting Beijing. Time-honored roast duck restaurants such as Quanjude and Bianyifang have become the inheritors of this gourmet culture.

After a hundred years of inheritance and innovation, Beijing roast duck has become more than just a dish. It carries the memory of history and represents China’s rich food culture.{{cite web |title=Knusprige Ente mit Nudeln |url=https://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/396891128502384/Knusprige-Ente-mit-Nudeln.html |access-date=26 November 2017 |work=Chefkoch}}{{cite web |title=Pekingente mit Ponzu-Sauce, Sesam-Wokgemüse und Reisküchlein |url=https://www.netto-online.de/Pekingente-mit-Ponzu-Sauce-Sesam-Wokgemuese-und-Reiskuechlein.chtm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034638/https://www.netto-online.de/Pekingente-mit-Ponzu-Sauce-Sesam-Wokgemuese-und-Reiskuechlein.chtm |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=26 November 2017 |work=Netto}}