Beijing Roasted Duck
Beijing roast duck is categorized into two styles: roast duck hung upright in the oven under the leadership of Quanjude; Menlu roast duck or duck roasted in the oven under the leadership of Pianyifang .Beijing duck is roasted by flame burning from fruit-wood. It takes about 45 minutes for the duck to be done. The finished duck is characteristic with crispy skin, tender meat and the fragrance from the fruit-wood. It looks wonderful and appealing with a full figure, even claret color and the brightness and shine on the duck skin. It tastes pure and mellow with lotus leaf-shaped cake, scallion slices and sweet sauce jam, leaving a lasting and pleasant aftertaste.
If you want to eat the roast duck just in the restaurant, you will also enjoy the living scene of skillful dusk cutting trick made by the restaurant chefs.
With Beijing roast duck as the raw materials, all duck banquets like baked duck heart, four duck delicacies as well as duck quesadillas have been pushed out the customers.
DIY Beijing roast duck
Beijing duck is roasted in a specially constructed oven, which is square outside, has a crescent shaped door, and is round inside, where there are two racks for hanging the ducks for roasting. Underneath is the fire pit where hardwood such as date, peach and pear ware used as fuel. These gie plenty of heat with little smoke and impart a fruity fragrance.The duck is basically roasted by the heat reflected through the oven to the roof and sides of the oven. This way of roasting makes the outside well done and the inside tender, the skin crisp and meat savory.
To prepare the duck for roasting, the stomach is emptied and air pumped in. then it is brushed with a maltose solution and dried in an airy place. The carcass is plugged, half-filled with hot water; the duck is then read to be hung for roasting.
The crucial point of roasting is the fire and timing. Too short a time means that the duck is underdone and the skin browned unevenly; too long a time makes the mat tough and the skin dry. Experienced chefs are able to regulate the heat and turn each duck to maintain the right temperature. Generally speaking, veteran chefs use their experience to watch color, temperature and timing to accurately judge the degree of doneness. When the duck has turned golden brown, with the gravy inside becoming clear and transparent, it means it is ready to serve.
It takes 5 years for chefs to learn to roast the duck, but 15 years to master the technique which is today a special branch of cookery science in china.
Beijing roast duck is one of the famous specialties in the city. It is prepared from a 2-month-old white Beijing duck. When it is roasted and steamed for about 45 minutes, the duck is read for serving, the whole duck is carried to the table on a platter, and the chef will often make an appearance to display his culinary creation. The skin is cut into small pieces, which are then served to the guest.
The slices of golden skin are eaten by wrapping them inside thin pancakes or in sesame cakes which are dipped in a saucer of chopped scallions.